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New HD Video Streaming Rear-view Mirror An exciting development in the world of automobile technology gives the new Cadillac CT6 a big upgrade to the rear-view mirror. The full-size sedan that will be unveiled at the 2015 New York Auto Show will feature a new HD video streaming rear-view mirror that will change the act of checking your blind spot forever. more Cadillac CT6 drivers won’t be tasked with leaning over the back of their seat to see what is hiding in their blind spot. A switch at the base of their rear-view mirror will enable the mirror to become a streaming video of the rear of the car.  The benefits to this development include being able to see without passengers, headrests and the vehicle itself getting in the way. The new Cadillac would give the driver an estimated 300% increase in field of vision behind the car. To get rid of the chance that the upgraded mirror could be negatively impacted by weather conditions, there will be a water-shedding hydrophobic coating applied to the camera. This, along with the ability to reduce glare and see crisper images in low-light situations, makes the CT6’s mirror a real dream for any driver. While the mirror is being introduced on the Cadillac CT6 this year, the jump from mirrors to cameras for the more affordable vehicles cannot be far behind. For now, Cadillac will face regulatory hurdles in getting the system approved, but the technology is not foreign to the automotive industry. Cars in Europe are already being built with cameras in place instead of side-view mirrors. The US is catching up, and the CT6 is definitely a step in an exciting direction. The Cadilac CT6 will go on sale in the fall of 2015. If you have any questions or want to be one of the first to test-drive and own a Cadillac CT6, contact our friendly and professional staff at Palmen GM, in Kenosha WI.

You Need New Brakes Automobile technology shifts and changes from one day to the next. Despite all the recent advancements in the world of car safety, there are still a lot of people out there driving vehicles without the newest in brake technology. Read more here to find out why the NHTSA thinks you need new brakes. more The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a list of recommended safety measures that all car designers must consider in the creation and testing of their vehicles. As of Thursday, the NHTSA took notice of the awesome advancements that have been made in the braking technology of newer cars and added crash imminent braking and dynamic brake support to their New Car Assessment Program. While these technologies have been available for a little while now, it is usually only a safety feature offered in the higher end vehicles. As the average person is not very often in the market to buy a high end vehicle, the NHTSA decided to recommend that these new brake technologies be included in all new cars, and not just the ones that cost an arm and a leg. This was done with the hope that safety features like this would be included in more affordable cars and would then encourage consumers to buy safer vehicles. Crash imminent braking, as its name suggests, uses sensors in the car to determine when a car is about to get into an accident. It then deploys the brakes if the driver has not already, to try and minimize the impact of the crash. Dynamic brake support steps in as a part of this system. Studies showed that often, when cars get into a crash, many drivers either didn’t have the chance to apply the brakes, or did not apply them fully. Brake support would collaborate with the crash imminent braking to make sure that if the brakes were fully, and not just partially, applied prior to a crash to minimize the impact. It won’t be long until the NHTSA makes these type of technologies more of a mandate than a recommendation, but for now we can be happy that someone is looking out for the everyday average joe.

What Does OnStar At Your Service Do? If you're a current Buick, GMC, or Cadillac driver and you're using OnStar, you know just how convenient and time-saving the service can be. From turn by turn navigation to your destination to emergency services, diagnostics, hands-free calling, and more, it might be hard to imagine what else OnStar could be planning to make its services even more useful. Well, until now. This new and upcoming facet of OnStar, called AtYourService, will help you in ways you probably haven't even considered before. What does Onstar At Your Service do? We'll tell you right here: more A few of OnStar's partners for the AtYourService program include Priceline, RetailMeNot, Entertainment book, Audiobooks.com, and Dunkin' Donuts. With the Priceline integration, you'll be able to find a hotel within a certain area and make a booking, all while speaking with a representative who can answer questions for you and look up pertinent information for you while you drive. Once you've secured your booking, they'll send turn-by-turn directions right to your car. RetailMeNot will let you know about specials and coupons going on in your destination area, and Entertainment Book helps you find deals on restaurants and other activities. Audiobook will give you access to e-book content, and Dunkin' Donuts will of course help you find the nearest Dunkin' Donuts and alert you to any coupons or savings you could take advantage of once there. Certainly this opens up a wide world of further options down the road for your OnStar system to help you in so many more areas, but for the time being we think it's an exciting development that we look forward to sharing with our shoppers here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac. If you've got any questions about the current OnStar system and what you can do with it, or if you'd like to come in for a test drive and see a demonstration, feel free to give us a call and we'll get that set up for you right away.

What does the Buick LaCrosse eAssist System do? When it comes to comfort and convenience features, the Buick LaCrosse is a well-established leader in the luxury sedan realm. Did you know that the LaCrosse also takes a top spot in terms of fuel-saving technology as well? The eAssist system is a multi-component suite of technologies and features that help you to seamlessly maximize fuel economy on every journey. What does the Buick LaCrosse eAssist system do? We'll give you a breakdown of the components and let you know how you can get behind the wheel of a LaCrosse yourself to try it out. more Regenerative braking: One of the driving forces behind eAssist is the regenerative braking system. As you come to a stop after braking, the forward energy gets converted to help recharge the lithium-ion battery in the LaCrosse's hybrid system. In many hybrid vehicles, battery charge is supplied by the engine alone, so this process helps save on fuel by providing energy that would otherwise go to waste. Stop-start technology: Idling is one of the biggest fuel-sucks of all time, so getting stuck in traffic can make you feel like you're just throwing money away -- and the very cash that's supposed to get you from place to place is being spent while you sit there, already frustrated by the time being wasted. While the Buick LaCrosse can't completely eliminate traffic jams (we wish), what it can do is save you from wasting fuel dollars while stopped via stop-start technology. Simply put, your engine automatically turns off while you're at a complete stop and turns back on when you hit the gas. And it's so seamless you probably won't even notice it's happening. What you can do to save even more gas: If you really want to make the most of the system and achieve great fuel economy numbers like the LaCrosse's 25 city/36 hwy mpg, make sure your driving habits are in line with the recommendations for conserving fuel. Questions? Want to test drive a new LaCrosse? Stop in or give us a call here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac!

Cadillac XTS Massage Seats Car seats have really come a long way in terms of comfort, with more and more models offering power adjustable seats, lumbar support, and premium materials for a ride that's a great deal less fatigue-inducing than those of years past. Now Cadillac, a regular front runner on the luxury technology scene, is introducing new seats that go above and beyond what you'd expect to see, even on a high-end model: massaging seats. Available on two new models, the XTS and Escalade, these seats have the potential to greatly improve life on the road for drivers. Today we'll tell you a bit more about the Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac XTS massage seats -- maybe you'll want to try them out sometime. more Why massage seats? Believe it or not, it's not just about over-the-top luxury. There are many benefits to massage, especially for those who work in offices or spend long hours on the road for work. Relieving muscle tension and stress through massage can help people feel less fatigued and improve overall feelings of well-being. How it works: You can actually choose the massage settings you prefer and store them in your XTS or Escalade's memory just like you store the information for your seat positions. You'll be able to see in your infotainment screen the details of the massage as well as the level of intensity. There are settings for rolling, kneading, and anti-fatigue. A button on the base of the seat will activate your preferred settings. About the XTS: The Cadillac XTS is a large luxury sedan with a spacious, inviting interior and a refined, elegant style inside and out. Today's top technology gives you access to what Cadillac calls "The Three Cs": convenience, connectivity, and control. The standard engine is a 304-horsepower V6 and there's an available 410-hp Twin Turbo V6 in case you really want to turn it up. Give us a call to learn more about the Cadillac XTS massage seats or if you'd like to test drive on of the models we've got in stock now.

Does OnStar include WiFi? It's kind of amazing to think that not too long ago, the idea of having WiFi in our homes was pretty wild -- and now we can have it in our cars, too! Is it the kind of cutting edge technology you'll only find in the super high-end models in our line-up like the Cadillac Escalade? Well, you can certainly get it in your Escalade, but it's also available in almost every 2015 Buick, GMC, and Cadillac model that we have. If you've ever wanted to know, " Does OnStar include WiFi? ", the answer is that as of the 2015 model year, most GM vehicles will include WiFi capability, which means you can subscribe or unsubscribe to the actual WiFi service depending on your needs at a given time. more Every year, Popular Science magazine comes out with a "Best of What's New" list, honoring those innovations that "surprise and amaze" the judges. From thousands of entrants, Popular Science chooses just one hundred winners to represent the best of what's newly available in science and technology that will improve the lives of consumers. We're proud to be offering OnStar's high-speed 4G LTE connectivity which allows for WiFi hotspots in just about all of our 2015 vehicles. More about the WiFi hostpot: When you buy the vehicle, you get your first three months/3GB of data included as a free trial subscription. That way you can determine whether the WiFi hotspot is something you and your passengers will get enough use from. There are flexible plan options for you from there, starting from as low as $5. You'll be able to make one-time or monthly subscription data purchases with ease. You and your passengers will be able to use up to seven mobile devices at a time. so whether it's a tablet, smartphone, or even a laptop in the backseat, you'll have the connectivity you want no matter where you are.

2015 GMC Yukon Denali mpg rating Need a large SUV that can haul your passengers and gear, achieve great towing capacity, and offer plenty of luxury and convenience features? The 2015 GMC Yukon Denali is truly one of those models that's got it all, and if you're trying to decide whether to take the plunge you probably have some additional questions. For example, what's the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali mpg rating? You might be pleased to know that the numbers have actually improved substantially from previous model years! Today we'll tell you about the improved fuel economy for the Yukon Denali as well as some other highlight of the model. more First, let's just compare the numbers between the 2014 Yukon Denali and the 2015 in terms of fuel economy to see how big of a difference is in play here: 2014: Rear-wheel drive gets 14 city/18 hwy. Four-wheel drive gets 13 city/18 hwy. 2015: Rear-wheel drive gets 15 city/22 hwy. Four-wheel drive gets 15 city/21 hwy. As you can see, the numbers increased by about fifteen percent. How did they do it, especially when the 6.2-liter EcoTec V8 engine is the same? In this case, the improvement was achieved primarily by switching over to an 8-speed automatic transmission from the previous model's six-speed. What else might you enjoy about the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali? From leather eating to tri-zone climate control, the interior of this capable, fuel-efficient model is really all about comfort and convenience for you and your passengers. With adjustable pedals, heated and cooled front seats (there are even heated second-row seats on offer), and active noise cancellation, your experience inside the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali is sure to be exceptional. Why not come on in and test drive the new model with us here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac? Our friendly staff will happily help you learn anything you'd like to know about his all-new and seriously improved new full-size SUV.

2015 Buick LaCrosse Changes The Buick LaCrosse just gets better with every new model year -- it's no wonder this is one of our best-selling sedans here at Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac! With premium comfort and convenience features and technology that improves drastically with each update, the LaCrosse is quickly gaining ground in its class and reaching a wider range of drivers than ever before. Want to find out what makes the 2015 updates so noteworthy? We'll let you know about all of the 2015 Buick LaCrosse changes and also clue you in as to how you can set up a test drive here at our dealership in Kenosha! more The one that's really got people talking is the OnStar with 4G LTE and a standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. This is a subscription service, so the compatibility is there and you get to decide whether or not you want to make use of it. To help you make that choice, you're getting a free 3 GB/three-month data trial to see if this is a service you'll get a good deal of use out of, and from there it's up to you whether you'd like to subscribe! We think this is a timely and important update, as people are more connected than ever these days. Also standard on all LaCrosee models for 2015 is the rearview camera system, allowing you a clear and easy view of what's behind you when you're backing up. Where this might normally be a paid extra or standard on only the higher trims, it now comes along with every new LaCrosse, including the base model. The IntelliLink system receives some updates, now set to include text messaging alerts as well as Siri Eyes Free, letting you make voice commands without taking your eyes off the road. With these more connected times comes an increased need for driver awareness and safety considerations, so we're glad to see this development. Other improvements include four-way adjustable front-seat headrests and new exterior colors that include White Frost Tricoat, Deep Garnet Metallic, and Dark Chocolate Metallic. Interested in taking the new 2015 Buick LaCrosse for a test drive? Give us a call today if you're in Kenosha or the surrounding areas and we'll gladly set something up!

This is the era of forward-thinking. It’s the time when we have to think about others, specially if we are talking about the environment. Here al Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac, we want to teach you a few greener ways to clean your car.  We all want to keep our cars cleaned but the best things for our environment and for those around us is to save some water and use less chemicals. more There are several ways you can wash your car at home while thinking about the environment. These might include the amount of water, the types of cleaning products you use and where the water goes after you are done rinsing your car. It's an example that one has to set. If you regularly wash your car at home, then we know that you probably have some products and tools set aside specifically for this action. A favorite sponge or car-washing mitt could be replaced by a great natural option like a sheepskin wash mitt, which is commonly available in the auto section big supermarkets. Now, when it comes to drying your car, opt for a much cleaner option than paper towels that get thrown away after every use. Think about implementing into this routine a used T-shirt or another type of cotton clothing. Reusing is the key. Fun fact of the day: a regular garden hose uses about 10 gallons of water per minute. Do the math, after 10 minutes of washing or rinsing your vehicle, that is equivalent 100 gallons of wasted water. Look online for alternative water-saving options that could be attached to your hose and reduce the amount of water. Or think about going waterless: There are waterless car-wash products that possess advanced wetting agents and emulsifiers to soften and remove dirt and grime. By being a little more sympathetic about the environment, you can help your community, your loved ones and the future. Remember to keep checking with us for more blogs about cars, information about our new inventory or if you have a question about financing. Our expert sales team will be happy to assist you and answer all your questions.

Elegance at its best 2014 Cadillac ELR If this model could wear a suit and tie, it would. Diamonds aren't sufficient to adorn its beauty and wherever it goes it needs a red carpet … Ok, no. That's an exaggeration. It doesn't require of anything extra because its elegance is built in. The all new 2014 Cadillac ELR will dazzle all of those who see it go. more A brand that delivers The 2014 Cadillac ELR is the undoubted embodiment of the idea of luxury and performance. This new model characterized by fast-forward thinking and modern design, is one of the most luxurious coupes the market. The twin LED light-blade taillamps are aerodynamically crafted in order to enhance the driver’s visibility. Hidden door handles have resolved the labyrinth of efficiency and secrecy. Adding to the advanced thinking, all you need is touch a small pad located on the inside of the door handle and that’s all it takes. Your destiny. Your decision. Active aero grille shutters automatically close at highway speeds to maximize aerodynamics and open at lower speeds when additional cooling may be required, which marries both elegance and efficiency. Don’t think that’s possible? Schedule an appointment with us to try the 2014 Cadillac ELR out yourself. Besides, the high-performing 20” rims will invite you to go inside this master of luxury. Once you’re in it, heated seats will activate as soon as you start the vehicle so you feel covered at all times. Another additional feature will let you block any distraction from the outside world with the help of Bose Active Noise Cancellation via the audio system. Yet, another great feature of the 2014 Cadillac ELR lets you switch between four distinct drive modes (Tour Mode, Sport Mode, Mountain Mode and Hold Mode) in order to enhance efficiency and make your drive the perfect mixture of class, power and an unforgettable legacy.

Easiest Way to Mount your Smartphone When science and technology combine, there is no doubt that magic is about to happen. Now, when these two plus the car industry get together, there is no telling what can come out of it! Or maybe there is -  the 2014 brings to car users Steelie Car Mount Kit, the easiest way to mount your smartphone. more This marks the new era of smartphone mounts. No more rude suction cups that damage the aesthetic of your brand new car. Instead, designers have created The Steelie Mounting Kit, a sophisticated, modern way to mount your iPhone with minimal cabin impact. The mounting base of the Steelie kit is a 1-inch silver metal ball cradled in a plastic holder. The flat end of the plastic comes covered in adhesive, so that you can choose where to stick it on the dashboard. The medal silver base is unobtrusive and stylish, making this almost invisible. The other part of the Steelie kit takes up even less space. It's a magnetic grommet with an adhesive backing, intended for the back of a smartphone or a smartphone case. No additional parts needed. Just you, your car and science. In order to install the Steelie Car Mount Kit, you have to find that flat spot on your dashboard, preferably of plastic material and on a vertical position. The advantage of this setup is that you can stick the phone to the base and pull it off as much as you which. This shows the great quality of this new device. In addition, the Steelie Kit moves freely around the exposed surface of the metal ball in the base, making it easy for you to adjust for a better visibility. As always, these type of gadgets make life easier and safer, which can prevent accidents and visits to the repair center. So what are you waiting for ? Come to your Palmen Buick GMC Cadillac dealer and get a new model so you can test the Steelie Car Mount Kit on it.

New technology. New Times. 4G Connection in Cars There is no doubt that the idea of speed is one of the biggest motives when purchasing a car. We want to get somewhere and we want to get there fast. However, when it comes to Internet connection, we rely on the speed of our phones to do the job. Thankfully, automakers have caught on to the necessity of having a better, more reliable Internet connection built into models directly from the factory. Here are some of the reasons why having a 4G connection in cars can become very gratifying. more Make your car your new mobile device 2014’s technological advances are bringing even more fascinating things to the automotive industry and its new car models. With this, comes the use of build in Internet connection into one’s car. Two very useful advantages of having 4G in your car would be Data Gathering and Better Hotspots. First, Data Gathering will allow the streaming of information about the car itself and how you operate it, making it far easier to understand. Although, the use of it could increase your monthly bill, having your car working as a Hotspot can be a benefit to those long trips where some passengers require extra distractions without having to add extra parts or entertainment systems. Wouldn't it be nice if your navigation system would update every once in a while? This would be a possibility with 4G connection. Rather than acquiring different software versions, yours would look, work, and feel like new every few months. Along the lines of connection, a faster, more accurate one is imperative when driving. Whether it be voice recognition and commands, or streaming media, having the information on your screen appear and respond faster will allow you to keep paying attention to the road, rather than the buffering of a map. All this equates to a safe driver and fewer visits to the mechanic. Lastly, a Persistent Connection will have you car working with you rather than you waiting for it to work. It will go at your own pace, keeping track of your life’s context and lifestyle. Having 4G built in to your car will allow it to become another of your mobile devices, making your life feel more connected and secure.