Silent Knight: Christmas comes early for Sir Alex Ferguson

MANCHESTER, England, December 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Manchester United manager receives Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle
• "It's the car of the future" - Sir Alex Ferguson

While Sir Alex Ferguson makes himself heard in press conferences, on the pitch and in the dressing room, he'll probably drive past you this Christmas and you won't even notice.

Sir Alex took possession of an extended range electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt, as part of the club's partnership agreement with the global car manufacturer. The Volt can travel up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) gas and emission free - and virtually silent - before the on-board generator kicks in to add a further 300 miles (500 km) of extended range.

Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said: "I think the Volt is absolutely phenomenal. A friend of mine drove one in the States and kept going on and on about it, so when I had the opportunity I said 'yeah I'm going to try it because it's the car of the future, really'. I'm very pleased with it."

The Chevrolet Volt is available in Europe's largest automobile markets and won the prestigious European Car of the Year 2012, amongst many others. The Volt can drive up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16.5 kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas-powered generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 300 miles (500 kilometers) on a full tank.

Chevrolet Volt owners in the U.S. have collectively driven more than 100 million all-electric miles (approx. 160 million km) since the vehicle went on sale two years ago this month.

The average Volt owner travels more than 65 percent of the time in pure electric mode as the car was designed - only using the gasoline-powered generator for longer trips. By charging regularly, Volt owners drive approximately 900 miles (1,448 km), or a month and a half, between fill-ups.

Chevrolet is currently Manchester United's Official Automotive Partner and will become the club's shirt sponsor beginning with the 2014/2015 season.

A number of players and other staff will also receive Chevrolets as part of the partnership agreement between the club and General Motors.

These include former World Champion and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton, who received a seven-seater Chevrolet Captiva.

Sir Bobby said: "Well, every new car gives you that little bit of excitement; this is really, really exciting. I'm going to enjoy driving it through all the winding roads and the little bridges near where I live and because I've got a 4 wheel drive, I can see everything over the top. It looks lovely. It's first class and I am very happy with it."

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of more than four million vehicles in more than 140 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet cars combine bold design, performance, innovation and practicality. They provide outstanding value for money. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand celebrated its centenary in 2011. The brand was re-launched in Europe in 2005. It is represented with a total of 2,500 sales and service outlets in Western and Central Europe. The European Chevrolet line-up includes the Spark city car, the small Aveo sedan and hatchback, the compact Cruze sedan and hatchback, the Orlando family van, the Captiva SUV, the legendary Camaro and Corvette sports cars and the extended-range Volt electric car. In 2012, Chevrolet is launching the Cruze station wagon and the Malibu mid-size sedan. More information on Chevrolet can be found at http://www.chevrolet.co.uk or media.chevrolet.co.uk.

About Manchester United

Manchester United is the world's most popular football club, with an estimated 659 million followers and was recently named by Forbes magazine as the most valuable sports club in the world. Founded in 1878, the Club has won a record 19th English league championships to add to its record 11 English FA Cups, 3 European Cups, 1 European Cup Winners' Cup, 1 FIFA Club World Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 4 English League Cups. Its manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is the most successful manager in British history.

Contacts:
Vijay Iyer
Director, Chevrolet & Cadillac Communications, Chevrolet Europe
Tel:    +41-44-828-29-80
Mobile: +41-79-201-57-52
Fax:    +41-44-828-25-35
vijay.iyer@gm.com