Chevrolet Cruze - First Details

Take close hard look at the bold new Chevrolet Cruze, the family sedan styled like a little muscle car. Take a look because Chevrolet plans to sell the Cruze in all the continents (presumably Greenland too?) following its near-future debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. From next spring when it goes on sale it will add to the increasing number of Chevy models in Europe, including the Camaro in both LHD and RHD guises. Cruze shows clear sharp lines, including the forward-sloping single kink of shoulder line running across from the rear to the front fender.

Its face is a show of power, strong and aggressive lines flowing down on the Chevrolet grille. This type of macho design we’ve seen strongest in the Chevrolet WTCC concept of 2006, then to a lesser but more street extent, in the not-so-identical twins Lumina SS/Commodore and Ute.

“Our goal with the design of the Cruze was to be bold, not evolutionary,” chief designer Taewan Kim explains. “We wanted to take a big step forward, making a strong design statement for Chevrolet products around the world.”

If looks could kill the Cruze would simply tickle you because its engine lineup reflects more a Joe Blog customer than a Joe Cocker personality. Three engines, 1.6-litre good for 112 PS, 1.8-litre 140PS, both petrol, and a 2.0-litre common rail diesel giving 150 PS will initially be given.
We hope the beginning of Cruze spells the end of Optra, which is a good all-rounder that’s ultimately not proven itself to be good enough.