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.
Chevrolet Cruze - First Details
Chevrolet / 2009 Chevrolet Cruze
Cruze, Camaro, many more to follow
By Thami Masemola
August 22, 2008 12:00 AM
Filed Under: American, Chevrolet, General
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Comments
AG4
August 22, 2008 12:06 AM
Looks like a big improvement over the Optra. They're finally using modern engines with variable valve timing.
archytype
August 22, 2008 12:59 AM
It needs direct injection to be impressive, but I am glad they are dumping the 2.3L truck engine as in the Cobalt.
Hopefully it's smooth and sounds like refined.
The architecture and design are a serious advancement, but: 1. The cabin looks alittle tallish like a Beetle. 2. The face and shoulder lines look great but the cheap big eyed headlamps need work, (same as the BMW 1 series where the headlamps make the car look mini) 3. The rear wants to be Japanese and looks like a Kia, redesign the bumper, fin on the trunk, and taillight chrome.
Americans seek the Passat CC styling and MB CLS sport coupe/sedan look, give it to us without a huge markup in price also.
radmeister
August 22, 2008 9:06 PM
Cobalt used the 2.0L Ecotec found in the opel astra and SAAB, that engine is solid and good for 350hp on stock internals with turbo upgrade, the 2.3 Ecotec is only in SAABs if i am not mistaken, and only in turbo form and i got mine up 332whp on stock internals, so its not a truck motor at all.
Emrys_Myrddin
August 22, 2008 1:15 AM
How can you say it is "styled like a little muscle car" when it has the top of a Beetle and the rear of an Epica?? This american cars... but hey, great front bumper! lol
Nurchus
August 22, 2008 1:51 AM
I think this looks very nice! Definitely a step in the right direction. If the Volt has this very sme front end, I think the car's rear-end can be overlooked.
By the way, I am talking about the front end of this car. Chevy should continue this design. Very nicely done and a breath of fresh air.
carcrazy1234
August 22, 2008 2:44 AM
better than the optra for sure.. needs bigger wheels to look its best.. the rear lights looks like an acura CSX or the Japanese Civic with a little modification. annnnnd overall.. HUGE improvement in GM design.
archytype
August 22, 2008 3:27 AM
GM will survive with U.S. subsidies, their GM credit union, and fewer loyal buyers. But to make money they are not thinking out of the box. Fundamentally, they need to give us cars that overperform, outrefine, and have more charisma than VW and Toyota. The subtle/downsized design combined with overly agressive front end make this car a loser.
BabyMilo
August 22, 2008 6:27 AM
wat is it with chevrolet and putting those ugly grills on their cars??? they look good on an Audi and Peugoet but not on a Chevrolet
phobos
August 22, 2008 8:41 AM
audi?audi does not have that kind of grill..it's different in design...the car looks great, love the front end,is there any future sport version? perhaps a turbocharged version?or perhaps a coupe version ?
vadizzel
August 22, 2008 4:15 PM
Once again we got screwed in USA and we are stuck with the POS Cobalt.
archytype
August 22, 2008 7:56 PM
Cobalt's delta platform has good bones, I had an ion2 sportpackage and the chassis felt more rigid and lightweight than the Audi TT I had next (of course it was a convertible lol).
Danjude
August 27, 2008 11:13 AM
they should keep the name of Chevrolet Optra because with Cruze will not see any improvement as matter of fact the optra is not a bad vehicule only need to be agressive this model will pull the optra up
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