An Early Look at the Chevrolet Cruze
By Ed Peper
North America Vice President, Chevrolet
The Chevrolet Cruze won’t be officially revealed until the Paris Auto Show in October, but when the opportunity arose to give a sneak peek today to the people of Lordstown, Ohio who will be assembling the vehicle, we felt the occasion couldn’t be more perfect. This new global compact car will build on the already successful Chevrolet Cobalt, Cobalt XFE and Cobalt SS – and we’re also proud to be harnessing GM’s global design and engineering expertise. The Cruze was designed and engineered by our global teams in Europe and Asia Pacific and will be manufactured in those regions, as well as at the assembly plant here in Lordstown.
The early look accompanied an announcement by CEO Rick Wagoner that GM plans to invest more than $500 million to prepare for the Cruze product program for the U.S., including more than $350 million into Lordstown.
I look forward to sharing more details in the months to come, but for now, enjoy the newly released photos. And for even more images, check out LeftLaneNews.com.
View the complete release here.
- Posted in Cars & Trucks
Blue Wing
Cruze
Looks nice, but what’s with the name? Is that supposed to be …edgy? …trendy? …cool? … or what?
Scott
You have to bring this car here a year earlier than planed somehow. If your truely serious about turning things around at GM you need to accelerate the time that new models go on sale here in the US. The Camero is the latest example, you had the transformers movie to drive people into them and that whole marketing push a year ago, for a car that’s launch that keeps on getting delayed. You guys are going in the right direction, but your timing is still always behind the curb.
Jan Bayus
I see in this car, a continuation of GMs “I finally get it” movement. GM should build cars, and they can build them as well as any other company, if not better. The 2008 Malibu (I actually bought one)
is a good tease. It is the almost there car. I think GM can do better with interior materials (they do ok with the truck line) and if they offered the Malibu with the 2.0L Turbo that is in the Cobalt, I would buy another. But by bringing their success to the compact line, they will be in a duel with ALL makers.
I chided GM a few years back about their lack of vision when it came to cars. I am not a truck guy and I believe GM should be their truck brand and keep Chevy out of it. BUt back to this car, it may seem sedate to some, but I get it. Check out the interior shots and you will see that it will not only compete with the Koreans, Japanese and some Germans, it will demolish some of them.
GM has the capacity to put into this little sweetheart a myriad of world class engines, just like it was done in the 60’s. Make a coupe out of this and with 260-280 HP only a few cars could compete.
The BAD news is the roll-out date. GM… Please stop production of the Coablt, start up a few new engine plants and have your dealers sharpen their pencils. The dealers can be the fly on the ointment though. They need to spiff themselves up if Chevy wants to play in the new auto world.
Blue Wing
A new 2.0-liter turbo diesel, developing 150 hp/ 110 kW and 320 Nm of torque adds power with even greater frugality.
GM is actually bringing a turbo-diesel to the U.S? Or is that only for those lucky Europeans?
edvard
This is a very tasteful design. It makes up for what the Cobalt lacked, which was aggressive styling. What’s nice about it is that it shares some of the same design treatments and lines as more upscale European sports sedans like some of the more recent BMW entry level models. I think that people who currently own Civics, Cobalts, and other smaller sporty cars will find this an attractive option because for once, they can have an economy car that doesn’t look… economy. With this car, they get some of the same styling you’d find in more expensive cars.
There have been few economy cars that I’ve been remotely interested in. The new Civic is nice, but just tasteful in a sort of conservative manner. The Cruze makes a strong impression. Looks great to me, plus if it gets the same MPG as the Cobalt, even better.
Mike-o-Matic
Dang! Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout. Love the exterior guys, can’t wait to test-drive one! I sure hope the production-intent Volt looks this hot, too (and comes in that perfect shade of red!).
Gereon (Germany)
Dear Mr. Peper,
thanks for providing those pictures. However I am also curious regarding the interior. Please, are there any images available as well? As this model reportedly will go on sale in Europe early next year, I’d like to know, whether it will be E85-capable. Combined with an LPG-conversion, we finally then could say ‘good bye’ to 9$/Gallon-gasoline. I’d appreciate some more information about that. Thank you.
Gary Dikkers
Scott said: “If your truly serious about turning things around at GM you need to accelerate the time that new models go on sale here in the US.”
Scott,
I don’t think the sense of urgency is there. It’s taking them longer to bring new cars such as the Volt and Camaro to market than it took to build the first atomic bomb in WW II.
The Manhattan Project officially started in August 1942. In July 1945 they exploded their first bomb in New Mexico. Only two years and eleven months passed from what was no more than a theoretical concept until they had two different types of atomic bombs ready for delivery–one using uranium for fuel, the other plutonium.
Good for us GM wasn’t in charge of the Manhattan Project.
Brady Turley
Another Malibu grill on a different car? When did we get designers from Dodge?
Jan Bayus
http://jalopnik.com/399774/chevy-cruze-interior-shot-shows-off-curvaceous-two+tone-dash
This is a NICE interior.
GMisCARKING
Great, GM, another car with torsion beam rear suspension. When will you guys ever learn? Take a look at this picture: http://www.rpmdaily.com/images/2008-Focus-E.jpg . This is the picture of upcoming Euro Ford Focus that’s gonna arrive here in 2010. It has multilink rear suspension. Look at this source: http://www.autozine.org/html/GM/Cobalt.html, and you will know Cobalts with torsion beam susension tend to understeer. You chose an outdated suspension just to save PENNIES. I believe Ford will build the new Focus in the same Wayne, Michigan plant. Ford will build a better car with the SYNC advantage. The loan provided by GM to Delphi is already close to
1 billion dollars!!! Another dumb decision by General Motors.
getalifeagain
I like that front end. Looks different from other cars and has a strong look.
Eric Planey
Ed,
This car looks great! I am curious if there will be a Pontiac version?
Regards,
Eric
Fred
Well that’s nice.
Do you still do any designing and engineering here? It seems like everything is either from Opel, Holden, or Daewoo.
thegriffon
GM has previously said this car will get 9 mpg more than the Cobalt, thanks to a new engine and the 6-speed auto. The new engine is a 1.4 L Turbo, producing similar power to the 1.8 L it will be launched with in Korea (as the Daewoo Lacetti) and Europe.
The diesel will be offered primarily in the European market, but other countries with high demand for diesels or suitably high prices for compacts (such as India) will also get it. Diesel in the US market will for now be reserved for more expensive upper-medium sedans such as the Accord and Maxima, luxury cars, SUVs and large trucks.
There are no official images of the interior, but spy photos published online show a very modern, upscale design. Color and trim vary depending on market and assembly plant, of which there will be a dozen or so serving local markets around the world—Russia, Korea, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, India, Venezuela, Vietnam, Ukraine, Colombia, Ohio, China, Taiwan, Poland and Mexico could all be cranking out the Chevrolet Cruze within the next year or two.
An E85 version of the Family 1 engines being launched in the European Cruze has not been announced as yet, but the larger Family II engines in the Cobalt it replaces are built in Flexfuel versions, offered in the 2009 HHR. LPG is possible for the Korean market, but for Germany I would have thought a CNG version of the 1.6 L would be a better choice (these are Korean-built versions of the engines in the Astra and Zafira after all), but that is more likely for the future compact MPV, for the same reason that CNG is only offered in the Zafira and Combo (more room for the additional CNG tanks).
Car Fan
Ed,
Bob Lutz told the media last month that the Chevrolet Cruze is set to be sold in Europe next year, BUT won’t be replacing the Cobalt in the U.S. anytime soon.
Lutz maintained that the current Cobalt is “no where near the end of its life-cycle” and that it’s “finally coming into its own” in the U.S. market.
(..he was kidding right..?)
I hope these photos indicate that you’ve worked out a way of getting the Cruze on the roads in the US much sooner than Mr. Lutz had indicated last month!
I dont like the front end of this car - it looks awkward and well.. hate to say it - kinda ugly.
But I hope the quality, price and interior make up for its ugly face because this car has to be really REALLY good to compete against the top selling Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla in what’s become the most important market segment in the US.
We might be excited by the Volt - but really, the Cruze is going to be the car that delivers GM volume and profit.
Noel
Now thats along the lines of what I am talking about us dealers needing in our showrooms! Whats the mileage on it? If you can build a line of cars that are similar to this style that get great mileage and gain back the trust in American cars,you may just stay on top.
As I posted I work for a Chevy dealer for the last 22 years. It sickens me to watch sales decline because buyers want imports. This is exactly the styling GM/Chevy needs to be a player again.
I like what I see so far…….
Bob L
Cobalt is not only a better name, by dumping it GM is reinforcing the public impression that they’re still sweeping out the old garbage, when there was never anything really wrong with the Cobalt from the beginning. It was just never a class leader, except maybe performance-wise in SS trim. Cruze is actually a rather stupid name, IMO, reminding me of fuzzy dice and Buddy Holly.
The real shame is that the Cruze is anounced now, will be on sale in Europe early next year, but not here in the U.S. until mid-2009 as a 2010 model. That’s next decade! This bad habit now of GM tipping their hand YEARS ahead of time (Volt, Camaro, etc.) is obviously not gaining them any sales traction, or stock price traction for that matter. It really only serves to reinforce the public image that GM is a day late and a dollar short, WHILE LETTING THEIR COMPETITORS SEE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO STEP OVER THEM. Besides, who’ll want a Cobalt now when they know it’s already obsolete? Good luck with those sales for the next 2 years.
And so one really has to wonder what the GM brass is thinking sometimes. I know reports from the dealers are that the cars are a nearly impossible sell due to the lack of leasing support. Like it or not, payments still sell cars, regardless of how much GM’s design and execution has improved. Who’ll put $4000 down on a Cobalt when they can get the same monthly payment in a better-rated Civic across the street with zero down?
That said, I expect the Cruze to be a really good car, and it looks great. What we’re all hoping for from GM is a car like this that wins every possible comparo, even accounting for press bias. Based on past experience, even us die-hard GM fans are smart enough to not be holding our collective breath on that one. This is the time where GM needs to be absolutely brilliant from top to bottom, using every resource at its disposable to make the world’s best cars at the most competitive prices. GM put itself in this position by being so lax for so long. Currently what we’re getting are merely very good vehicles at non-competitive (real-world) prices. That’s the recipe for continuing in this slow death spiral. Sorry, I wish the news were better, really I do.
Blue Wing
“Cruze is actually a rather stupid name, IMO, reminding me of fuzzy dice and Buddy Holly.”
Don’t insult Buddy Holly. I bet he knew how to spell cruise.
I’m sure GM did a comprehensive study using marketing experts and focus groups to select the name, “Cruze,” but it sure doesn’t make sense to me. It would be nice if they shared the logic of the name with us. It’s obvious they mean for us to think “cruise” when we hear it, but why go to the trouble of using that spelling?
Perhaps it’s a misspelled homage to that super-sexy Spanish actress Penelope Cruz.
Andy
Mr. Lutz and Mr. Peper,
Two comments/questions:
1. What makes you think the Cruze will be significantly better or even equal to the 2011 Honda Civic when it goes into production in 2010? The world isn’t standing still waiting for the Cruze.
2. I think the Cruze is bigger than it really needs to be dimensionally. Maybe the Cruze design staff should visit Japan to understand how to create larger interiors for cars without having a big exterior. If they can’t visit Japan, they should at least check out the interior of the Nissan Versa.
Noel
QUOTE FROM POSTER BOB L
“The real shame is that the Cruze is anounced now, will be on sale in Europe early next year, but not here in the U.S. until mid-2009 as a 2010 model. That’s next decade! This bad habit now of GM tipping their hand YEARS ahead of time (Volt, Camaro, etc.) is obviously not gaining them any sales traction, or stock price traction for that matter. It really only serves to reinforce the public image that GM is a day late and a dollar short, WHILE LETTING THEIR COMPETITORS SEE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO STEP OVER THEM. Besides, who’ll want a Cobalt now when they know it’s already obsolete? Good luck with those sales for the next 2 years.”
I couldnt agree more.
Joe Gakenheimer
I am impressed with what I have seen and what I have read. I would also conceive that the Volt will be of similar proportions. From a launch point, I would try to get the Cruze to market at least 6 months, preferably 9 months before the Volt because then you get excitement for a greater period of time, each not hogging the spot light from the other. Having to wait 2 years is a bit long; thus, I would try to get it to market 1 year from now and then cut the Cobalt to one shift. Anyways, it does look real good and I like even more the theme that Chevrolet is going with now.
I AM GM
Mr. Dikkers,
How does developing an atomic bomb compare with designing, engineering, validating, and manufacturing a car program?? Sometimes your comments are shall we say interesting while other times are way off the mark. You told us you was once a fighter pilot for the US but didn’t mention how many years of experience you had in the automotive industry and developing atomic bombs.
Let me remind you Mr. Dikkers the atomic bomb killed thousands of lives while GM cars equiped with On Star has saved the lives of thousands. But then GM never gets credit for being the sole car company that has the technology to maybe save your life someday.
For someone who risked their life for our freedoms while fighting other countries you sure seem to be anti American business. You go out of your way to make negative comments on every posting. How about supporting an American company as America supported you during the war?
You may have helped save our freedoms in the USA but now you are helping kill our economy in the USA.
This vehicle like so many of GM’s new vehicles is such a major positive change. When a company is not doing the right things to improve, consumers have every right to throw out negative criticism. But when a company has acknowledged their past sins and made changes then the same consumers need to give credit to that company.
Maybe you’d feel better Mr Dikkers if your fellow jet fighter pilot Mr Lutz personally invited you to go flying in his combat vintage jet airplane. I know other bloggers have been invited to meet with Mr Lutz to discuss GM’s future cars.
Best Regards
Steven GM and American Strong
gtjeff
Another rename, just what isnt needed. The Cobalt is an excellent small call with a good reputation. Take note of your foreign competiton, Mr Lutz, they use the same names everyone knows well. What a waste of money to keep renaming and lose all of your built up brand equity. All you are doing is confusing the consumer, rather than focusing on the most important message-PRODUCT!
Douglas
Where’s MrEarl and Mitchell when you(we) need them the most?
Felix Biggers
Why is that North America who is doing the worst in sales is always last to get the good stuff? If you can make that make sense to me and I might be able to forgive you for some of the many blunders you have made over the years. Such as the many name changes you have made over the years, most of them bad. If you had taken the millions it takes to do a name change and made the existing vehicles the best in class you wuold have been much better off.You also need to learn how to get your products to market faster. When you hear about a new product that the compertition have, six monts to a year later it is on the market. When you start to talk about a new product it can take up to six years before we see it on the street. By that time the compertition has gone to the next generation therefore you are always behind the curve. In order to survive you need to take your rightful place in the world and become a leader not a follower.
David
“Great, GM, another car with torsion beam rear suspension. When will you guys ever learn? ”
Torsion beams are common in this type of car and the Cobalt SS with it’s lowly torsion beam is probably among the best-handling cars in it’s class.
Bob L
Oops, I meant to write that Cruze won’t be here until mid-2010 as a 2011 model (see my post above.) Hey it was easly and I still hadn’t finished my coffee. Mid-2009 is actually what’s needed in the U.S.!
Furthermore, GM should do a significant freshening to every one of its cars at least every 2 years. Back in the 1960s, without the benefit of Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing, hell the calculator was still on the horizon, GM did all new models every 2 years with a freshening each year. Like it’s amazing to me that they couldn’t put appropriately good seats and steering wheel in the ZR1 Corvette, forgiving the real fact that it really should have an ALL-NEW interior, yet still charge $110K for it! Most people agree those items are marginal at best in the base Corvette.
Yes I know that the regulatory environment is much tougher these days, the global car business is much trickier, etc., but I still think it’s pretty clear that something in the process is badly broken to crawl at a 6 year model pace and still deliver rather unspectacular results.
In less time than it’s taken GM to develop Cobalt and then Cruze, Korea’s Hyundai has gone from a near laughing stock of the industry to perhaps the most feared automotive force in the world. Two words: Hyundai Genesis! (an apparently legitimate Lexus rival at a fraction of the price, on sale now.)
Gereon (Germany)
“Great, GM, another car with torsion beam rear suspension. When will you guys ever learn?”…”Ford Focus that’s gonna arrive here in 2010…..has multilink rear suspension.”
As long as you haven’t been driving either the new Chevy Cruze or Ford Focus, such statements are based on pure speculation, since the behavior on the road is also influenced by other important factors. The engineers from GM claim, that the Chevy Cruze will, despite of torsion beam suspension, be on par with similar cars with multilink. If I were an engineer, I’d be careful with such prophecies, if I wouldn’t be pretty confident, that I am right. If those promises prove to be true, I think that’s a little embarrassing for GM’s competition.
Gereon (Germany)
“LPG is possible for the Korean market, but for Germany I would have thought a CNG version of the 1.6 L would be a better choice ” - The Griffon
Living here in Germany, I can assure you, that LPG is by far the much better choice vs. CNG. Our infrastructure for LPG is VASTLY better than for CNG. For example, currently there are only about 800 CNG-Pumps vs. more than 4′000 LPG-Pumps all over Germany. The marketshare of CNG-driven cars is nearly negligible in comparison to LPG-fueled vehicles over here. We are driving GM-Cars with an LPG-conversion and gathered lots of very positive experiences during that time.
I AM GM
Felix wrote: When you hear about a new product that the competition have, six months to a year
later it is on the market.
Felix:
Do you honestly believe other car companies can release a brand new product to the public from the ground up in 6 to 12 months? That’s not even enough time for validation testing.
As an engineer at GM it’s comical to read comments like these. Some of these blog comments
make it seem GM needs a good lashing for letting the public know about upcoming products.
No other company does that for the consumer. How dare you GM for being a front runner
in communicating to the public.
I’m amazed how some of you can take a very good positive posting from GM on their current and future products and work your hardest to create something negative. As GM releases their newest Mark of Excellence and World Class vehicles some of you are having to become more imaginative and creative with your attempt to take down an American Icon.
Good luck it makes for fun reading. GM is like a locomotive train. The train has left the staion and building up a full head of steam. It can’t be stopped.
As GM goes so goes our countries economy. You can either be part of the problem or be part of the solution.
Steven …….. Engineering at it’s best!!!
chiefpontiac
Where in any press announcement did GM say this car was “replacing” the Cobalt? Correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. Lutz, but don’t you need a sportier looking smaller than Cobalt vehicle built here instead of the somewhat stodgy (but practical) Aveo? My gameplan would include the Cobalt/G5 as being the 3rd smallest GM sedan/coupe sold here. You’ve got two numbers available in the Pontiac lineup for microcars, G1 and G2 (smaller than G3/Aveo) and of course, G4.
lol
Sheth
“I don’t think the sense of urgency is there. It’s taking them longer to bring new cars such as the Volt and Camaro to market than it took to build the first atomic bomb in WW II.”
It takes 3-4 years to bring a car to market. They need a plant to build the Cruze and that cant be done overnight in spite all of all the complaining here. You just cant speed up production of a car by waving a magic wand. You need time and hundres of millions of dollars. The Cobalt came out in 2004 which means it will have a 6 year life span. Thats about normal for the small car segment.
Sheth
car fan,
GM just announced they are spending $350M at the plant that build Cobalt for the Cruze. This means the Cruze will NOT be showing up anytime soon just as Lutz indicated. They said previously their next gen small car would be out in 2010 and that is what they are working towards.
The Cobalt’s sales are up and the XFE gets better highway mileage than civic or corolla. In spite of popular sentiment the car is very competitive. Undoubtedly this blog will see about 50 more comments pleading for the Cruze to show up next week because the Cobalt is supposedly an also ran. Meanwhile the cobalt is typically the 3rd best selling compact on the market.
Sheth
“What makes you think the Cruze will be significantly better or even equal to the 2011 Honda Civic when it goes into production in 2010? The world isn’t standing still waiting for the Cruze.”
I think it’s obvious that this car is designed to meet whatever is on the market in two yeas including the new 3 and Civic. If this car was on sale today it would like be best in class easily. When GM says they expect the car to have best in class mileage I believe they are taking into account several new models will be on the market. If this car averages 9mpg better mileage than the Cobalt that would put it ahead of the civic by a decent margin. It’s certainly not easy to gain 9mpg in one model change.
This car looks great and shows more progress from GM. We already know it looks better than the Corolla and Lancer. The 3 is a sharp looking car in wagon form but the Cruze looks better than the 3 sedan.
beken
The car looks nice. But that’s the same thing I said about the Chevy Optra, built by Daewoo, available in Canada. I like the current Optra’s styling better than the Cobalt’s. It even has independent rear suspension, unlike the Cruze or Cobalt. Is the Cruze and “update” of the Optra?
Just thought I would ask. The Optra does not appear to sell that well in Canada. Hopefully the Cruze will do better.
Gary Dikkers
I Am GM said: “How does developing an atomic bomb compare with designing, engineering, validating, and manufacturing a car program??”
Sheth said: “It takes 3-4 years to bring a car to market. They need a plant to build the Cruze and that cant be done overnight…”
You guys don’t see any irony in the fact that it now takes longer to bring a new car to market than it did to build the first A-bomb? The scientific and engineering team that built the first A-bomb went from the rather fuzzy theory of a few long-haired physicists to a working bomb in less than three years.
I’m not knocking GM so much as pointing out the fact that It’s almost incredible that it can now take longer to design and bring a car to market than it took to go from theory to working A-bomb in the 1940’s.
Sure it’s complex to design, test, validate, and figure out how to assemble a new car, but look at what they had to do building the A-bomb. Those scientists and engineers were exploring completely new territory using materials and techniques they had to invent or discover as they went along. Yet they did it in less than three years — about half the time it will have taken GM to get their new Camaro to market.
Chris R
I’m honestly not sure why this car’s name is Cruze when it is quite obvious that this is a Chevy Nova. There’s nothing wrong with using classic Chevy names. The Nova has always had a good name, as it’s always been a fairly dependable and affordable small car from Chevy. Perhaps a name change is in order before it hits the market?
That said, I have seen pictures of the interior, and it looks good… in pictures. I’m curious as to the materials used. Are the dash, door trim panels and console using soft touch materials? If not then this needs to be changed. The big downfall of the interior of the Cobalt, and in fact most of the current Delta platform cars is the lack of soft touch materials in the dash, door trim panels and consoles. GM claims to want to change peoples perceptions and make it clear your cars aren’t cheap and about to fall apart. How can you do that if most of the interior is made of acres and acres of hard plastic? I don’t care how good it looks in pictures, it feels cheap. That is the impression that will solidify negative perceptions rather than negating them.
GM is really getting it on exterior design, and in engineering. Now you need the “light to go on” with whoever is responsible for selecting the interior materials.
Bob L
“I AM GM” (Steven) wrote:
“I’m amazed how some of you can take a very good positive posting from GM on their current and future products and work your hardest to create something negative. As GM releases their newest Mark of Excellence and World Class vehicles some of you are having to become more imaginative and creative with your attempt to take down an American Icon.
Good luck it makes for fun reading. GM is like a locomotive train. The train has left the staion and building up a full head of steam. It can’t be stopped.
As GM goes so goes our countries economy. You can either be part of the problem or be part of the solution.”
Steve: As one of the critics you mentioned, I think you’re misinterpreting this, even though I sympathize with your position. First of all, I currently own 2 GM cars, and the very last thing I want to see is GM “taken down”. Besides the fact that I’ve always been a GM fan and frequent customer, my partner works for the company like you!
Even accounting for problems like $4 gas, press bias, a Bush-whacked economy, and unfavorable trade policies, the results of GM’s recent strategies as reflected in sales and stock price are indicative of trouble at or near the top. And I’m not even a Lutz or Wagner critic, but something is amiss. GM already had a reputation among the press and enthusiast public for talking a good game at the intro and then ultimately disappointing with its products, where up until recently (Malibu, CTS, Enclave) the cars were about a generation behind the top competition taken overall. And now they’re adding to that a logic-defying pattern for showing future models WAY too early. I mean, Jeez, Transformers II will probably be out before the Camaro we originally saw in Transformers I !! What is the benefit from that, I honestly ask you or anyone from GM to comment? Much of the potential wow-factor of Camaro, Volt, and now Cruze (in the U.S.), is unfortunately lost. When they finally do come out, no matter how terrific they are, they are inevitably going to look not-so-fresh, seen it, bought the T-shirt LATE. Not to mention giving the competition plenty of time to plan their response. Has it occurred to you that the press has been talking plenty about an all-new Prius coming out in 2009, and yet we A) don’t know what it will look like; B) don’t know what the powertrain will be; C) don’t know what fuel economy to expect, and D) can only speculate that a plug-in version will probably be available, very possibly THANKS TO TIME THEY WERE GIVEN BY GM’s EARLY REVEAL OF THE VOLT! Toyota has the good sense to keep a lid on things, and it will work completely to their benefit. I can imagine them laughing at GM always pulling back the curtain at the earliest opportunity.
So Steven, I hope and trust you and your coworkers are doing amazing work for GM, but it’s now going to take the alignment of all GM’s planets to save it, at least in the U.S. Believe it or not, some of us who are critical of this early announcement are rooting for you BIG TIME! I walked out to the emptying parking lot at work today and, of about 25 cars still in the immediate vicinity, mine and an older Ford truck were the ONLY domestic cars in the lot, most being Asian and a few Germans thrown in. It makes me sad. So is the GM locomotive you speak of going to roll to victory or is it hurtling over a cliff? I’m about as worried about that as I’ve ever been.
Car Fan
Mazda 3 is going to be replaced by a new model in the coming months - do we know what the new model is going to look like??…NO
The all new Prius is being readied for production.. when is it coming out? What will it look like? …I don’t know!
The new Mustang is coming out - what will it look like?…I don’t know that one either!
But I know what the Volt, Camaro and Cruze are going to look like -
I even know that the Volt is initially going to be loosing money for GM.
I know where the Cruze will be made and that it was designed in Asia..
I know the Camaro will be made in Oshawa and I remember Bob Lutz saying that if the Camaro wasn’t so far into it’s development that it would have been cancelled along with the other RWD cars for Chevy!
GM is the only company that operates so ridiculously open - there is no gain in doing this..
When Toyota invested in the Prius knowing it wasn’t going to be making a profit, they didn’t tell anyone.. Toyota has probably cancelled and delayed hundreads of programs without uttering a single word of this to the media..
Why are GM letting all this info out - in case you haven’t realized, I’m not willing to purchase shares in a company that has openly admitted it will be loosing money each time it sells one of its products or has shown future product many years before it will be able to sell and get a return for its investment.
SteveG
First comment:
ALL TIME WORST NAME EVER!
Seriously, did you guys all get the hooka out before coming up with Cruze? Here we all are, kinda ticked off that you were changing the name of the Cobalt, after changing the name of the Cavalier, but kind of hoping at least you would pick a cool heritage name like Nova or Monza and we see the Chevy Cruze!?
You are going to lose thousands of sales just based on the name alone and it will be the brundt of joks until you end up changing the name AGAIN in a few years.
How about realizing you screwed up and showing us that you guys aren’t really as dense as it seems and change the name, either back to Cobalt or to Nova or Monza, etc.
The name Cruze MUST change.
>“Great, GM, another car with torsion beam rear suspension. When will you guys ever learn? ”
Torsion beams are common in this type of car and the Cobalt SS with it’s lowly torsion beam is probably among the best-handling cars in it’s class.<
Does that apply to the Cobalt LS and LT? Nope. There are other reasons why the SS model handles so well, and handling well doesn’t mean it takes the bumps well.
The class leading cars, such as the Mazda 3, Honda Civic, and Ford Focus all have Independent rear suspensions. Why? Because it offers a superior ride. The car mags will be all over GM cheaping out once again by not putting world class components in their vehicles.
Torsion beam is inexcusable.
Let me guess, the Cruze won’t have a telescoping steering wheel either?
The next generation Focus, due out the same time or even a little earlier than the Cruze (ugh), will blow this car out of the water. Heck, the new Kia Forte looks to be a better car and its coming out now. I’ve got $1300 off from my GM Card and was all set to buy the new Cobalt when it came out but there’s no way I’m buying a car names Cruze.
GM, you are jujst blowing it left and right.
Show us you at least have a shred of common sense and do NOT call this car the Cruze and DO make it class leading.
It would be a first.
Jan Bayus
David, where did you find the reference to the rear end? I cold not find it in the press release.
Jan Bayus
I agree with Gary Dikkers. I find Wagoner’s and the “fighter pilot” Lutz’s piloting of the good ship GM to be very troubling. The fiasco of allowing FIAT to go, (and PAYING THEM to do so), dismissing a “Nissan/Renault alliance out of hand, not believing in hybrids, (in fact not believing in the theory of peak oil and its effect on the US market) and for NOT giving the consumer choices in the compact market is enough to assure the duo a few chapters in a soon to be published textbook on how to surrender a domestic market. Why has it taken so long to get the Camaro out, and to wait two years to bring the Cruze out sounds like GM is not even trying. An immediate building boom in engine plants should be a priority. And its time for a diet. Hummer and a few other brands need to be put to sleep.
CARS are what they should be producing.
Chris R
Just to add to my earlier comments,
I don’t care for the way the bar is done on the grille. The top of the split grille is to small, and to high. It shouldn’t be going into the hood like that. The bar is huge, and is also positioned to high. This is a rather odd styling element that I’ve noticed on many Chevy’s. The bar, if it needs to be there at all, should be more centered on the grille. I’d personally like to see what this car would look like without the bar, and a grille that is shorter and doesn’t go up into the hood. The Chevy emblem should also be centrally located in the grille. I wonder if anyone who is good with photoshop would be willing to give it a try with this car and somehow post a link with the results. My guess is it would turn an already good looking small car into something that is dead sexy. A distinction that no other small GM car has previously had.
Gary Dikkers
If I were a Chevrolet dealer I’d be upset. How could my sales team push Cobalts when people can see a GM press release saying the Cobalt’s superior replacement will be here in two or three years? The only way to do it will be to offer deep discounts and rebates.
If I were a buyer, what would be my incentive not to wait 24 months or so for what looks like the world-class Cruze? The only reason to buy a Cobalt now, would be if a buyer absolutely has to have a new car, but anyone in that category would be better off buying a good used car to bridge the gap until the Cruze gets here.
Why would someone wanting to by a new car, buy a car that Mr Lutz and GM is on record as saying will be obsolete in 24 months or so? If I had to have a new car now, GM’s announcement would force me to forget Cobalt, and look to something like a Corolla that I could be confident would still be around for the forseeable future.
GM isn’t doing their North American Chevy dealers any favors with press releases like this.
CarGuy
Unfortunately, one would have to say “THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER,S CHEVROLET”
Why is so hard these days to find a car with STYLE and PERFORMANCE.
Nate
Hey Ed,
I’m kinda getting tired of GMs marketing hype. I recently stumbled across Opel’s website and saw the new Opel Insignia. I really dont’ understand GM at all anymore and frankly its frustrating as a customer and fan. I have read numerous posts on the forums regarding GM products. I just don’t get it. GM has incredible cars worldwide why don’t we get to see more of them in the US?
The Insight is a great example. If someone took the emblems off it I’d never guess it was a GM product. It has the look and feel of a european or japanese car. In fact I did a double take when I saw it because it looked like a Lexus or Infiniti.
I know GM talks about its US products but I and I’m sure a bunch of other customers would love to get their hands on Opel, Vauxhall and Holden products that are currently not offered.
Just my thoughts. I wish GM would offer the their newest models with diesels also.
Nate
Rum Doodle
~ …kind of hoping at least you would pick a cool heritage name like Nova or Monza.”
Agree that Cruze needs to change. Maybe Monza, but a significant number of people still believe the urban legend that Nova means “no go” in Spanish. GM would have trouble overcoming that.
Chevy Nova — no go
Sheth
jan bayus,
You neglected to mention the following facts:
-GM’s vehicles are getting more awards and accolades than ever before
-GM design is thought to be the best since the 60s
-GM actually does believe in hybrids and has been making them for buses in years
-GM beat Honda to the subcompact market with the Aveo
-GM sells 5 compact vehicles
-The camaro didnt take any longer to produce than any other new car
-In the last 3 years GM has debuted at least 10 new car models. GM has already said the majority of its releases over the next few years will be cars and small crossovers.
“I know GM talks about its US products but I and I’m sure a bunch of other customers would love to get their hands on Opel, Vauxhall and Holden products that are currently not offered.”
The Astra is from Europe. The Vue is virtually the same as it’s Opel counterpart. The G8 is Austrailian. The Insignia will be sold here as the Aura in the future. The Cruze will be sold in the US and Europe. Some have speculated the Corsa will be sold here in the future. Not sure why you believe GM isnt committed to offering it’s best global products here.
Sheth
car guy:
You have never heard of the Corvette, CTS, Aura, G8 or Malibu? All have style and performance by my estimation.
Felix Biggers
To I am GM
you took one segment of my comments to comment on. Bob L pretty much covered
most of my reply to that question. I would like to add to that. If GM is truly a global
company why does it take the two years to bring to north america a vehicle that is
already on the market in other countrys? According to information I have on the
cruze will be avalable overseas in 2009 but will not be in north america until 2011.
Why?
One of my other questions was why the constant name changes and could not the
money spent for name changing be put to better use? Please feel free to comment
on that and other questions in my comments. As far as being anti GM I am far from it.
If that was the case I would not bother to comment at all.
Gereon (Germany)
“I know where the Cruze will be made and that it was designed in Asia.” CarFan
That’s obviously just half of the truth. According to Car And Driver the Cruze was designed in Korea and engineered in Rüsselsheim, Germany. When I think of the latest engineering-results from Opel, I’d see no reason, why the Cruze shouldn’t be able to compete with the best in its class.
getalifeagain
The Cruze will be a hit. It is a quality car with quality engineering, and as I said before it is different looking than other autos of that size that are already out there. And as far as GM letting the cat out of the bag, other manufacturers have their designs already done. It makes no difference.
CarFan
“I’d see no reason, why the Cruze shouldn’t be able to compete with the best in its class.” Gereon
I agree!! -
GM global product development is aweseome .. but that is not my point ..
My point is that GM give away too much detail of their internal affairs - and that this is damaging their competitiveness!!
Noel
I dont really have a problem with the name Cruze….but….I do feel maybe you should keep it called Cobalt. Introduce it as a new improved better than ever Cobalt as you did with the Malibu.People like names they know. In my opinion,the Cobalt should have been called the new Cavalier when the Cobalt came out.I work for a Chevy dealer and let me tell you,the Cavalier SOLD! The Cobalt didnt take off too well in the beginning as people were used to the Cavalier name. Just my opinion…..
Too many name changes or models dropped is not a great thing,sometimes they give potential customers the wrong idea. I do think GM is heading in the right direction,I just hope you can swing the public quicker because the Chevy dealer I work at is getting slower each month. We were selling 95-100 cars/trucks per month to maybe 45-50. Not good. I know the economy is slow and all that but we need some new products to sell………..I also understand you cant make new lines in record time,I’m just saying….
Dave
I’m sorry guys. As much as I want to believe in this car I can’t help but see it as a cross between the Saturn ION and Nissan Altima. We could do better.
Euroclydon
“I just don’t get it. GM has incredible cars worldwide why don’t we get to see more of them in the US? I know GM talks about its US products but I and I’m sure a bunch of other customers would love to get their hands on Opel, Vauxhall and Holden products that are currently not offered.”
That comment says a lot about the state of GM in North America. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but there is a perception that GM is making wonderful cars for the rest of the world, but offering few of them here.
As Nate says, many would like to get their hands on an Opel or Holden (without it being re-badged as a Saturn or Pontiac) or even one of those dynamite little Chevy Montana pickup trucks from Brazil.
Is the perception that GM builds better cars overseas a knock against the engineers and designers in Detroit, or a knock against the UAW people who assemble GM cars here? I don’t know. But it’s a perception that GM has to study and address.
Kyle
Please do consider a station wagon or sports wagon for the US market for the cruze. If you offer it with your 1.4liter engine you will not have a problem moving the numbers you need to make this version profitable. With the type of millage that has been talked about for this car a station wagon version would really offer a true conventional alternative to the Prius. If your not sure of the decision do some research on this I really do think you will find it will be profitable. Can’t wait I would purchase a sports wagon version in a heartbeat if it had the 1.4 liter. Good luck!!
Gereon (Germany)
“My point is that GM give away too much detail of their internal affairs - and that this is damaging their competitiveness!!”
Hi CarFan,
well, I understand what you’d like to say, but, however, I think it’s something different just to say (as an example) “Hey, we are building the Chevy Volt and here’s a first image of its headlights” or to disclose the chemistry of its battery-pack, what GM won’t do for sure. If the competition can’t develop anything competitive it doesn’t help them anyway to have known about certain plans of GM before. At the end, I think, for the perception and reputation of a company it’s basically favorable to appear transparent. It also gives a company a personality in my opinion.
Jimmie
Comparisons to developing an atomic bomb with absolutely ZERO, NONE, NOT A SINGLE budget or manpower restriction with the full backing of the United States Government and the full might and capability of the Military and no Final Sales Price to the customer, or service or safety or mass requirements, let alone fuel economy and emissions to developing a modern automobile with VERY limited capital and manpower with VERY serious concern on return to the stockholders is not even apples and oranges. More like an apple and newspaper.
If you want to throw billions and billions of dollars at the engineering and supply thousands of workers to build the new factory and all it’s required tools, then yes GM and any other major manufacturer could reduce the time to get a new product to market to months instead of years.
You just wouldn’t be willing to pay for it. But that’s ok you can just complain about that too.
Euroclydon
“At the end, I think, for the perception and reputation of a company it’s basically favorable to appear transparent..”
But there is also the problem of causing people to wait because they see something better coming in 24 or 36 months. As pointed out above, why buy a Cobalt now, when the much better Cruze will be here in two years?
Gereon (Germany)
“As pointed out above, why buy a Cobalt now, when the much better Cruze will be here in two years?”
There ALWAYS will be a next-generation model, regardless whether you already know its looks or not. Any car, which is on the market for 4 or 5 years will be replaced anytime soon. Why should anybody in Germany still buy a 5th generation Volkswagen Golf, as the sixth generation of this model will enter the showrooms in a couple of months? It’s the same, when you buy a computer or any other technical gadget. So I not really comprehend what’s the problem…
Jan Bayus
Sheth, I am aware of the awards and I also know a little about the market.
I own a new Malibu, I bought it because I thought it was the best car in that segment. I still think so, but the Aveo is a good second car, but cannot compete against the Koreans or the Japanese offereings.
That is why I think the emphasis on engines and interiors are so important. If GM would have spent another $70.00 on interior content on the Cobalt and put a better “thunk” factor into the doors, the exterior, and engines would be fine. I do not trust Waggoner or Lutz to do the right thing on their own.
The Cruze, Camaro and the Malibu SS (my invention… 2.0L turbo 280 HP ..it could be!!) can save billions of dollars in wasted money and save GM. I also think they need to dump Pontiac and Buick. Give the Pontiac and Buick dealers a GM Truck dealership that is also a Mr. Goodwrench service center (servicing all GM vehicles). They may be ok with it, and GM can use the multiple service sites as a nice warranty item.
I still maintain that they wasted the FIAT issue. They do make GREAT diesels and have great designers. The Nissan fiasco will also come back like acid reflux, once all is said and done.
Sheth
“Is the perception that GM builds better cars overseas a knock against the engineers and designers in Detroit, or a knock against the UAW people who assemble GM cars here? I don’t know. But it’s a perception that GM has to study and address.”
GM has stated previously that small cars will be engineered primarily by Asia and Europe, midsize cars by Europe, large RWD cars by Australia and trucks/CUVs my America. I’m sure there is input from all areas of the world but specific regions will take the lead on certain types of vehicles. I think you should note that the CTS is an example of a car designed for America by Americans and is also assembled here. I dont think GMNA is incapable of designing nice cars. I would also submit that the average buyer has no clue about what products GM offers outside of America. Many of the “great” cars sold by GM in other markets have compromises that would bother Americans. The Astra is a perfect illustration of that fact.
Jan,
The cobalt is the oldest compact car on the market. It was more than competitive in 2004 and even today it offers class leading power and more powertrain options that it’s competitors. If you think Lutz and Wagoner are responsible for dumbing down GM’s offerings I would like to know how the Malibu, CTS, Enclave, etc. managed to be launched on their watch. Say what you want about the leadership but the products are better than ever.
You say the Aveo cannot compete with the Asian offerings in this class but the reality is that the Yaris and Versa have not met critical acclaim. Most of the press believes the Fit is best in class and that the other options aren’t even close. The 2009 Aveo actually has a nice interior for such a cheap car. I find it to be more attractive than the VErsa or Yaris inside.
Rum Doodle
~ “Why should anybody in Germany still buy a 5th generation Volkswagen Golf, as the sixth generation of this model will enter the showrooms in a couple of months? “
Because they’d still have a Golf, although an older model. Anyone who buys a Cobalt now, instead of waiting for a new Cruze, will have bought a soon-to-be obsolete car.
Edwin
Ed,
The Cruze name is great, and the interior quality is also looking great in the photos so don’t take the flack from the whiners on that score. The two tone interior puzzles some though, some are actually waiting to get their new Malibu until GM offers solid colors. Heard some people say they are planning their purchase of the Malibu when they can get the solid color tan leather.
Just sat in a new Saturn Aura at the mall and it was wonderful. GM interiors are absolutely superior to the foreign competition, that’s why the GM adversaries are circling ready to attack. The Aura is far superior to the foreign competition. From a GM enthusiast point of view, the Mailbu has a better looking front end than the Aura.
Keep saying that GM should look at the designs like 66-67 GTO, 69 GTO 76-77 Cutlass Supreme/Grand Prix, 84-87 Cutlass Supreme for inspiration,
The Malibu is a home run. Why? Take a look at the Malibu and the 77 Cutlass Supreme side by side. They are similar. See GM enthusiasts know what we are talking about. Have we ever steered you wrong? Now look at the headlight proportions and settings of GM’s popular classics and you will see what we mean. The 76 and 77 Grand Prix/Cutlass, and the 78 Firebird were the rave, there was a reason. it was style.
I hear people talking about the Invicta already. Now if they are talking about a car that doesn’t even exist yet in America, it means there is something right about that car. Of course GM enthusiasts know about the Invicta, but when someone from left field says Invicta to me, I perk up? How did they know about it? What do they see?
After 1987, GM’s midsize coupe and sedan designs began to disallusion customers. This was where GM’s designers made their styling mistakes and on this point, GM can return to full glory. The G6 and Malibu are the first step in returing to GM’s full glory of high sales.
The Cruze name is so cool, its perfect, and that will upset GM adversaries too, they know its neat, and they are worried it will be a winner for Chevy.
Since exterior sales volume has a big impact on volume, let’s discuss that.
Just a guess, but the Cruze seems to be aiming for the more crude looking grille of the Accord. Is that really right though? Shouldn’t it be aiming for a little more refined look of the Acura?
Its time to one up the competition and out guess them for a change. Maybe throw them off or throw them a curve ball.
Has GM finalized the Cruze? Will there be a Pontiac version to target Acura looks?
The taste level for the upcoming younger set seems to be more refined looks. GM can lure them into the fold with affordable small cars.
GM powertrains have certainly bested the competition. The 95 Cavalier Z-24 my sister had was a great car. With rich looking available interiior like the Cruze is showing now, the Cavalier and the Sunbird would have sold much more. I recall a college aged female agonizing over the Sunbird, she really liked it, but the floral print on the seats at the time was causing her second thoughts.
The Ecotec is so superior to the foreign competition, its time for GM to give the Ecotec a high tech ad campaign of its own. The upcoming buyer needs to hear GM’s technology advantage message. That will help sell cars like the Cruze and the Aura.
The powertrains offered by the foreign competiton like Honda, Toyota, and Nissan, are inferior, and its becoming so obvious, since the owners of these cars are constantly ripping their engines out or and replacing them when they go out. Just heard someone today admit that their 3.5 Altima with 45,000 miles had to get a new engine.
Honda/Acura owners in particular are so sadly misinformed. If they only were told the truth that their V-6 V-tec doesn’t have the stated horsepower until after the threshold RPM, or that it has a rubber timing belt. They are simply misled by the ad campaign of ‘Its a Honda’.
The Hondas have such terrible interior and the seats and the dash are well . . . . let’s just leave it at that, we don’t want to give them any ideas of what they are doing wrong.
Masospaghetti
If anyone at GM is reading this….PLEASE KEEP THE COBALT NAME, it finally is beginning to have some name recognition after the past four years of advertising and marketplace acceptance. I understand that having a global nameplate for a vehicle is important, but Cruze is not only a silly sounding name, but has no recognition, anywhere in the world. How are people going to buy a Chevy compact if they don’t even know what is offered? Why waste marketing dollars trying to rebuild recognition that you already have?
This trend of throwing away nameplates seems to be a chronic disease within GM. Even names with good stature — Cobalt, Regal, LeSabre, and Trailblazer, for example — have been replaced with new monikers that take years to rebuild. Even names that may have not had the best reputation (such as Sunfire) are still vastly more appealing than silly names like G5.
Also, why give a car like the G3 to Pontiac? A very small Pontiac makes sense for CAFE, but the G3 / Aveo is not a performance car, nor is it supposed to be a fun car to drive. I feel that a car like the G3 would only make sense if it were given a higher level of performance than what is found on the Aveo, such as revised engine choices and suspension offerings. Having an economy car like the G3 / Aveo will only further tarnish the image of Pontiac. Would you be more or less likely to buy a G8 if, right beside it on the dealer lot, was a G3?
As a shareholder and former employee, I know how tough the times are for GM, and I want GM to survive and thrive again as much as anyone.
Noel
Please keep this Cruze limited to Chevrolet only. I work for a dealer and its so annoying when Chevy comes out with a car and then all of a sudden so does Pontiac. Stop competing against yourselves! You came out with the Equinox ehich sold well then the following year you hit us with the Pontaic Torrent. Not needed.
SteveG
Here here, spaghetti, I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Now it seems that Buick decided to keep the name LaCrosse instead of going with Invicta or Regal. But it will still be the Allure in Canada, and Regal in China!
They actually kill the name Cobalt to go with Cruze (ugh), the worst name in the history of automobiles, yet decide they just can’t part with the name LaCrosse and then have 3 seperate names for it!?
I count at least 4 fansites for the Cobalt, how many are there for the LaCrosse?
Now, Pontiac is going to be small FWD? Good lord.
This company just doesn’t know what the heck it is doing from one minute to the next.
Peter Reilly
I don’t think this is a brand new design from GM. Searching the net I come across i distinct similarity with the “Daewoo Cruze”?
Jan Bayus
Sheth,
I have a 2008 Malibu 2LT with the 4 speed transmission. I do not regret buying it. It is the best car in the segment. I drove all Accord models, nice, but noisy on acceleration. Sonata, better than the Accord, with nicer interior, but a little bouncy. The Malibu was the best. But I have driven the Cobalt, I own a Corolla, and make a point of driving cars whenever I can. The Aveo is as good as the Yaris, No, it is better. It is also better than the Rio. But that market isn’t the one that GM needs to control. I think in that segment, GM is ok. But the sub-compact segment and the mid size market is where the future is for GM.
I think the Malibu is very good, but as I have said for years, if they just put in another $150.00 in the interiors, it would make a big difference.
In the case of the Cobalt, if it was launched with the engine choices available today, and would have had a mid-cycle refreshening, I wouldn’t be writing this post. I think the Astra was put off too long and it was not brought over with the engines that may have made them more desirable.
Great driver, but wrong engine. I needed a bigger engine and a 6 speed. I love the car, my wife didn’t.
But my beef with GMs management go back years. And when they refuse to accept the realities of the market, and/or can’t see the nose in front of their facet they should be doing something else. Please tell me how they could have let FIAT go? I know FIAT doesn’t have a good rep here, but they make very good diesels and small engines. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a FIAT 500 based Aveo? Why is Pontiac still around? I had this discussion with a car writer four years ago and he informed me of the dealers hold over GM. My solution is to offer the closed dealerships, a DIFFERENT dealership.
I have re-thought my criticism of the decision on the Camaro. I think the fact that we are hearing so much about a 6cyl DI engine is good. Now maybe they will look into the Malibu SS with the same engine or the 2.0L Turbo. The fact that they are filming a Transformers sequel and there is still not a Camaro, says something doesn’t it? I don’t know how many times they will get a “second chance”. It looks like the planets are aligning for GM to re-launch themselves, again.
I would buy a Cruze SS BTW and am looking forward to seeing more of GMs moves.
Rum Doodle
~ “This trend of throwing away nameplates seems to be a chronic disease within GM. Even names with good stature — Cobalt, Regal, LeSabre, and Trailblazer, for example — have been replaced with new monikers that take years to rebuild.”
You make a good point Maso. GM’s constant churning of names–many that don’t make sense such as Cruze, La Crosse*, Enclave**, and Escalade***–can’t be of much help building a brand. If I buy a Cobalt now, I am in effect buying a brand that will soon be obsolete. When the Cruze shows up at dealers, people will have to ask, “What’s a cruise?” and then “Oh, why is it spelled that way?”
———————-
* What was with La Crosse? — 1. It’s the French word meaning “The Cross.” 2. The name of a rivertown in Wisconsin, and 3. A game Native Americans invented. But what do any of those three have to do with naming a car? What would have been the reaction if you used English, and called it a Buick The Cross?
** Enclave is probably meant to make people think “elite,” as in, gated, country-club communities. But does GM know that a ghetto is also an “enclave?” My Webster’s defines enclave as, “A minority culture group living as an entity within a larger group.”
*** Or Escalade which is French for “ladder?” If I went to my Caddie dealer and asked for one of those “ladder” cars, would they even know what I meant?
motorman
GM can’t use the name Cobalt because every car magazine and website in the world had listed Cobalt as a cheap plastic interior noisy car and GM wants to get away from that on it’s improved cars..
jg
Nice car, bad name.
Don’t forget about an upscale version (Buick Skyhawk?) for the rest of us, who would need an alternative to an Audi a-4, 3 series and lexus.
Noel
Again I must post. The more I look at the car, the more I like it. My biggest complaint towards GM right now is not having a line of cars of this type over the last few years. I also know and understand that GM was just giving the public what they demanded….big SUV’s. Toyota,Nissan,Hyundai all followed suit as well. They got burned just like GM has…only company to me that was smart is Honda. By the way I am a GM driver,always was,and I drive an 07 HHR. I also work at a Chevy dealer. The slowdown is really hitting us hard as it is to other local dealers. We are a large dealer that outsold avery other GM dealer around us. Now its so slow that layoffs are coming.
I realize you cant build and market a car tomorrow but I do think that GM should have a Plan B in case the SUV sales slowed up.Which they did slow up. Yes,we sell the Impalas and we sell alot of Malibus and Cobalts but Toyota,Nissan,Honda outsell us because they have more variety of what people are looking for nowdays. I feel GM is headed in the right direction but it will take a while to sway customers again. You need to get this car right and knock peoples socks off.
GM’s marketing is not good. It needs major help. I wonder if Bob or Rick actually know how North America feels towards GM. I couldnt belive it myself. I still have faith in GM,I still work for GM and I will drive GM…….but you guys need to do something faster. I dont want my place to close up because of poor sales all because GM did provide us products that could sell. GM does make great,reliable cars but there are tons out there who think otherwise.If you dont belive this then you should skim through these blogs here and read for yourselves:
http://boards.msn.com/Autosboards/thread.aspx?threadid=749330&boardsparam=Page%3d1
http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/thread.aspx?boardid=798&threadid=713894&boardsparam=Page%3d1
I have gotten into numerous heated discussions with “brainwashed” Honda,Toyota owners who think GM is crap but cant back up why thet feel this way. One brainless idiot actually had a past GM bad experience and swore off GM……know what his problem was??? A 1978 Chevette!!! A crap car indeed but this guy refuses to look at any other GM products today. As great as GM cars are and have been in the last many years,this guy would rather shun GM over a 30 year old car. There are many like him. I am not one of them,neither is my family. I drive GM. But you really do have to get on the ball and win big this time. The Cruze looks great and hopefully will be but you need a line of cars like this. 2010 just seems so far away……..any idea how many GM dealers are going to close up in that time?? I’ll bet alot. Just my 2 cents.
jon
Overall it looks good it’s time to redesign the cobalt. I hope the drivetrain is pushing to compete with similar models of its class.
the worst thing aout this is the grill I think everyone will know it’s a chevy as long as the bowtie is ront and center but putting the exact same promanant grille on every car that’s so close to the trucks is restraining the overall design. Branding and brand loyalty can come from more than the same grill shell.
GM has a tendancy to have awesome prototyes (hydrogen/chevyvolt/new camaro) but are conservative when it comes to the models at the lot. I think with the company’s competition and fuel economy once aain main streem it has to take go beyond “moving forward” or “bold moves” and beyond the “american revolution” to a “Renaissance” then brand loyalty will once again will come with quality and design of the product.
Stew 21541
Mr. Peper,
I would have to agree with others that changing the name to Cruze would lead to confusion and take away from building the brand. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing and Communications which is an approach to marketing where continuity is among all the various communication disciplines. After all the positive associations that Chevy has built with the Cobalt, why would you choose to change the name to Cruze? I believe that a large percentage of prospective buyers would loose the connection between the two. I would imagine that Chevy is attempting to create a younger hipper feel to the vehicle by substituting the “is” with a “z” kind of like in a text message. In that case why not just go with Cobazalt? Just kidding, I’m sure that a lot of marketing research went into the name and that there is probably a campaign in the works.
On the design, I think you guys are on the right track. I feel the Cruze resembles a mini version of the redesigned Malibu with a couple of exceptions. I currently work for a car rental business on the south side of Chicago. People love the look of the Malibu. I would say that the Cruze will have about the same reaction when people see it.
SteveG
Just to give you guys a glimpse of how much people hate the name Cruze:
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f19/poll-next-chevy-deltas-name-66509/
Change the name.
Cobalt, Nova, Monza, anything but Cruze!
Show us that you care about what we think, just a little. Give us some hope for crying out loud.
Dale
GM did it again came up with a stupid name. 1st few years back dropping the Cavalier name a car in which everyone had at one point and for the most part found trustworthy. Went to Colbalt a name which no guy worth his boxers would drive talk about targeting women. Now bringing out the Cruze come on where is Tom give me a break. Bring back the Cavalier or like the guy above says Monza that was a pretty cool car particularly the Spyder. Nova nah old man car. Heck I even liked the name Optra and that was a great car.
Dale
One more quick thing GM the name Cavalier to you was like Honda getting rid of Civic or Toyota dropping the name Corolla were you guys smoking something when you made that decision.
Phil
Once again, don’t go PRICING YOURSELF OFF INTO OBLIVION ON THIS CAR!!!
PRICE IT 10% UNDER THE CIVIC, and LET THE CONSUMER RACK UP OPTIONS
BECAUSE THEY’RE SO CONVINCED OF THE INHERENT VALUE ALREADY!!
That’s how you achieve high TRANSACTION PRICES. You do not have a 25-year reputation
to trade on, so stop looking for premium pricing, which is how you LOST SHARE in the late 70’s and early 80’s, even as Honda established itself as higher quality/reliability.
Ten years from now, if all the press and public say GM is superior outright, then you can think about it. Please maintain the CTS pricing paradigm across the board until you actually HAVE A REPUTATION. That takes time…
Ben L.
Maybe I’m the only one with this opinion, but I think the gold bow tie is tacky. I know it’s historic and all, but wouldn’t silver be a better color? The gold bow tie always says “cheap Chevy” to me. I don’t think cheap is what we’re trying to go for with this GM turnaround.
James
I can’t wait for the pontiac rebadge!!!
imo this thing is ugly. the malibu front end tacked on an even uglier body lines
looks like the makings of dodge avenger already
Dave H.
I just read in the Wall St. Journal that you will NOT be selling the Zafira based seven passenger vehicle (Orlando) in the States. I have been waiting for that vehicle since vacationing in Rio last year and seeing the very nice and very flexible Chevy Zafiras in use as taxis. In an era of high gas prices, that vehicle is just what I wanted. I really have no interest in the Traverse - too big and too thirsty. A seven pass. four cyl. car is what we need, with space for seven if needed, and hauling space with the seats folded flat. Can I urge you to reconsider - don’t expect that you will be able to sell as many large crossovers as originally planned. Even if it’s bad news (with the investment already made), it is today’s reality. Much as I would hate to do so, I’ll look at imports if the Zafira is not available. I really think Ford has it right - leverage your small platforms to sell MANY small vehicles, and don’t try to push your customers up in size. They will go elsewhere.
Bill Henderson
Why doesn’t GM come out with a downsized super-charged engine that offers adequate power but with downsizing gives better mileage. You should be able to get about 20% inprovement iin mileage. This would offer some relief at the pump and would be cheaper and quicker than hybrids. Plus, you have the technology and know how to do this right now.
Anil Shrivastava
Leaving General Motors
By Anil Shrivastava
For some individuals cars are objects of desire, for some they are a mere means of transportation. For some a car is an obsession that fuels passion and for some it is a means of livelihood. Cars have images of being family friendly, submissive, subliminal, sexy and racy. I have seen cars from all the above angles and have driven them from all the above aspects.
I was fortunate to work for General Motors Corporation, the largest automotive company on earth. Our company celebrated its 100th birthday on September 16, 2008. It was my privilege to be a part of that celebration, a few months before retiring from active duties when I will turn 62.
It was my childhood dream to work for the greatest General of all. I tried several times but was rejected until I got a chance to work for its Advanced Manufacturing Engineering Department in 1985. The US car manufacturers were losing their manufacturing superiority and labor cost advantage to the Japanese who were coming forth with new manufacturing concepts and innovations such as ‘Kanban (Just in time),’ Kaizan (continuous improvement),’ ‘TPS (Toyota Production System,” “Heizunka (Production smoothing),” “5S (Standardized Cleanup),” “Muda (Waste Reduction),” and “Pull System (Replacing only what has been consumed).” For us, the manufacturing engineers, it was another space race reminiscent of early 60s when then Soviet Union had left America scrambling to win the space race. To tell frankly, we were intimidated by the Japanese manufacturing and especially by Toyota Production System (TPS). As a result, Roger Smith, the then chairman and CEO of GM decided to form a joint venture with Toyota called NUMMI (New United Motor Manufacturing Inc) where Toyota built cars for both the companies (Toyota and GM).
So far, the world had known only two kinds of car manufacturing, the craft manufacturing perfected by the Europeans and mass manufacturing invented by Henry Ford I and perfected by GM, Ford and Chrysler. The Japanese were still learning (before the 80s). Their manufacturing quality was so bad that Datsun had to reinvent and rename itself as Nissan. However, in the 80s, the Japanese finally put their acts together and came up with the concept of lean manufacturing. The Japanese hoped to achieve the craftsmanship of the Europeans by applying the mass manufacturing practiced by the Americans. They named their divisions and cars Infinit, Accura, Maxima, Lexus, Altima to bring their message to the consumers while the American companies settled with names like Cordoba, Corsica, Expedition and Tornado.
GM has long considered people as its greatest asset; therefore, despite criticism from the Wall Street, it protects and treats its employees with respect. Back in mid 80s, GM hired the best manufacturing engineers to turn its manufacturing around. I was fortunate enough to work with the brightest manufacturing engineers and great visionaries that included Jerry Elson, Gary Cowger, Tom Lasorda and Bob Eaton to name a few. They were all my directors at one time or the other. Roger Smith may have neglected the product, but he poured $20 billion in new technologies. We, the new breed of manufacturing engineers, were given the full freedom to invent new manufacturing technologies and learn from our mistakes. We worked on the application of the artificial intelligence in predicting failures, DFM (Design for Manufacturability) tools, reliability and maintainability (R&M) techniques for machinery and equipment, quick tool changeover, application of RF (radio frequency) for material handling, real-time production monitoring system, information mapping tools and various other manufacturing engineering tools. We were provided a factory of the future in Saginaw, Michigan to put our ideas to practice.
Today, in 2008, General Motors has four of the 10 most productive assembly plants in North America. According to the latest Harbour Report, for the second time in the last four years GM’s Toledo plant led all plants producing rear-wheel drive transmissions (2.54 hours per transmission) and was the No. 1 plant overall. GM’s Spring Hill 4-cylinder engine lines turned in the best performance by an engine plant at 2.27 hours per engine, edging out Toyota’s Buffalo, W.Va., plant (2.29 HPE), which had captured the top spot for five straight years. Similar honors go to the stamping plants also.
Now is the time for GM to regain its place in product and related technologies. It already has a list of past contributions such as the Lunar Roving Vehicle, catalytic converter, front wheel drive, air conditioning, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, turbo-charged engine, electronic ignition, fuel-injection, automatic transmission, plastic body car (Corvette), automatic headlamp-dimming system, sealed-beam headlamp, electric windows, independent suspension, air bag, head-up display, ABS and traction control, power sliding doors, electric vehicle (EV1), OnStar, night vision system, Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) to name a few.
As I am leaving General Motors, it is time to turn around the product and product technology. GM has once again hired the best product engineers who have a passion for product and related technologies. They are relentlessly working on Volt’s E-flex electric propulsion system, fuel cell technology, homogeneous-charge compression ignition (HCCI), the new generation of hybrid and the most efficient engines and transmissions. These new engineers will beat the world in product and product technology. This is another space race to beat the Asians and the Europeans in product innovation. Unlike the manufacturing team of mid 80s, this time the team is global with obvious tinge of diversity. With such talented men and women working for GM, I am sure that it will be the most innovative and dominant automotive company for the next 100 years.