2011 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback: Production Model to Debut at Geneva Motor Show

Chevrolet today announced that the production version of the Cruze hatchback will make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Considered to be a critical model for Chevrolet in Europe, the 5-door Cruze was first teased at last year’s Paris Motor Show with a pre-production study.

“Hatchbacks play a critical role in many markets. The total compact segment in Europe represents over a quarter of the total market, with hatchbacks representing around 65% of that volume”, said Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe. “The new Cruze hatchback cements that Chevrolet's claim for a place among the mainstream brands in Europe, and it's a vehicle that will bring new levels of value against some of the more established competition”.

With its sweeping lines, short overhangs and, in our opinion, better looking rear quarter compared to the sedan, the hatchback is said to be “particularly well suited to European driver tastes”. To achieve this, it uses the same body-frame integral system (BFI) chassis complemented by some fine-tuning and the four-door model’s engine range, plus new additions, such as the Orlando MPV’s 163HP 2.0-liter diesel powerplant.

From a practical standpoint, the new model loses 50 liters of cargo space for a total of 400 liters, but the large liftgate and 60/40 split rear seating should compensate in terms of practicality.

The Cruze hatchback is due in Europe in mid 2011 and prices will be announced closer to the launch date. It will also be available as a Holden in Australia.

Chevy 'Cruzes' into Britain: First Customer-Ordered Models Arrive

The largest batch of brand new Chevrolets ever to arrive in Britain included the first customer-ordered Cruzes ahead of the compact sedan's UK showroom debut later this month. The Swedish-Norwegian carrier "Tijuca" that docked at Portbury, Bristol carried a total of 2,133 Chevrolets on board. According to GM's European arm, more than half of the cars on board have already been sold to customers while the rest are to make sure stock levels keep up with current levels of demand.

"We're thrilled to see such a large batch of cars arriving here," said Chevrolet Managing Director, Mark Terry."We've seen demand grow massively with three successive months of sales increases, and our stock levels were lower than normal as a result."

"The fact that over half of the cars on the ship were factory-ordered vehicles, already sold to customers, shows just how popular the Chevrolet brand has become in the UK. And as these cars become more visible on the roads, we should expect that popularity to grow further," he added.