DETROIT – The U.S. production version of the Chevrolet Cruze,
unveiled at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show, delivers many segment-leading
features and details that challenge preconceived notions about what a
compact car can be in North America.

The Cruze also affirms Chevrolet’s commitment to building refined,
fuel-efficient vehicles using new, small-displacement four-cylinder
engines. It is expected to deliver segment-leading fuel economy with a
new Ecotec 1.4L I-4 turbo with variable valve timing – including up to
40 mpg on the highway with a high-efficiency model.

“Cruze is already a hit across Europe and Asia and now, it’s coming
to America to challenge the status quo,” said Jim Campbell, general
manager, Chevrolet. “Along with the Volt electric vehicle, Cruze is the
latest tangible example of how Chevrolet is working to bring new
products to market that range from gas-friendly to gas-free.”

Leveraging Chevrolet’s design and engineering talent in Asia, Europe
and North America, the Cruze brings a progressive, globally influenced
design complemented by exceptional levels of quietness, quality and
attention to detail – from precise tolerances between body panels to
the use of premium materials throughout the interior.

“The amenities, quietness and roominess you expect in larger cars
are what the Cruze delivers,” said Margaret Brooks, Chevrolet marketing
director for small cars. “This is a car that will shake up the compact
segment, with a more spacious interior and more cargo room than the
Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.”

Cruze goes on sale in the U.S. in the third quarter but has already
logged more than 4 million miles in quality and durability testing
worldwide, making it one of the most real world-tested GM products
prior to a U.S. launch. The U.S. and Canadian versions of the Cruze
will be built in Lordstown, Ohio, where $350 million was invested for
their production.

More than expected

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will be offered in LS, LT and LTZ trims. Standard and available equipment includes:

• New family of efficient four-cylinder engines, including a 1.4L turbo and 1.8L

 

• Six-speed automatic and manual transmissions

 

• Ten standard airbags, including frontal, side-impact, roof rail head curtain, rear-seat side airbags and new knee airbags

 

• Electronic stability control with rollover sensing

 

• Bluetooth, USB connectivity and navigation system

 

• XM Satellite Radio and OnStar

 

• MacPherson strut front suspension and Watts Z-link rear suspension, with 16-, 17- and 18-inch wheels

 

• Standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control, traction control and anti-lock brakes

 

• Fuel-saving, rack-mounted electric power steering

 

• Unexpected levels of quietness, smoothness and refinement for the segment

All models share an interior characterized by premium materials and
a lengthy roster of unexpected equipment, including leading
infotainment. A stereo system that includes MP3 playback capability,
six speakers and an auxiliary jack for personal playback devices is
standard. A premium Pioneer sound system is available, as is a USB port
for iPod operation. Other available technologies include Bluetooth and
a navigation system.

“There’s a lot of content in all Cruze models; it was designed to
give customers the features they want regardless of the car’s size or
segment,” said Brooks. “At a very competitive price, you’ll be able to
get a Cruze with leather and heated front seats, 16-inch aluminum
wheels, XM Satellite Radio, OnStar, Bluetooth, a USB port for your
iPod, cruise control, power locks and power outside mirrors.”

Arching roofline
Chevy Cruze’s design is distinguished with a bold face – including a two-tier grille with the iconic Bowtie
logo – that is Chevrolet’s signature look around the globe. An arching
roofline connects a steeply raked windshield and fast-sloping rear
pillars to give the car a sporty, coupe-like proportion.

The sporty aesthetic is also seen in prominent headlamp housings
that wrap around the corners and sweep upward in the fenders and
sculpted hood, as well as a short rear deck typically found on sport
coupes. The wheels are at the corners, too, with minimal front and rear
overhangs. All the elements work cohesively to give Cruze an aggressive
look that is complemented by a wide, confident-looking stance.

Indeed, the Cruze is wider and longer than most of its competitors.
Taut, tightly drawn bodywork conveys solidity, while restrained use of
exterior trim enhances the car’s high-quality feel. The overall
appearance is one of purposeful precision.

Precision is also seen in the Cruze’s build quality. The Lordstown
assembly plant’s body shop was retooled with the latest in body-framing
and welding equipment to optimize the manufacture of a very solid body
structure. That strong structure fosters minimal production variance
and repeatable gap tolerances of 3 mm or less between most exterior
panels. To the customer, this means a better-looking car when new and
one that feels solid for years to come.

Interior refinement
Cruze’s bold design cues and
attention to detail carry over to the interior, where Chevrolet’s
hallmark twin-cockpit motif is matched with high-quality materials and
exceptional assembly tolerances. Grained, soft-touch components and
low-gloss trim panels exude a quality that is uncommon in the segment.

The instrument panel is an excellent example of how Cruze eschews
expectations of compact cars. It features richly detailed instruments
that are backlit with light-emitting diode (LED) technology. The LED
lights provide a crisp, ice-blue illumination of the analog instruments, as well as lighting for other interior controls. A segment-rare standard driver information center delivers a wealth of data to the vehicle owner.

Blending harmoniously with the instrument panels is an integrated
center stack that houses the infotainment display, climate controls and
radio controls. Flush-mounted components within the center stack have a
gap tolerance of less than 1 mm, while the instrument panel-to-door
panel gaps are less than 5 mm. Those tolerances are among the best in
the class and contribute significantly to the Cruze’s aura of
refinement and precision.

Cruze’s headliner and pillar trim exude craftsmanship, too. The
headliner cover is made of a knit material that also serves as one of
five layers of an acoustically designed headliner to help make the
passenger compartment quieter. The interior pillar and other moldings
are color- and grain-matched to the headliner, while seat inserts are
color-matched to the color of the instrument panel accent trim, giving
the cabin the detailed appearance of larger, upscale sedans.

New, efficient powertrains
Enhanced with its exhaust-driven turbocharger, the Cruze’s Ecotec 1.4L turbo performs
like a larger engine when needed, but retains the efficiency of a
small-displacement four-cylinder in most driving conditions. It is
standard on LT and LTZ models, with power ratings estimated at 138
horsepower (103 kW) and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm). With the Ecotec
1.4L turbo, Cruze’s fuel efficiency enables a cruising range of more
than 500 miles (800 km), meaning it can go longer between fill-ups.

Standard on LS models is an Ecotec 1.8L four-cylinder that has the
same basic architecture as the 1.4L turbo. Both engines are part of
GM’s family of global small-displacement engines designed with fuel
efficiency in mind, including technology such as full variable valve
timing that optimizes performance and fuel economy across the rpm band.

Backing the Cruze’s new four-cylinder engines are six-speed manual
and automatic transmissions. Each contributes to Cruze’s excellent fuel
economy.

Cruze is backed by GM’s five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty – the best coverage in America.

Responsive, quiet driving experience
Complementing Cruze’s new powertrains is a strong body structure and chassis system
designed to deliver a responsive and fun driving experience. The body
structure is tight and stiff; and its solidity enabled engineers to
more precisely tune the chassis for comfort and driving control.

A MacPherson strut suspension is used up front, while a technically
advanced Watts Z-link design is used with the rear suspension. It helps
center the rear axle during cornering, helping to keep the Cruze’s
handling responses symmetrical on both left-hand and right-hand turns.
The linkage’s capability to center the axle during cornering delivers a
more balanced driving experience, as the rear suspension better follows
the lead of the front suspension.

StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover
mitigation, as well as traction control and anti-lock brakes, are
standard. Electric power steering is also standard on all models. It
helps save fuel because it removes the conventional power steering pump
from the engine’s driven accessories. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard
on LS and LT models, with 17-inch alloy wheels standard on LTZ.
Eighteen-inch alloy wheels are available on 2LT and LTZ models.

Along with a responsive driving experience, the Cruze delivers
quietness and refinement on the road. Hydraulic ride bushings and an
isolated engine cradle reduce or eliminate vibration pathways that
could otherwise be transmitted to the passenger compartment. Similarly,
a number of noise-reducing and noise-cancelling technologies are
employed throughout the body structure, including 18 distinctive
acoustical treatments. Examples include:

• The steel front-of-dash panel is sandwiched between two damping mats

 

• Nylon
  baffles are used in various hollow portions of the body structure and
  filled with sound-absorbing foam that expands when the body enters the
  paint oven

 

• The headliner comprises five layers
  of thermal fiber acoustic material, including a premium woven fabric on
  the visible outer layer

 

• Patches of
  sound-damping material are applied strategically throughout the body
  structure and melt into place when the body passes through the paint
  oven, allowing the patches to follow the contours of the sheet metal
  below

 

• Sound insulation material between rear-body structural components that is made from recycled denim

 

• The
  doors have triple seals and feature fiberglass “blankets” that serve as
  water, airflow and noise barriers. The doors are also beta-braced,
  meaning they close with a solid, precise sound and no resonance

 

About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is one of America’s best-known
and best-selling automotive brands, and one of the fastest growing
brands in the world. With fuel solutions that range from “gas-friendly
to gas-free,” Chevrolet has nine models that offer an EPA-estimated 30
miles per gallon or more on the highway, and offers two hybrid models.
More than 2.5 million Chevrolets that run on E85 biofuel have been
sold. Chevrolet delivers expressive design, spirited performance and
strives to provide the best value in every segment in which it
competes.

CHEVROLET CRUZE SPECIFICATIONS

 

Vehicle type:	five-passenger sedan; unitized frame; front engine, front-wheel drive
Wheelbase (in. / mm):	105.7 / 2685
Length (in / mm):	178.5 / 4535
Width (in / mm):	70.7 / 1796
Height (in / mm):	58.2 / 1480
Track (in / mm):	60.7 / 1544 (front); 61.3 / 1558 (rear)
Engines:	1.4L Turbo DOHC VVT (140 hp / 104 kW – est.) 1.8L DOHC VVT (138 hp / 103 kW – est.)
Transmissions:	M32 six-speed manual Hydra-matic 6T40 six-speed automatic
Suspension:	independent strut-type suspension with direct-acting stabilizer bar (front); semi-independent compound crank (torsion beam) with Watts link (rear)
Steering:	electric, speed-sensitive, variable-assist rack-and-pinion
Brakes:	power-assisted front disc / rear drum with std. ABS or four-wheel disc with std. ABS
Wheels:	16-inch, 17-inch, 18-inch
EPA luggage capacity (cu ft / L):	13.2 / 375
EPA total volume (cu ft / L):	TBD