What’s Up Next? Chevy Cruze and More

It’s no secret that all the GM lines have been struggling. All US automakers are being forced to deal with a cataclysmic shift in consumer buying trends. All across the US, soccer moms are abandoning their SUVs in favor of smaller, lighter cars that get better fuel economy.

In answer to this dominant trend, numerous new cars are coming about. The recent exposure of the Chevy Cruze (once thought to be the replacement for to Cobalt) has sparked new interest and new life in the ailing automaker. The Chevy Cruze is just one of the new cars set to take the stage in the near future. However, Europe will get a taste of the Cruze before the US. The Cruze will debut in 2009 in Europe, while the US release comes in 2010.

What is the Cruze? It’s the rumored head of a new family of fuel conservative cars from GM. The specifics of the American release have already been released. The Cruze (in America) will be powered by a 1.4 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. The new fuel efficiency of the engine is estimated at 45 mpg, with 140 horses under the hood. That’s a considerable displacement difference compared to the Cobalt’s 155 horses from a 2.2-liter engine.

While the Cruze is slated to replace the Cobalt, the Cobalt is not going anywhere just yet. Chevy intends to sell the two at the same time, while the rest of the Cruze family is put into production. Rumors abound concerning a SS-type Cruze with 260 hp, as well as a non-SS type coupe. Thus far, only the sedan has been confirmed for production.

Other rumors are circulating about possible Volt-like systems in the Cruze. Most likely, these would take the form of lower power lights, wipers and other electrical components. The car was developed to help combat the popularity of imports, such as the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic, as well as American standards such as the Focus. However, if Chevy intends to compete in that market, the Cruze will have to be more appealing than the Cobalt.

In order to do that, Chevy may add several optional packages with the new Cruze, such as larger wheels and better appointments in the interior. It remains to be seen just what the future holds, but the Cruze could conceivably unseat the long time favorites.