Paris 2008: Chevrolet Cruze meets an eager Europe
by Jonathon Ramsey on Oct 3rd 2008 at 4:56PM 
Click above for high-res gallery of the Chevy Cruze LT
The Chevrolet Cruze is three kinds of car: small, American and important. And with the state of General Motors, it isn't even the individual words that mean the most: it's whether The General can combine them into a reliable, fuel efficient and cost effective package. True, we don't get to drive these things while they're parked under the lights, but to have a seat in the Cruze is to imagine a GM that begs the question, "Where was all this before the meltdown?" The studio imagery we've seen so far translates nicely into real life, and the center console looks and feels substantial – in fact, it looks like it could be foreign – even if the silver mesh treatment in the show car was a bit much. The car has a compact yet full-bodied stance, and will probably look even better on the road in a color other than scarlet, and not under klieg lights. Spring of '09 will welcome this first Cruze variant to Europe, after which other regions will get it, as well as a probable hatchback and wagon. It will be powered by a 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder that charts up to 140 hp and is said to return 40 mpg. Have a look at the high-res gallery of live shots below to get a better idea of what to expect when the Cruze goes on sale here in a couple years.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Kumail 5:02PM (10/03/2008)
honestly, i think it looks better in the live shots than in the pictures they gave autoblog. IMO.
nice car by the way.
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Mehul 6:22PM (10/03/2008)
I like everything BUT the plastic blacked out C pillar. It reminds me of the Sebring.
Pablo Pozo 8:45PM (10/03/2008)
Funny thing Chevy, or Daewoo?
Were would this guys be if they didnt have anything to copy?
1.4 TSI engine anyone? VW invented it and GM thinks they are gonna capitalize on it? I can see who and why is going down fast and who is gonna lead the next decade
Markus 7:44AM (10/04/2008)
@Pablo Pozo
I don't know what you're talking about. The 1.4 in the Chevy is not a TSI, just turbocharged 1.4. The 140hp version of VW's 1.4TSI on the other hand is twincharged (supercharger *and* turbocharger). Completely different story.
Just because two enginges have the same displacement doesn't mean one is a copy of the other ;).
why not the LS2LS7? 3:53AM (10/05/2008)
The Nissan March Super Turbo beat VW to the punch anyway. Who does VW they think they are, copying Nissan and claiming they invented something?
Also, Lancia beat them both to the punch, but did it for performance, not for efficiency.
KeatMP 5:03PM (10/03/2008)
Are those cross drilled brake rotors???
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Damion R 5:06PM (10/03/2008)
I did a double-take also. Wonder if that will really be an option, or *gasp* standard. It's not like this car really needs cross-drilled rotors but it is a nice touch.
If GM started putting cross-drilled rotors across its whole line up, that would be one way to successfully use parts bin engineering and save a buck or two.
why not the LS2LS7? 6:22PM (10/03/2008)
Cross drilled brake rotors don't add any performance. They just look cool.
KeatMP 6:50PM (10/03/2008)
Actually cross drilled rotors improve cooling performance, reducing brake fade.
Derek 7:06PM (10/03/2008)
KeatMP: Cross drilled rotors also reduce the thermal mass of the brake system, leading to more temperature rise (same energy going into less metal). At worst cross drilling holes will lead to cracking of the rotor.
Brake pads used to need cross drilling to evacuate gasses under heavy, repeated, braking. Modern pad compounds typically do not need this and unless you plan to take your car to an open track event, you won't get the pads hot enough anyways. Besides, if you DO need it, slotting is far better because it removes less mass from the rotor and very little chance to cause cracking.
pp 10:19PM (10/03/2008)
Actually, what the drills could "undesireably" reduce is the cooling area; the mass, although being involved in the process because it is there, doesn't have much impact in the cooling, the area in contact with the air does (that's why passive cooling in, say, computers, use heat sinks with lots and lots of "pikes" that way the area in contact with the air, or cooling fluid, is increased... that vs. a single squared block of aluminum or whatever material was used).
Now, I said "could undesireably reduce" because it would also depend on the width of that disc, and the diameter of the drilling, because if the drilling is small enough (but there are more drills in order to keep ventilating the inner blades of the disk) and the disk's width is that where the areas (the CILLINDRIC one that is gained thanks to the "walls" of the drill vs. the one that is lost because of the CIRCULAR area of the drill itself) equal each other, then the cooling, effect is greater with the drills that with out them. ;)
why not the LS2LS7? 4:00AM (10/05/2008)
pp:
The heat generated is spread across the mass of the rotor. The less mass, the faster the rotor heats up. Drilling reduces mass, so it hurts thermal performance.
If you want to increase brake performance a bit, slot the rotors, don't cross-drill them. It leaves more mass and still helps get the crud/moisture off the pads.
Chris 5:05PM (10/03/2008)
I really like it. interior is great. price it right, and this car will be awesome. great job chevy!
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Domestic 6.0 7:27PM (10/03/2008)
Yes it looks sweet
CarbonBlack 3:23AM (10/04/2008)
So long as They change NOTHING!
dkw 5:11PM (10/03/2008)
Does anyone else see a stong similiarity between the interior of the Chevy Cruze and the Ford Fiesta?? I think both look great! (personally, I like the added color on the Cruze interior, but much prefer the exterior of the Fiesta)
And no, i'm not saying either company copied from the other, just that they look very similar to me.
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Ayatollah Rodriguez 5:13PM (10/03/2008)
Looks good, but so did Cobalt.
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Mi key 5:15PM (10/03/2008)
Looks good in that color. Hopefully GM brings this to America by 09.
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clicketyclack 5:16PM (10/03/2008)
Now if they could only get rid of that horrible bow tie badge. There have been a few Chevy's of recent that catch my eye until I'm forced to look away in horror when I see the bow tie.
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Gary 5:38PM (10/03/2008)
What's wrong with the logo? It's called tradition and brand recognition.