Further proof that General Motors is readying a Opel Astra derivative for the Buick brand has just arrived in the form of spy shots showing a mid-size mule testing at Germany's Nürburgring. Somewhat obscured behind the excessive camo is Buick's trademark "waterfall" grille, however, the A-pillar and C-pillar survive the transition from Opel to Buick.

Inside, the badge engineering is markedly more apparent with what looks like an instrument panel, center console, and steering wheel directly ported over from the recently revealed 2010 Opel Astra. In all likelihood, the Buick version will be sold almost exclusively in the Chinese market and, although it would be built along side the Cruze at GM's Lordstown, OH plant, it's doubtful that the compact Buick will ever be sold in the States. But if it does, we'd suggest reviving the Skylark or Somerset moniker, because, hey... we know how well they went over before.

General Motors is in the middle of a massive restructuring, and if it manages to escape catastrophe without going belly-up, good news could be in store for the Chevy brand. GM CEO Fritz Henderson told AutoWeek that the bowtie will emerge as the big winner in two years, with great quality and plenty of new product. The 2011 model year will (assuming there are no changes to the product calendar -- something that's hardly guaranteed) bring a variety of fuel-efficient vehicles to the Chevy brand with the arrival of the Cruze, Spark, Volt, and Orlando.

The Volt, with its purported extended-range electric capability, will get the limelight. But the Cruze, Spark, and Orlando are likely to be more impactful, since they're designed to be high-volume sellers with very competitive fuel economy figures. The new cars, combined with the drop-dead gorgeous Camaro (29 mpg hwy), the new Equinox (32 mpg hwy), and the Malibu, give Chevrolet a a significantly transformed, far more efficient product lineup.

With four new Chevys set to hit production in the next 19 months, the future of the brand looks bright... as long as GM can survive the tumultuous present.

[Source: AutoWeek]

While a set of races in the World Touring Car Championship might not ordinarily be something we'd cover here at Autoblog – we doubt you'll mind the spoiler – this weekend's rounds in Marrakech, Morocco, held a series of firsts for the international racing series. Not only was this the first time the championship headed into Africa, but the new Chevy Cruze scored its first pole position and followed up by taking first place in both races, with Nicola Larini taking his first race victory in the series.

The former grand prix driver raced for Ligier-Ford, Modena-Lamborghini and Scuderia Ferrari, scoring a career-best second-place finish with the latter at San Marino in 1994 after taking the DTM title in Germany the year before. The veteran Italian racer has been with the Chevy team in the WTCC since 2005, and scored his first race victory in the series in the second round of the double-header in Marrakech after his team-mate Rob Huff turned the first pole position for the new Chevrolet Cruze racer into the car's maiden victory in the first race. Huff's domination from start to finish was only compounded by the fastest laps that the Cruze claimed en route to the checkered flag in both races. The duo faced tough opposition from a field composed primarily of Seat Leon TSFI and BMW 320si touring cars, but the new Chevy, which was unveiled last October before receiving its official livery in December, ultimately prevailed at the new North African track. Details in the press release after the jump, high-res photos in the gallery below.



[Source: Chevrolet and Autosport]

While the Chevy Cruze isn't coming to the U.S. until 2010, the attractively styled compact is set to go on sale in Europe this July. General Motors released pricing for the Cruze in advance of its Euro launch, and the Bow Tie brand is going right after the bottom line of the Ford Focus. The Cruze starts at £11,545 ($15,883 in U.S. dollars) with a 1.6-liter, 111-hp petrol engine. That's about £1,800 cheaper than the Focus, giving the fuel efficient Cruze the price edge in a down automotive market. Opt for the 1.6-liter petrol LS model and expect to part with £12,595 ($17,335). The top of the line LT model comes equipped with a 1.8-liter gas engine or 2.0-liter diesel and starts at £13,595 ($18,712).

While prices in the UK typically don't translate well to U.S. dollars, $15,883 for the base Cruze would put it in the same price class as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. We should, however, receive a discount for having to wait a year longer than the Europeans.



[Source: Channel 4]

General Motors has been vascillating about when and where it would build engines for its upcoming Chevrolet Volt and Cruze models, and today that saga has a new twist. Last September, GM proclaimed that it would invest $370 million in a new Flint, Michigan plant to build 1.4-liter four-cylinder engines after the city announced an extensive suite of tax breaks said to be worth $56 million. Then, in mid-December, word came that GM was delaying building the plant, although it pledged to bring the Volt to market on-time, instead sourcing initial engines from overseas. Then came word late last month that GM had cancelled the plant contracts, leaving the company's powertrain plans in limbo. Now, GM is saying that it will indeed build the engines in Flint, it's just going to do so using existing facilities.

According to a new press release, GM is citing "current capital expenditure constraints and available floor space in existing facilities" as the reason for not pursuing a new facility. All is not lost, however, as GM still plans to invest around $250M to update the company's Flint South plant. Facility revitalization work will commence this spring, with production of the new engines slated to begin in December 2010. More details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Holden, known for it's massive sedans and massively appealing V8s, is on the small car bandwagon with its announcement to build a four-cylinder car in Australia to be sold alongside the Commodore. Holden currently has three four-cylinder cars, but they're comprised of rebadged Daewoo's and an Opel, and haven't set the Outback on fire. The new compact car will be based on the Chevrolet Cruze, but with a body designed by Holden, and will offer both four-pot gas and diesel options. Down the line, Holden said it will investigate ethanol-capable engines and start-stop technology for its new Corolla fighter.

Holden has a few reasons to make such a move right now, changing consumer tastes being one of the most important. The Australian government has also pledged $6 billion (AUD) to its local auto industry, which has allowed Holden to carry out its plans with less concern about the bottom line. Holden will spend $200 million (AUD) and the government will provide another $179 million (AUD). The new compact sedan will have to stave off competition from Toyota, as well as the parade of cheap Thai cars that have been flowing into Australia after the two countries concluded a free trade agreement. The new Holden will face-off against the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla when production begins in 2011.

[Source: Drive.com.au]

The Chevrolet Cruze may be delayed, but that doesn't mean that more variants of the Cobalt/Lacetti replacement aren't on the drawing board. In addition to the standard four-door model that Chevrolet debuted in Paris, a five-door hatch and a wagon will fill the rest of the range.

GM plans to produce the European Cruze in South Korea through its Daewoo operations, along with its plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. The new sedan was designed to meet the needs of a variety of markets, so additional body styles, along with different powertrains, safety specs and ride/handling requirements, will be employed throughout the world. GM announced that the U.S. version would be manufactured at the automaker's Lordstown, Ohio plant and will differ from the variants sold abroad. The Cruze should hit the U.S. market in 2011, but judging by recent reports, we're not holding our breath.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

As General Motors burns through $1 billion in cash each month, the automaker's belt-tightening continues unabated, spanning the spectrum from lay-offs to shutting down the escalators at the RenCen. Naturally, its products aren't immune from the cash-strapped hatchet.

First came word that the CTS Coupe and Buick Lacrosse debuts have been delayed, and now BusinessWeek reports that the Cruze's launch has been put off by a year, now set to hit dealers in 2011. Additionally, the next generation Malibu won't be out until 2013 – six months after it was due to arrive.

GM spokesperson Dee Allen wouldn't get into specifics, only saying that new-car programs "are going to shift around a bit."

The General's decision to put off development of certain projects isn't surprising considering the automaker's current predicaments (that's putting it lightly), and it's more a move to limit costs as 2008 draws to a close, saving money for 2009, what will surely be GM's make-or-break year.



[Source: BusinessWeek via eGMCarTech]

General Motors cites the success of the current Chevy Cobalt as the reason for delaying the launch of the Cobalt's replacement, the upcoming Cruze, in the States. In order to meet the market's soaring demand for small cars in general, and the Cobalt in particular, earlier this year GM added a third shift to the Lordstown Plant where the Cobalt is built. For '09, the General plans to build an extra 70,000 Cobalts, expecting fuel prices to remain high and demand for its compact sedan and coupe to follow suit. Unfortunately for the struggling automaker, those extra cars may not necessarily add up to extra profits, with the Cobalt priced below its main competitors from Japan. For this reason, GM will be adding a few bucks to the bottom line of the Cruze, in a pricing move similar to the recently released Malibu. Hopefully, the same tactic GM employed with its mid-sizer will translate to the Cruze and that extra cash will result in a better car than its predecessor.

[Source: CNN]

This afternoon GM design VP Ed Welburn and Chevy general manager Ed Peper gave us a preview of the new 2010 Chevy Cruze compact sedan. As is all too often the case with cool new small cars, the U.S. market is last in line as the Cruze will be going on sale in Europe next March as a 2010 model with a choice of 1.6L and 1.8L gas engines or a new 2.0L diesel that puts out 150 hp. As many have surmised from previous images of the Cruze, it is actually a bit bigger than the current Cobalt it will eventually replace. According to Peper, it actually slots in between the Cobalt and the Malibu, although it will get better fuel economy than both.

GM chose to debut the Cruze in Europe because it's the brands fastest growing market with a 23-percent growth in sales through the first half of 2008. Asked why the U.S. isn't getting it sooner, Peper blamed the current sales success of the Cobalt and other upcoming launches such as the Camaro. Peper also indicated that the Cruze will get an impressive 40 mpg on the highway at launch. When the Cruze goes into production at GM's Lordstown, OH plant in April 2010 as a 2011 model, it will be powered by the new 1.4L direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder that has been announced previously. We don't have any pics of the interior yet because the car on display here is just the same styling buck with no guts that appeared in Lordstown a couple of weeks ago. We'll be sure to get those interior shots and more when the car makes it official world debut at the Paris Motor Show next month.



[Source: General Motors]