This car is almost certainly not the Chevy Cruze, which has already been promised to the Lordstown, Ohio plant. It's most likely another vehicle like the 2011 Chevy Viva, the company's could-be next entry into the subcompact segment.

GM mentions in their release that "leadership has begun discussions regarding selection criteria with Federal and State government officials from Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin." We take this to mean there's some hope of getting the best incentives from local officials to maintain and, possibly, expand job opportunities in their respective regions.

It'll be interesting to see what impact government ownership will have on this decision given both Michigan and Wisconsin are swing states and Tennessee could, theoretically, be brought over to President Obama's side in the next presidential election. Whether or not this has any impact on the decision remains to be seen, though someone will argue the decision was political no matter where the plant goes.

Update: an initial version of this story hinted that it could be for Cruze production, which is unlikely given that the production of that vehicle has been promised to another plant. The corrections have been made.

Statement On The Plant Selection To Produce The New Small Car For GM

On May 29, GM announced that we will build a future small, fuel-efficient car in the United States utilizing an existing UAW-GM assembly plant that is currently on standby capacity status. The assembly plants in consideration are Orion (Michigan), Spring Hill (Tennessee) and Janesville (Wisconsin). Given the importance of this small car program, and in an effort to move quickly to identify the plant, GM leadership has begun discussions regarding selection criteria with Federal and State government officials from Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin. We hope to identify and announce the future production site of the small car within the next several weeks.

[Source: GM]

Okay, so we kid. Obviously this isn't the 2014 Chevy Camaro, instead a Chinese fan made this Bumblebee-inspired Chevy Cruze. With the price of a Camaro in China hovering around the $200,000 mark for a gray market import, he did the next best thing and repainted and added Bumblebee stripes. Fairly convincing, if you've never seen a Camaro that is.

(Hat Tip To Jeff!) [camaro5]

The 2010 Chevy Cruze is still a year away from landing on U.S. shores, but that doesn't have anything to do with its World Touring Car Championship racer sibling showing up in China. The Rob Huff, Alain Menu and Nicola Larini-driven Cruze WTCC replaces the aging Chevy Lacetti racer and will be powered by a race-prepped 2.0-liter four cylinder. Come on GM... gimme, gimme, gimme!

Someone apparently fell asleep at the podium when lecturing on the evils of product complexity as the Cruze is being offered with a whopping nine model variants and three different engine choices. Of course the US market won't get so many options, but those finicky Euros just have to get a stinky old 2.0-liter diesel which nobody in the US would ever want, ever. Grumble, grumble.

CHEVROLET ‘CRUZES' AHEAD ON PRICE…

* Price announced for Cruze, from £11,545 on-the-road
* Exceptional spec levels even on entry-level car
* On sale from July 2009

Keeping an eye on money has never been more topical, and the good news for Chevrolet customers is that the all-new Cruze will be true to the brand's traditional value-for-money ethics despite its premium styling and build quality.

The newcomer, which has the stance of a four-door coupe, will start from just £11,545 on-the-road, and will arrive at UK Chevrolet retailers in July.

It will be offered with a choice of four engines – 1.6 (113PS) and 1.8-litre (141PS) petrols featuring variable valve timing for maximum performance and efficiency, plus two diesels, both 2.0-litres and with a choice of 125PS or 150PS power outputs. Automatic transmission will be offered on the petrol models.

The range will kick off with the 1.6 S, which enjoys a comprehensive list of standard equipment despite its value price tag. As well as remote central locking, the model features follow-me-home lighting, a feature normally reserved for premium cars, a quality CD-radio system, electric front windows, a fully-adjustable driver's seat and steering wheel, six airbags, ESC, upmarket soft-touch cabin materials, and premium blue-backlit dashboard dials. The 1.6S A/C model, at £11,995, also adds air conditioning.

The LS model, expected to be the best-seller in the range, starts at only £12,595 for the 1.6 manual variant and includes air conditioning as standard, plus other upmarket features such as 16-inch alloy wheels, a chrome edged radiator grille, front fog lights and reverse parking sensors.

Flagship of the range will be the LT, which comes in 1.8 petrol or 2.0-litre diesel guise, starting at £13,595. For that, you get a list of specification that's truly befitting of a luxury car, including cruise control, climate control, an automatic anti-dazzle rear view mirror, an upgraded high-output stereo, electric rear windows, chrome detailing and 17-inch alloy wheels, plus the option of an integrated satellite navigation system.

The Cruze will also spearhead Chevrolet's campaign in the 2009 World Touring Car Championship, which kicked off on March 8 in Curitiba, Brazil. The UK round of the WTCC takes place at Brands Hatch on July 19 – just in time to coincide with the car's UK introduction.

CRUZE-ING TO VICTORY?

* Chevrolet unveils new WTCC contender
* 2009 car based on new Cruze global car
* British driver Rob Huff continues Chevrolet involvement

With a new global car on the way for 2009, the World Touring Car Championship is the perfect platform for Chevrolet to put its latest model in the public eye.

This is the new Cruze WTCC car, which replaces the successful Lacetti as Chevrolet’s contender in the 2009 series.

Powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine, the WTCC Cruze has a hard act to follow, as the Lacetti won its final two outings for Chevrolet in Macau.

But Chevrolet’s drivers are confident that the new car will be a top performer in the series, which has gained global recognition as one of the most exciting tin-top series since its inception in 2005.

British driver Rob Huff (28) from Newmarket, Suffolk, who has been with Chevrolet since it debuted in World Touring Cars said: “The Cruze is a great car and feels fast straight out of the box. We are obviously still at the very early stages of development but already I can feel how much better it handles and what an advantage the car’s wider track will be in a race environment.’

Rob will be joined in 2009 by Swiss racer Alain Menu and Italian Nicola Larini. All three drivers also drove for Chevrolet in 2008.

The cars will be prepared for Chevrolet once again by RML Motorsport. The Wellingborough, Northants, based company has a history of motorsport involvement with Chevrolet’s parent company, General Motors, and has looked after Chevrolet’s WTCC involvement since 2005.

The Chevrolet Cruze, on which the 2009 WTCC car is based, will go on sale in the UK during the first half of next year, and will be sold in over 130 countries worldwide. It is one of Chevrolet’s most important new models ever, as it clearly illustrates a new level of styling and quality for the brand, both in Europe and in the USA. The car made its public debut to much acclaim at the Paris Motor Show in October.

[Source: GM]

CHEVROLET PRESENTS NEW CRUZE FOR 2009 WTCC
To Continue Chevrolet’s World Touring Car Success

ZÜRICH / WELLINGBOROUGH – Chevrolet Europe has shown the first glimpse of the marque’s 2009 World Touring Car Championship contender, today. The all-new Chevrolet Cruze, which recently premiered at the Paris Motor Show, will continue Chevrolet’s presence in the WTCC, in which the marque so far has won twelve world championship races.

Testing of the new race car – which is the first to start Chevrolet’s new design language in Europe – has already started and is on schedule, and will continue throughout the remainder of the current season and the coming winter. Developed, built, run and driven by the same team and drivers, the Cruze will be all but guaranteed the same speed, reliability and success. The Chevrolet Cruze’s first competitive outing will be in Brazil at the opening round of the 2009 WTCC in Curitiba. In 2009, the WTCC will again visit twelve tracks, in South and Central-America, Africa, Europe and the Far-East.
# QUOTES

Wayne Brannon: “Chevrolet has motorsport is deeply embedded in our DNA. With the new Cruze World Touring Car, Chevrolet continues to embrace its long tradition of winning on and off the track.. In the past four seasons, Chevrolet had distinguished itself in racing with an increasing number of victories, not so different from the record sales growth which has developed in Europe. Again this year, sales are up by 23 percent in the first six month, and we are very proud that customers are choosing us in record numbers. For our European dealers, the WTCC has been an extremely useful communications tool, and they look forward to the next season with Cruze. With Cruze, we again look to emphasize the synergy between product and motorsports, and the WTCC is the best possible platform to achieve this. The championship’s slogan is ‘Real Cars, Real Racing’, and that fits nicely with our philosophy to provide real cars for real lives, with expressive design, world class quality / reliability and an impressive list of standard features and content, all at an affordable price.”

Eric Nève: “The new Cruze will be the next milestone in Chevrolet Europe’s motorsports history. So far, we have achieved every goal we set in 2005, step by step: challenge the competition, score points, prove we can win and then become regular frontrunners against competition with an established motorsports resume. With the Cruze, we will put the bar even higher and firmly aim at winning the World Championship. Chevrolet’s unique ‘trump card’ is having worked with the same team, engineers and drivers for the past four seasons, with the success we all know. To be able to do this again with the Cruze will only help to increase our chances of achieving our goals.”

[GM Europe]

Paris – Today General Motors President and Chief Operating Officer Fritz Henderson and Ed Welburn, vice president of Global Design revealed the all-new Chevrolet Cruze at a special premiere event at the “Le Pavillon Dauphine”, located in the heart of Paris.

The event was attended by approximately 350 journalists from around the world, who also saw the reveal of the Chevrolet Orlando show car and the European premieres of the Chevrolet Volt and Camaro.

Media and guests got a first-hand look at the arching roof-line of the Cruze that extends from the steeply raked windshield to its sloping rear pillars and short rear deck, bringing coupe-like proportions to a compact sedan.

“Tight panel-fits and shut lines, a restrained use of exterior trim, a dual bezel design on the headlamps, an integrated rear spoiler - everywhere your eye settles, there are fine details that add to that sense of substance and value,” Ed Welburn said at the presentation of the Cruze.

Chevrolet’s mantra that exciting design and value are not mutually exclusive is also reflected in the interior. It carries a new level of detailed execution, spaciousness, and appointments that stand out in the segment.

While putting emphasis on comfort, spaciousness and a sporty appeal, interior designers and engineers set a goal to create a cockpit environment that is harmonious, flowing and uniquely inviting to the senses.

“The interior must build a relationship with drivers. It’s where they spend their time,” says David Lyon, executive director of GM Interior Design. “Fabric is warm and inviting in ways plastics cannot be. It offers unique detail with fibers, colors and textures. Instead of limiting fabric to seats, we spread that warmth and luxury throughout the vehicle.”

Another contributing factor to the refined look is an integrated center stack (ICS) design which houses the infotainment display, radio and HVAC controls. It eliminates traditional framing of these interfaces, resulting in a contemporary, flush and harmonious relationship between control heads and outlying surfaces.

Sales of the Chevrolet Cruze will start in Europe in March 2009, followed by other global regions. The arrival of the new compact vehicle spearheads a roll-out of new products for Chevrolet, expected to further propel the global growth of brand.

[GM]

Despite the hype, and as I laid out in a piece today for Popular Mechanics, the Volt, Tesla Roadster, the upcoming plug-in Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight will not be what I'd call mass-market game-changers. More like mass-market hype. Sorry Dick and Jane Average, but unless your real name is Matt Damon, Katie Couric or Ariana Huffington, the high price (plus the added pricing on the sticker from the dealer) and low volume will put these technologically magical marvels of engineering outside your reach.

Unfortunately, it's Dick and Jane Average that will need higher fuel economy the most. That's where the Cruze comes in. When the news of the Cruze, the companion car to the Chevy Cobalt to be built at the General's Lordstown, Ohio plant, first broke with little in the way of details, it was the epitome of a non-event — another attempt by GM to produce something in the econobox range. No reason to think otherwise until the second press conference with GM CEO Rick Wagoner a week later. There he laid out expectations on fuel economy for the Cruze. Thanks to the turbocharged 1.4-liter four-banger under the hood, the Cruze is expected to get the astonishing fuel economy of "over 40 MPG."

Now 40 MPG may not be as good as what the Volt will get, but I can guarantee you it's better than what 98% of the auto-owning population is getting on the roads now. Add to that the Chevy Orlando, a concept MPV to be unveiled along with its platform-mate, the Cruze, at next month's Paris Motor Show. Unlike the Volt, which is all about the marketing of MPG, the Cruze lineup can give GM the upper hand in bringing MPG to the masses. And they've got some seriously sharp-as-a-knife looks.

If GM pulls off the Cruze at these fuel economy numbers and a price in line with the 30 MPG+ marketplace, then they may actually be on to something in the world of the appliance car — and that's what they'll really need to get the company through the first few of their next hundred years.

All-new Chevrolet Cruze features dramatic design

Detroit - The first photographs of Chevrolet's all-new Cruze sedan - making its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October - reveal a dynamic four-door coupe that proves exciting design and value are not mutually exclusive.

On sale beginning in Europe from March next year, Cruze features a dramatic re-interpretation of the traditional sedan featuring Chevrolet's new global design language that is becoming a signature on all new products carrying the gold bowtie.

Cruze's arching roof-line, extending from the steeply raked windshield to its sloping rear pillars and short rear deck, brings coupe-like proportions to a compact sedan.

Wider and longer than most of its competitors, Cruze has a purposeful stance with its wheels located at the outer edges of the tautly drawn bodywork. Noticeably tight body panel fits and a restrained use of exterior trim add to a high quality, 'hewn from solid' appearance.

Cruze's dramatic profile is matched by bold front styling, with large headlamp housings that wrap around the front corners and sweep up, arrow-like, into the fenders and sculpted hood. Other distinct design themes include a concave shoulder line, the two-tier grille and a "wheels-out/body-in" stance. Inside, Cruze features a 'twin cockpit' design motif, first introduced in the iconic Corvette sports car.

"Our goal in designing Cruze was to be bold, not evolutionary," says chief designer Taewan Kim. "We wanted to take a big step forward, making a strong design statement for Chevrolet products around the world."

Visitors to the Paris show will see how Chevrolet's progressive design is also reflected in the quality of Cruze's interior. The use of grained surfaces, soft-touch materials and low gloss trim panels ensures a quality ambience that echoes the clean, harmonious design of the exterior.

At launch in Europe, Cruze will be available with 16-valve, 1.6-liter (112 hp/82 kW) and 1.8-liter (140 hp/103 kW) gasoline engines featuring variable valve timing (VVT) on both inlet and exhaust sides, giving more power as well as better fuel economy and lower emissions. A new 2.0-liter turbo diesel, developing 150 hp/ 110 kW and 320 Nm of torque adds power with even greater frugality. Five-speed manual gearboxes and an all-new automatic transmission, Chevrolet's first six-speed application in the compact segment, complete the powertrain menu.

With sales in Europe up by 23 percent for the first six months of 2008, Chevrolet is GM Europe's fastest-growing mainstream brand. The arrival of Cruze spearheads an exciting new product roll-out program that is expected to propel the brand to even greater success.

"We are proud that Europe is leading the introduction for this global product," said Wayne Brannon, Executive Director, Chevrolet Europe. "Chevrolet has always stood for expressive value and Cruze delivers on that promise like never before. It further redefines Chevrolet with its design, quality, materials and great style inside and out. The fit and finish for gaps and interfaces sets a new standard for this segment in Europe and around the world."

Cruze is the result of a development process harnessing GM's global expertise and is the first of a new family of compact products that will deliver world class quality. It will be backed by expected highest scores in all major crash safety ratings.

The Chevrolet Cruze will be available in Europe from March 2009, followed by other global markets with regional-specific engine choices.

###

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: So what do we think of the interior of the 2010 Chevy Cobalt? It looks pretty darn good for an car sitting in a segment we hope we never have to buy in. Although we were initially a little concerned with the colors on the first shot of the Cruze's interior, the two-tone color scheme of the dash and seats, good curves and rounded edges — it looks pretty snazzy to us. What else do we expect from a brand that's done wonders to the interior of the new-for-2008 Chevy Malibu? [The Car Fanatic]

One model, the sleek new Chevrolet Cruze due out in 2010, is the replacement for the clunky Chevrolet Cobalt small car. GM plans to power the Cruze with a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, allowing it to get around 45 miles per gallon

It couldn't be more important for the Cruze to be a hit given that, in the same article, the AP pointed out Honda is getting $19,000 for the Civic compared to just $12,000 for each Cobalt. Now that the era of everyone getting a large SUV and putting $10,000 in GM's coffers is over, those small cars need to be more valuable and profitable than ever. [Source: AP via Forbes]

These photos also show the car with the doors open, which makes us think the passengers bolted and started chasing down the photographers. Though the Coblat appears to be getting a major enhancement in the styling department, details about the platform and powertrain are limited. It would probably be safe to assume the popular Ecotec powertrain is going to remain in some version.