GM’s Holden Readies Rebadged Chevys for 2011 Melbourne Auto Show

It’s a global economy we live in and as such, it doesn’t come to much of a surprise when we see the same vehicles launched under different brands and names in various parts of the world.

Of course, it would be somewhat unfair to Holden if we didn’t mention that it has played a key role in the development and design of several GM products including the 5-door Cruze that will be show in pre-production trim at the 2011 Australian International Motor Show (AIMS), which takes place in Melbourne from July to 10.

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First Drive: 2011 Holden Cruze Series II SRI-V

Appearing soon after General Motors announced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, the Cruze – which launched in Oz almost two years ago– aims to appeal to buyers that would normally not buy a Holden. Its key competitors in the Australian market are the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3 and the (European) Ford Focus.

With the recent launch of the Aussie-built Cruze Series II, we thought it was about time we tackled GM’s “game changing” small car. The 1.4 L turbo is said to be the cherry on top of the Cruze cake, and the perfect target for a review. The question is: can it live up to the hype? Read on…

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Chevrolet Improves 2012 Cruze’s Fuel Economy by 2MPG and Adds New Standard Features

General Motors is releasing a model year update for its Cruze compact sedan. There are no styling changes as the company focused its attention on improving the car’s fuel economy and equipment features.

Thanks to a lower axle ratio for the 2012 models equipped with a six speed automatic transmission, the standard Cruze with the 138HP 1.4-liter turbocharged engine returns 38 mpg compared with 36 mpg for the current model, while the Cruze Eco with the same powetrain setup delivers 39 mpg instead of 37 mpg.

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Chevrolet Prices New Cruze 5d Hatchback from £13,995 in the UK

The new Cruze hatchback will arrive in Chevrolet’s UK dealerships next month with on-the-road prices starting from £13,995 (US$23,000), the automaker announced today. Customers can choose from three engines including two petrol units, a 124HP 1.6-liter and a 141HP 1.8-liter, and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel delivering 163-horsepower. All engines can be coupled to either a manual gearbox or an automatic transmission. Read more »

Chevrolet Cruze Irmscher Edition with 186HP

Chevrolet and its European tuning partner Irmscher presented a humbly beefed up version of the Cruze compact sedan with cosmetic and performance upgrades at this week's AMI motorshow in Leipzig, Germany.

Dubbed the Cruze Irmscher Edition, the car gets an optional boot lid spoiler along with 18-inch alloy wheels shod in beefier 225 sport tires and aluminum door sills.

Irmscher's performance modifications include a 25mm suspension drop and exhaust silencers with elliptical twin exits along with a 36HP and 146Nm boost for the 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine increasing total output to 186HP and 466Nm at 2,300 rpm.

According to the tuner, the diesel version accelerates from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.0 seconds.

Chevrolet prices new Cruze from £11,545 in the UK

The new Chevrolet Cruze will be arriving at UK showrooms in July priced from £11,545 (approx $15,900 US or €12,700 with today's exchange rates) thus undercutting the entry-level VW Jetta S 1.4 TSI 122HP by more than £2,000. The newcomer in Chevy's range will be offered with a choice of four engines, the 1.6-liter and 1.8-litre petrols with outputs of 113 and 141HP respectively, and two 2.0-liter diesels with 125HP or 150HP power outputs. Automatic transmission will

The range starts with the 1.6 S, which comes equipped with standard remote central locking, follow-me-home lighting, CD-radio system, electric front windows, a fully-adjustable driver's seat and steering wheel, six airbags and ESC (Electronic Stability Control. The 1.6S A/C model, at £11,995, also adds air conditioning.

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

At the top of the range will be the LT, which comes in 1.8 petrol or 2.0-litre diesel guises, with prices starting at £13,595. The LT's standard equipment list includes 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.

Model	On-the-road price
1.6 S	£11,545
1.6 S A/C	£11,995
2.0 VCDi S A/C 125PS	£13,495
1.6 LS	£12,595
1.6 LS auto	£13,695
2.0 VCDi LS 125PS	£14,095
1.8 LT	£13,595
1.8 LT auto	£14,695
2.0 VCDi LT 150PS	£15,195

Melbourne Show: GM's Holden Debuts Cruze Sedan in Australia

Unless Holden is readying another small car, the Cruze is the compact model that GM's Australian subsidiary announced at the end of 2008. If that's the case, then the Cruze has nothing in common with the teaser sketch released at the time of the announcement. Instead, the only differences between the Chevy and Holden Cruze concern the badges and the front grille.

When it goes on sale in Australia in the second quarter of 2009, the right-hand drive Cruze will be offered with a 1.8-litre 4-cylinder ECOTEC petrol engine and a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged common rail diesel engine. Power will be transferred to the front-wheels through a five speed manual transmission or optionally, a six speed automatic transmission with Active Select.