Devil in the Details: World Leaders Scramble To Salvage and Shape Copenhagen’s UNFCCC Climate Summit
EU Parliament Approves 2012 Tire Efficiency Ratings

GM Introducing US Version of Chevrolet Cruze at LA Auto Show; Up to Estimated 40 mpg Highway

2011cruze
The 2011 Cruze. Click to enlarge.

GM unveils the US production version of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan at the LA Auto Show on 2 December. The Cruze will compete with vehicles such as Toyota Corolla; Honda Civic; Ford Focus; Hyundai Elantra; and Nissan Sentra.

The Cruze is a GM global car; the North American version features a new Ecotec 1.4L I-4 turbo with variable valve timing that delivers up to an estimated 40 mpg (EPA ratings pending) on the highway with a high-efficiency model. GM has already introduced the Cruze in Europe and Asia.

Cruze goes on sale in the US in the third quarter of 2010 but has already logged more than 4 million miles in quality and durability testing worldwide, making it one of the most real world-tested GM products prior to a US launch. The US and Canadian versions of the Cruze will be built in Lordstown, Ohio, where US$350 million was invested for their production.

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze will be offered in LS, LT and LTZ trims. The models will feature a new family of efficient four-cylinder engines, including a 1.4L turbo and 1.8L unit, coupled with six-speed automatic and manual transmissions. Electric power steering is standard.

Enhanced with its exhaust-driven turbocharger, the Cruze’s Ecotec 1.4L turbo performs like a larger engine when needed, but retains the efficiency of a small-displacement four-cylinder in most driving conditions. It is standard on LT and LTZ models, with power ratings estimated at 138 horsepower (103 kW) and 148 lb-ft of torque (200 N·m).

Standard on LS models is an Ecotec 1.8L four-cylinder that has the same basic architecture as the 1.4L turbo. Both engines are part of GM’s family of global small-displacement engines designed with fuel efficiency in mind, including technology such as full variable valve timing that optimizes performance and fuel economy across the rpm band.

With the Ecotec 1.4L turbo, Cruze’s fuel efficiency enables a cruising range of more than 500 miles (800 km).

Engines for the 2011 Cruze
 1.8L DOHC I-4 1.4L turbocharged DOHC I-4
Displacement (cu. in. / cc): 110 / 1796 83.2 / 1364
Bore and stroke (in. / mm): 3.17 x 3.47 / 80.5 x 88.2 2.85 x 3.25 / 72.5 x 82.6
Block material cast iron cast iron
Cylinder head material: cast aluminum cast aluminum
Valvetrain overhead camshafts, four-valves per cylinder, double continuously cam phaser intake and exhaust (DCVCP) overhead camshafts, four-valves per cylinder, double continuously cam phaser intake and exhaust (DCVCP)
Ignition system individual coil on plug individual coil on plug
Fuel delivery sequential multi-port fuel injectors with electronic throttle control sequential multi-port fuel injectors with electronic throttle control
Compression ratio 10.5:1 9.5:1
Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm) 136 / 101 @ 6300 (est.) 138 / 103 @ 4900 (est.)
Torque (lb.-ft. / Nm @ rpm) 123 / 167 @ 3800 (est.) 148 / 200 @ 1850 (est.)
Recommended fuel regular unleaded regular unleaded
Max engine speed (rpm) 6500 6500
Emissions controls close-coupled catalytic converters; Quick-Sync 58x ignition system; returnless fuel rail; fast light-off O2 sensor close-coupled and underfloor catalytic converters; Quick-Sync 58x ignition system; returnless fuel rail; fast light-off O2 sensor
EPA-est. fuel economy TBD TBD

Comments

ejj

Nice looking car overall...funny how they've taken design cues from other automakers (Nissan Titan inspired headlights)

smokeydog

Looks a lot like a Saturn.

HarveyD

Looks good with a fair 40 mpg for a 3000 lbs car.

Specs are close to a 1990 1.8L Camry and slightly larger than a 2010 Corolla. Fuel consumption included.

The Goracle

.

Make it a diesel and get 60 mpg.

.

Engineer-Poet

If they'd only been building those a year and a half ago, they would have cleaned up during the period of $4/gallon gas instead of going broke.  But they didn't want to.

dursun

Wow that's really great. And all it took was a $50 Billion bride from the Taxpayer.

arnold

The industry has known the value of DI for decades.
To offer second rate yesteryear cars like this is not a good look.
Is it cost, are they just tired and cnt go the extra?
Well yes all of that but that is not the customers problem until they buy these pulp models.
If the new Prius is still multipoint, that is exactly as bad.

consumers get what they settle for and that's - not best practice.

Simodul

@arnold
DI has a problem, it produces particulates. That's why they don't put it on all engines.

@The Goracle
"Make it a diesel and get 60 mpg". And get NOx and particulates...

Patrick

HarveyD said, "Specs are close to a 1990 1.8L Camry and slightly larger than a 2010 Corolla. Fuel consumption included."

Where? The most efficient 1990 Camry I can find listed on www.fueleconomy.gov has a 2.0L engine and it is absolutely, positively put to shame for fuel economy compared to this Cruze's estimated highway rating. (23city / 31highway in most efficient equipment packaging config). I don't think I even need to discuss safety, emissions, and convenience/entertainment content comparisons.

arnold

Simodul,
Need I have said GDI?
I am not aware of any extra 'particulate' issue with GDI, can you illuminate this area?

HarveyD

Patrick:

Toyota built a few million Camrys equipped with 1.8L ICE between 1980 and 1998.

As the Camry grew from one generation to another, so did the wheelbase (from 96 in. to 106 in.) and the 4-I, ICE from 1.8L to 2.0L to 2.2L and to 2.4L.

The new Cruze may be more like a Camry 1982 (size wise) but it has current century looks.

ToppaTom

If they'd been designing these over the last decade and building these a year and a half ago, they probably would have gone broke sooner.

It's not what they make - it's what the people buy.
And the people buy American big cars, American trucks and American SUVs (but many fewer than before) and they buy Asian small cars.

Engineer-Poet

People bought Asian small cars because there were no small cars manufactured in the USA; either they were made by domestic affiliates in Mexico or Brazil, or some Japanese or Korean company and re-badged.

The comments to this entry are closed.