Lordstown Gets Ready for Launch of Diesel Cruze
LORDSTOWN, Ohio – General Motors Co.'s Lordstown Complex Thursday unveiled one of the first diesel models of the Chevrolet Cruze scheduled for sale in June, a vehicle that GM officials believe will set the bar for nonhybrid passenger cars.
"You can drive from Chicago to Atlanta on one tank of fuel," remarked Gary Altman, GM North America's chief engineer for small and compact cars.
The new Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel, produced at the Lordstown Complex, will achieve 46 miles per gallon on the highway and an extended range of 700 miles on a single tank, a standard that exceeds every other nonhybrid competitor in the small-car segment, he said.
"Clearly, it's another addition to Chevrolet's diverse portfolio of product and technologies," Altman remarked as he demonstrated to reporters some of the features of the model. "With the capability of the long-range, high-efficiency, near-hybrid performance, it's a game changer for Chevrolet."
The Diesel Cruze is equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, has an estimated segment-leading 148 horsepower, and can go from zero to 60 in 8.6 seconds.
Altman says that the Diesel Cruze's engine is a far cry from the diesel vehicles of old, which were noisy and emitted a great deal of pollutants.
But the new Cruze runs on "clean, colorless diesel," he said, and produces 90% less nitrogen oxide emissions than previous generations.
The vehicle should hit showrooms in major markets in June and be available nationwide by late summer or autumn, Altman said. Starting price for the car is $25,695, including a destination charge of $810.
Among the standard features of the car are the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, larger, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather-appointed seats, a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and a two-year maintenance plan.
"It was an accelerated program," Altman noted. "Engineers worked relentlessly, day and night, to bring this proven European powertrain to America and meet the stringent EPA standards for emissions and give the customer what they deserve – performance and efficiency."
Chevrolet has sold more than two million Cruzes worldwide since the vehicle was launched in 2010. More than 33,000 diesel models have been sold in the global market, GM said in a release earlier Thursday.
Copyright 2013 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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