Test Driving Diesel Cruze; Sales Begin in Some Markets
LORDSTOWN, Ohio -- General Motors Co. officially re-entered the diesel passenger car market Thursday, as the first diesel-powered Chevrolet Cruzes were made available for retail sale in select markets across the country.
"This car is pretty special," said Chris Depolo, GM's lead development engineer for compact cars, shortly as he joined Business Journal reporters on a test drive near GM's Lordstown Complex, where the vehicle is manufactured. "It's got a 46 miles per gallon highway fuel economy label -- that's higher than any non-hybrid car you can buy in the United States."
By the fall, the diesel Cruze should be in showrooms everywhere, Depolo noted, at a base price of $25,695.
The diesel engines of today are no longer the clunky, knocking motors of the 1980s that spewed black exhaust, Depolo said. "Those days are long gone. The emissions requirements today don't allow that. In this car, you'll see zero black smoke come out of it, and it requires a lot if technology to make that happen."
The diesel Cruze runs smooth, is quiet, has solid, responsive steering, and delivers enhanced performance with strong torque and easy handling on the road.
The car enjoys a 46-mpg rating on the highway and a 27-mpg rating in the city, with an average of 33 mpgs and a range of more than 700 miles per tank, Depolo said.
Features around the engine provide for an enhanced driving experience, evidenced by sound-absorbing mechanisms such as its dash mat and hood blanket.
This new the Cruze comes equipped with a 2.0-liter clean diesel engine that is modeled after its European counterpart, but with modifications to accommodate U.S. emissions standards.
Central to these adaptations is an exhaust recirculation control system that features a high-capacity cooler and bypass feature, as well as an exhaust after-treatment system similar to what Chevrolet uses on some of its heavy-duty trucks and vans.
According to GM, clean diesel engines emit 90% less nitrogen oxide and particles when compared with previous-generation diesels.
Nearly 40% of all Cruze models sold in Europe feature diesel engines, and GM engineers in the United States worked with the company's German and Italian groups adapted these engines to comply with more stringent EPA emission mandates, Depolo said.
"We've sold about 30,000 diesel Cruzes worldwide," he reported.
The U.S. diesels were also designed to accommodate a wider range of driving conditions such as variations in temperature and altitude.
Once behind the wheel, the Cruze diesel is a comfortable small car that has many applications that are normally found in mid-size models.
Standard with the diesel version is a leather interior with heated front seats, front and rear cameras and display screen on the dashboard, and an appealing entertainment system that includes XM Radio and Bluetooth connectivity.
"There's very high content in this vehicle," Depolo said.
The diesel Cruze is the first Chevrolet diesel introduced to the market since 1986, when GM launched its subcompact Chevrolet Chevette. This time around, the automaker is taking aim at competitors such as the Volkswagen Jetta, whose diesel version rates 42 mpg on the highway.
"We're getting back in the game here," Depolo declared.
Copyright 2013 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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