click above for high-res gallery of next-gen Chevy Cobalt spy shots
Workers at GM's Lordstown, OH plant just got another shot of good news from the General: the next-gen compact car from Chevrolet will be built there. The Chevy Cruze will replace the Cobalt, which recently had a third shift added to its production, and will make its initial debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. Europeans will get the first shot at the new car with sales beginning in April of 2009. The U.S. won't get the car until the following year, as the Lordstown plant begins phasing out the Cobalt and ramping up production of the Cruze in June of 2010. Both cars will be built simultaneously for a short time, according to UAW Local 1714 President Dave Green, who represents the workers at the Lordstown assembly plant.
A look at recent spy shots has our interest piqued over the new small sedan. Styling looks to be worlds better than the just decent Cobalt and the promised forty miles per gallon sounds like just what the doctor ordered in the face of ever-increasing gas prices. Thanks for the tip, Tony!
[Source: WKBN News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Aki @ Jul 9th 2008 1:37PM
I like the direction they're taking the Cruze/Cobalt. It looks pretty good from every angle, and is a dramatic improvement over its predecessor. My only minor gripe is that black plastic part of the C-pillar, which reminds me of the horrid Chrysler Sebring.
In general I like the way GM is going.
Torrent @ Jul 9th 2008 1:45PM
That plastic c pillar reminds me of a Ford Focus.
HAWC1506 @ Jul 9th 2008 1:59PM
I believe Torrent meant the U.S. Ford Focus.
Torrent @ Jul 9th 2008 2:05PM
Most definitley I mean the U.S. Version. The Euro Focus is perfection. I'd never diss it.
Tom Castle @ Jul 9th 2008 1:45PM
Did I read this correctly? GM, having just introduced the Cobalt brand name attached to a pretty darn good product, is going to throw it away for a new brand called "Cruze"? Are you EFFING KIDDING ME? GM has learned a lot over the last few years about the importance of good product, but their branding decisions are every bit as retarded as they've ever been.
Idiots. "Cruze?" Effing IDIOTS.
Garris @ Jul 9th 2008 1:48PM
2010?? A full year after Europe? Why?
This kind of stuff about GM (and Ford) drives me absolutely nuts.
ML @ Jul 9th 2008 2:04PM
Good point, and you're right. Dumping the Cobalt name is stupid. Brand identity should mean something to GM if only to attract potential buyers who'll want to trade-in their Cobalts. You just know there'll be shoppers who'll ask the salesman, "What's a Cruze?" and "Is it like my Cobalt?" Oh wait . . . maybe Chevy is changing the name to Cruze because Tom Cruise is going to be their spokesman (sounds about as good a reason as any . . .).
Johnny @ Jul 9th 2008 2:06PM
I agree with you. Would Honda ever drop the Civic or Accord names? Keep the Chevette name and just upgrade the car every 4 years. Stop recreating yourself every few years.
Bob-omb @ Jul 9th 2008 2:21PM
Creating new names every few years is stupid (and Cruze? Uh, okay...) but let's not act like the Cobalt is some revered product here. Getting rid of the name Cobalt is nowhere near like Honda getting rid of the name Civic (which will never, ever happen).
MajorGeek @ Jul 9th 2008 2:29PM
Please the name isnt bad. Who the hell bought a Cavalier and dozens of other stupid Chevy names, who I might add does not exactly own a patent on stupid names. I dont mind Cruze.
Side note, congrats Ohio, having some of these jobs starting to return is great news!
Paul @ Jul 9th 2008 2:31PM
They are dumping the name because it is on a whole new platform and they want to sever ALL ties to the Cavalier. It is a bit silly as the Colbalt is developing a good brand identity but it does also make sense in some respects.
Richard @ Jul 9th 2008 3:16PM
Hasn't the Cobalt been rated as one of the five worst cars in the US Market? I think its crash ratings are pretty sub-par for its size. So no, it is not a revered brand.
And that works for GM, because they love to kill brands - although usually just after they finally get them right:
Fiero
Alante'
Aurora
The Talking Hamburger @ Jul 9th 2008 3:50PM
I reluctantly agree, Tom. Short of re-naming the new car "Nova", I thought Chevy should keep the Cobalt name for it's vastly improved compact car. They've 'evolutionized' the Impala and the Malibu, improving those cars greatly over their previous generations. Why not do the same for this Cobalt-replacement? So much for product pride, I guess.
geo.stewart @ Jul 9th 2008 5:46PM
Cruze is used elsewhere in the world for a rebadged suzuki, so its not ENTIRELY new.
However, why keep a name attached to a car made by someone else when you are coming out with your own. Use the Cobalt worldwide. Cavalier always sounded like they didnt care, and the car often reflected that. new Cobalt isnt terrible, especially in light of its predecessor and nothing deragatory about the name around the world.
The Other Bob @ Jul 9th 2008 5:57PM
Didn't I read that the Lordstown plant was getting two new cars, one built off the existing Delta I platform and one, larger car being built off the Delta II platform?
If that is true, the Delta II car could still be the Cobalt.
brent @ Jul 9th 2008 7:01PM
Actually, the Delta II should be an Oldsmobile, but we know that can't happen anymore. ...
P.V. @ Jul 10th 2008 11:14AM
It seems like this sort of thing is happening all the time with domestic automakers. They rename their vehicles by the generation.
For this car, though, renaming it seems to be a good move. The majority of the buying public here doesn't know that the Cruze is already being sold elsewhere (as a rebadged Suzuki Ignis). Also, they soon seemed to figure out that the Cobalt was essentially a gussied-up Cavalier, so the Cobalt name seemed to get the same sort of stigma as the Cavalier name. Thus, renaming it would avoid bad sales due to any past reputation.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jul 9th 2008 1:47PM
Come on GM, step it up. Let us have the car a little earlier. Perhaps fall 2009?
Disgruntled Goat @ Jul 9th 2008 2:18PM
That was exactly my 1st thought. Then I realized why GM makes money overseas but not in the U.S. - the overseas markets get better cars and get them sooner.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Jul 9th 2008 5:05PM
They also pay more for them. Which is likely why they get them first.