To boost the sales of Chevrolet Cruze in Europe, GM is adding a new hatchback variant to the range. To be revealed during the Paris Motor Show, the new Cruze Hatchback joins the sedan version which is enjoying an enormous success around the world. The car is desgined with European standards in mind, even tough it kinda looks like Subaru Impreza Hatch from some angles!
The transformation from sedan into the hatchback for Chevy Cruze does not mean there’s compromise on its practicality. You still get a 400 liter trunk, while the rear seats are also splittable 60/40. The car has the body-frame integral system (BFI) which is complemented by the final tuning to chassis components. The BFI system results in high levels of stability and solidity.
Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback is one of the four Chevrolet premieres in Paris.
According to Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe, the potential for meeting further customer demand is significant. “Cruze is turning out to be a real success story. We are selling it in 70 countries around the world and it has recently surpassed the Aveo as our top selling passenger car nameplate globally.
“Hatchbacks play a critical role in many markets. The total compact segment in Europe represents around 4.8 million units which is over a quarter of the total market, with hatchbacks representing around 65% of that volume. We therefore expect to see increased business in a number of regions, while sending out a signal that Chevrolet is now a serious mainstream player in Europe.”
Since its launch in the spring 2009, the Cruze saloon has been warmly welcomed by markets all over the world, greeted as a step change for the brand with customers attracted to its coupe style, build quality, 5-star NCAP rating and driving dynamics. It was also elected the AUTOBEST car of 2010 by a jury of leading auto writers in Central and Eastern Europe.
The Chevrolet Cruze is a car particularly well suited to European driver tastes, a fact borne out by sales success across many of markets. So far in 2010, Cruze tops the compact saloon sales charts in many of the larger European markets including Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the U.K., where it is exceeding forecasted sales.
Outside of Europe, Cruze’s sales momentum is equally evident. In China alone, Chevrolet has sold nearly 90,000 Cruze since the start of the year, while the saloon is also selling well in Russia, parts of South America, and in India and other emerging markets.
