I'm afraid to drive it. When I test drove the Cobalt expecting a Focus like ride and feel, I was shocked that it was like riding in a full-sized Chevy from a few years ago. That sold me. If I were to ride in a Cruze, I might take it home with me.
I've never actually driven a Cobalt, only sat in a few at auto shows. But, for all the criticism the car seems to draw, I've been impressed with the front seating position. It really does have a big-car feel to it. Now, that might be a turn off for people who want small cars, but I appreciate the fact that it was one of the few small cars that I could truly get comfortable in. It seemed to have plenty of legroom, and the steering wheel and pedals were a decent distance away. The only other small car in recent memory I can think of that was really comfortable to me was, oddly, another car that took a lot of flak...the Dodge Neon!
I'd have to try them both out side by side to refresh my memory, but I seem to remember the Cobalt having a bit more legroom, and it seemed like the seats were a bit bigger and the foot wells were a bit wider than the Cruze. But the Cruze was still more than adequate. The seats in the Cruze had more contouring and bolstering in them, so most people would probably find them more comfortable.
Of course if it comes with a muffler that won't go 200K I don't know..... My 00 Accord is still on its factory muffler. Even I am surprised by that.
They're definitely making exhaust systems better these days, although in areas where they use a lot of salt or other abrasive chemicals, I guess they'll still need replacement sooner.
FWIW, my 2000 Intrepid made it to 150,000 miles and ten years on its original exhaust. I had a new dual exhaust put on my '68 Dart way back in 1993, and the only time it needed replacing was when a motor mount went bad, which caused the engine to sag enough on the passenger side that the steering linkage caught the exhaust pipe and ripped it loose. And that was partly my fault, because I took a raised railroad crossing way too fast, and made the car go airborne! So, I had to have part of it replaced in 1995. Sold that car in late 2009, and the exhaust was still pretty good. And that car sat around a lot after it stopped running, often just parked on the grass, so I'm sure a lot of moisture got to it.
I've had my '67 Catalina for over 17 years now, and it's never needed any exhaust work in the time I've had it, although I'm sure it was replaced in the past. It usually stays garaged, though.
Yeah I haven't replaced a muffler on a car in decades. The last vehicle I've had that had a muffler issue was my 01 Nissan pathfinder. At 60k the tailpipe broke off from the muffler. I didn't fix it as it broke a day before the lease was up. I was affraid they would charge me, but they never did.
Now I'll confess, I did have to replace everything the muffler and all pipes from the catalytic converter back on my '85 Silverado, back in early 2007. But what had been on there was original equipment. And, that was partially my fault, because I overloaded the truck. I tried hauling topsoil in it, one cubic yard at a time. After the third trip, I got tired and let the truck sit in the yard before unloading. I was on the deck having a beer, when suddenly I heard two snaps come from the truck. The two tailpipes that came off the back of the muffler had broken off, and were just hanging over the rear axle, but seemed wedged up in there pretty good. I guess I had the truck too overloaded, and the tailpipes got pinched between the bed of the truck and the rear axle.
Now, they were rusty, so it was only a matter of time before they came off anyway. But I imagine that overloading the truck accelerated the process!
This is a rendering (photoshopping?) of what a coupe would look like in the Verano family. The current story is that the Cruze likely wouldn't get a coupe but the Verano has one in 2014.
I don't like the rubber bands tires. But I'm in the styling minority currently: times change.
How much does one cubic yard of soil weigh? What was the weight capacity of the Silverado?
The guy at the place I bought it from said around 2800 lb. Not sure what the bed capacity of the truck is, but the GVWR sticker in the doorjamb says 5600 lb (about the same as a decent pre-downsized 70's intermediate) and according to the scale at the dump, I estimated the truck weighs about 4200 lb. So, figure a 1400 lb capacity there. However, I guess you'd have to subtract for my weight, unless I want to get out and run alongside of it!
Anyway, it was a dumb thing to do. The truck had been overloaded before in the past, so I didn't think anything of it. And I was honestly surprised at how well it still drove, considering it had an extra 2800 lb to contend with! I also only had to drive about a half-mile, from the place where I got the dirt from to my house, so I was tempted to chance it.
Once I spread out those three cubic yards though, and saw how little coverage there really was, the next time I needed dirt, I just ordered a whole dumptruck full...14 cubic yards, and delivery was only around $50-60. Well worth it, IMO!
"General Motors is experimenting with free auto insurance for new-car buyers in Oregon and Washington in a feel-good test calculated to entice buyers into showrooms by making vehicles more affordable.
GM noted that under the policy, if a new car is damaged beyond repair within the car's first year or first 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, MetLife will repair or replace the vehicle with a new vehicle, without deducting for depreciation."
You know what they need to do, too? Offer a Cruze convertible. I loved that they always kept a convertible in the old Cavalier lineup. Heck, for a long time they even had a wagon!
That insurance idea is pretty novel. Let's see how they do!
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
The Hyundai guy at least got 2 states out of GM. I'll bet he wanted the entire nation, no "TEST". But we'll see if the corporate powers that be are smart enough to make a quick decision while the competition is playing catch up or simple wait too long.....
What's a year of insurance worth for the average car? Maybe a grand at most? I bet it works against other incentives too. So, not exactly "free", although facts have no place in a meal with cheese and wine :shades:
I will also wager those "blue states" put more into the system than many "red states".
Politicos don't control financiers, you know...it's the other way around.
I am a 1,2,3,4th-gen camaro-lover but find the "fifth-gen" camaro truly ugly and styled to look boxier than a pickup truck. In person at the dealership the camaros seemed even worse on the eye. I'm sure they are much more fine from the SS drivers seat, where my 11 year old son sat for a long while.
The grand sport, z06, ZR1 vettes were especially awesome as was cts-V coupe and the CTS-wagon.
(I was there to test drive a Cruze LS and trade my 06 VW TDI manual-shift for a 011 Cruze LS manual-shift... Mission was accomplished.)
Stopped by the local Chevy dealer to see what they are offering..It's Sunday and they are closed, so one doesn't get hassled.
Loaded with 4 banger Malibus and Cruzes..The Cruze LT RS is the only decent one of the bunch and it is not really cheap, however, the top speed is around 125mph..shows promise..H-rated tires..
The alarming side of the window sticker is the that only 45% of the parts content comes from the USA/Canada, 15% from Mexico, and 19% Austria..The engine is from Austria, and the tranny is from the USA..The car is assembled in Lordstown by our benevolent UAW, a union adored by the White House Car Czar, Ron Bloom..Just repeating Bloom's sentiments..
I guess you could say that the Camry has more USA content than the Cruze, Volt, or the upcoming Sonic..If it wasn't for the trucks at the Chevy dealer, one could say that our beloved "Hot dog, Baseball, and Apple pie" American dream dealer is gone!!!! Aren't Camaros assembled in Quebec???? How's the "Hope and Change" working out for our auto business..
Now, in order to sell these little boxes called transportation, the guys in DC will make sure the price of gas takes off to the $5.00/gal range..After all there still a few shares of GM stock left to issue and the fat cats need a big price for the next go around..Somebody upgraded the GM stock this last week over Ford, so the push is on, for the price in the high 20s is not good for the houses holding large blocks of GM stock..
Sorry I got into the "insurance freebie" for auto insurance is a pain, however Govt would probably like to "level" the playing field and eliminate the "fat cats" on car insurance, parallels the "health care" drumbeat..
Remember "Cash for Clunkers", next program could be "Cash for Guns"....
Interesting note, 400 mile trip in the Cruze by C/D mag, gas mileage average was 18mpgs, and the test of the 2012 Mustang Boss 302, the gas mileage was 15 mpgs.. I know which one I would pick, for motoring has to be fun and getting 18 out of 138 hp doesn't seem like much pleasure, just major disgust...Probably had the a/c on..You think????
motocity, you've got quite a set of political axes to grind, and you appear to be lying about the mustang GT vs Cruze mpg numbers. Soon I can gladly report actual 6.0 V8 mpg vs Cruze 1.8L mpg... I'm guessing probably it will be 20 vs 33.
moto, what is your goal in looking at cruze as a performance car?! What other models are you considering/comparing. (i look at Cruze as an value-leader 4-door econobox with all the latest tech - very civic like. In the 1990s i owned 3 honda civics as well as various Z28s... i don't much like driving large vehicles, and it seems like GM has a great competitor to civic now...)
"Inside General Motors' sprawling Orion Township assembly plant, nearly 100 workers pick through a jumble of components for power mirrors, heated seats and other trim parts for the new Chevrolet Sonic. For easy plucking on the assembly line, the parts are sorted neatly into a single plastic bin for each car.
"GM says the system of sequencing parts into tidy kits for line workers is a game-changer that will boost productivity. And the workers doing the sorting are not GM employees. They're UAW workers employed by an outside supplier and paid about $20 an hour, including benefits, far less than GM's Orion workers."
The Chevrolet Cruze, the most popular car in the U.S. last month, will come in a diesel version that could boost gas mileage to around 50 mpg, two people briefed on General Motors Co. product plans said Monday. GM sold about 25,000 Cruzes last month, vaulting the model past perennial leaders such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord to become the best-selling car in the U.S. Both Toyota and Honda had fewer models to sell because of parts shortages caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
A diesel Cruze would be interesting. I wonder what the charge for the diesel will be.
The only road block I see is a lot of people are still ignorant to the advantages of a diesel. Back when I had my diesel Jetta, a common response was "why in the world would you buy a diesel".
If GM uses a decent diesel in the Cruze, I could be very interested, particularly if it's offered with a manual.
Corvette! This is the single successfull devloped vehicle GM every made.
As a lesson, pick a brand and support it like this, GM.
Thanks to a handful of subtle tweaks, the 621 horsepower 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 can run around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 19.63 seconds, fast enough to turn Ferrari Enzos red with embarrassment...if most of them weren't red already. But the 2012 Z06, when equipped with the Z07 performance package, scores most of the same updates the ZR1 did. So how does the new Z06 do around the 'Ring? As a matter of fact, pretty damn well.
With Corvette engineer and racing driver Jim Mero behind the wheel (the same guy who led the ZR1 to its new record), the 505 horsepower Z06 lapped the N-Ring in 7:22.68, 3.05 seconds slower than its big brother. That time means the Chevy hoists a big middle digit to such notables as the 2012 Nissan GT-R, the Pagani F Clubsport, the Maserati MC12...basically, all the same cars the 2012 ZR1 blew away, with the exception of the hardass, 600 horsepower, ditch-the-radio-we-can't spare-the-weight 2009 Dodge Viper ACR. And that car only beat the Z06 by half a second.
You'd like to see some video of the record run? Well, all you had to do was ask.
"...GM noted that under the policy, if a new car is damaged beyond repair within the car's first year or first 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, MetLife will repair or replace the vehicle with a new vehicle, without deducting for depreciation."
How can you repair something that's beyond repair? Sorry, just had to :P
Anyway, I'm seeing more and more Cruzes, current Malibus and Camaro converts on the road lately (as well as the "new" Focus). And we just got a Traverse as a company vehicle - haven't had a chance to drive it personally but will get a review from the person who has taken it to one of our plants approximately 100 miles out. Should be able to give an informative review on its road manners, handling and hauling capability.
I wouldn't buy any of them but nice to see GM is appearing to make some in-roads.
Supposed to get better FE than NA engines but the price of Diesel in the last 3 years negate the benefit as well as the tech advancement in gas engines since 2008 when gas hit $4.12 in '08. Diesel used to be cheaper but I've not seen it that way and in fact have noticed the opposite.
Planned for introduction in 2013, it would be the first Detroit passenger-vehicle diesel since the 2006 Jeep Liberty CRD sport-utility, and the first diesel car from Detroit since the 1980s.
Akerson offered some other hints of GM's powertrain future, citing electric vehicles and those fueled by clean-burning compressed natural gas (CNG): "We're going to introduce battery-only vehicles CNG vehicles. Stay tuned. This is not the old GM."
"I drove it the other day. It is great," Akerson said in an interview with USA TODAY. "These new diesels are quiet. Should make it in the low- to mid-40s, and that's with an automatic," the CEO said, referring to the likely fuel economy rating with an automatic transmission.
i'd hope the cruze diesel/gas mpg difference would be more than low 40s vs ~35. (i'm seeing maybe ~35mpg so far with <1000 miles on chevy cruze LS).
the Euro cruze sites do not post favorable diesel mpg numbers, but it's hard to take them seriously with their silly Euro/Drachma/metric thing.
no mention yet of a 6-speed manual transmission with the cruze diesel, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !?!?!
What will be the lowest-$ diesel cruze offering? An LTZZ++SS diesel Special Edition $10k or $20k option package like it is on 2500/sierra trucks ?!?!!?
Also, even with the $20k option package, the Denali Cruze Diesel would probably have only an automatic transmission ! waaah! :sick:
And no a 400 hp vette is not chopped liver especially when it gets nearly 29 mpg highway! how about that new green-edition package 6-speed V6 camaro? easy 29 mpg highway with that.
Save The Planet (at least until we find a few new ones to Pave & Drive all over.)
The real test of the Cruze is its life span..138hp pulling 3200# is like rowing a boat..Lots of shifting so one doesn't to visit the gym with the 6 manual..
"There's nothing quite like rocking the boat for your birthday, and Chevy is doing just that with a new website contest to determine what exactly is the best Chevy of all time.
For its 100th birthday, Chevy is celebrating the cars and the passionate fans who've made them, by pitting them against each other in a contest to determine the Best Chevy Ever."
1970 Caprice Coupe. I absolutely, positively remember around introduction day in fall '69, riding my bike to Dart Chevrolet in our small town and seeing a '70 Caprice Sport Sedan with the body-colored wheelcovers, getting cleaned up to be put in the showroom. Virgil, a salesman who had been there since 1936(!), said, "J***s C****t, a $5,000 Chevy!".
Although I like the '71 exterior styling, I think Chevy started cheaping out on interiors, even in the Caprice, in '71.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Although I like the '71 exterior styling, I think Chevy started cheaping out on interiors, even in the Caprice, in '71.
Oh I think they went downhill in a major way in 1971. All of 'em, not just Chevy. The only styling detail I'm not that crazy about on the '70 is those peaked headlights. I didn't like that detail on the '71-73 Olds Delta/98 or '73 Dodge Polara either. However, I think the '70 Chevy wears it well, perhaps even better, because it doesn't have the divider between the headlights like those other cars did. And, while I'm not a fan of that detail, it's not enough to make me dislike any of those cars I mentioned.
I think the '71 Chevies did a good job with a bit of "baby Cadillac" look up front, but overall, the '70 just seems like a better-built, quality piece. I always thought the rear of the '71 had sort of an unfinished look to it, although they improved that for '72.
Also, on the interior, when they went to those 2-piece door panels, where the upper part was covered in vinyl (vinyl and cloth on the Caprice) and the lower part was plastic with the armrest molded in (and carpet glued on if you got a Caprice) just seemed cheap compared to the 1-piece door panel that the '70 had. Even though the armrest an old-fashioned bolt-on style, it just seemed higher quality overall.
One thing that impressed me about the downsized '77 big cars is that they went back to those 1-piece door panels. I don't think it made as big of a deal with the Caprice, but at least with the Impala you got vinyl from top to bottom, rather than the bottom half being hard plastic.
Oh, as for that $5,000 Chevy, my grandparents' '72 Impala 4-door hardtop ended up being around $5,000. Dunno if that was what they paid with tax, tags, etc, or the MSRP, but I just remember "5,000". So, inflation started taking its toll. Just three years later, my grandparents paid about $5,000 for a '75 Dart Swinger! My Mom's '75 LeMans coupe was also around $5,000, which I can't figure out...a V-8 intermediate for the same price as a slant six compact? Both had automatic, ps/pb, and air conditioning.
My old car book lists the base price of a '75 Swinger hardtop at $3518, and a '75 LeMans coupe at $3590, so they were pretty close. Of course, you'd have to add for the V-8 in the LeMans, as standard was just a 250 6-cyl. I guess it was conceivable that they'd both come in close. LeManses really weren't selling by then, as big cars in general were still off, and Pontiac buyers were flocking to the Grand Prix. So maybe it had deeper discounts? Meanwhile, the compact Dart was still pretty hot seller, even if it was past its prime.
My Uncle Daniel had a dark blue metallic 1970 Chevrolet Impala Custom two-door hardtop with the concave rear window. Good GoD, that was a beautiful car and in the nicest dark blue metallic I have ever seen. If Chevrolet could still make a full-size car as beautiful as that 1970 coupe, I'd have no need for a Cadillac.
The 1971 full-size Chevrolet did resemble a 1969-70 Cadillac somewhat. I didn't like the back end so much. I loved what Chevy did in 1968, '69, and '70 by placing the taillamps in the bumper.
Comments
Autoblog seems to think it could be sold by the end of this year.
Notice the "Turbo" on the label!
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I've never actually driven a Cobalt, only sat in a few at auto shows. But, for all the criticism the car seems to draw, I've been impressed with the front seating position. It really does have a big-car feel to it. Now, that might be a turn off for people who want small cars, but I appreciate the fact that it was one of the few small cars that I could truly get comfortable in. It seemed to have plenty of legroom, and the steering wheel and pedals were a decent distance away. The only other small car in recent memory I can think of that was really comfortable to me was, oddly, another car that took a lot of flak...the Dodge Neon!
I'd have to try them both out side by side to refresh my memory, but I seem to remember the Cobalt having a bit more legroom, and it seemed like the seats were a bit bigger and the foot wells were a bit wider than the Cruze. But the Cruze was still more than adequate. The seats in the Cruze had more contouring and bolstering in them, so most people would probably find them more comfortable.
Of course if it comes with a muffler that won't go 200K I don't know..... My 00 Accord is still on its factory muffler. Even I am surprised by that.
They're definitely making exhaust systems better these days, although in areas where they use a lot of salt or other abrasive chemicals, I guess they'll still need replacement sooner.
FWIW, my 2000 Intrepid made it to 150,000 miles and ten years on its original exhaust. I had a new dual exhaust put on my '68 Dart way back in 1993, and the only time it needed replacing was when a motor mount went bad, which caused the engine to sag enough on the passenger side that the steering linkage caught the exhaust pipe and ripped it loose. And that was partly my fault, because I took a raised railroad crossing way too fast, and made the car go airborne!
I've had my '67 Catalina for over 17 years now, and it's never needed any exhaust work in the time I've had it, although I'm sure it was replaced in the past. It usually stays garaged, though.
Now, they were rusty, so it was only a matter of time before they came off anyway. But I imagine that overloading the truck accelerated the process!
The current story is that the Cruze likely wouldn't get a coupe but the Verano has one in 2014.
I don't like the
rubber bandstires. But I'm in the styling minority currently: times change.but the Verano has one in 2014.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The guy at the place I bought it from said around 2800 lb. Not sure what the bed capacity of the truck is, but the GVWR sticker in the doorjamb says 5600 lb (about the same as a decent pre-downsized 70's intermediate) and according to the scale at the dump, I estimated the truck weighs about 4200 lb. So, figure a 1400 lb capacity there. However, I guess you'd have to subtract for my weight, unless I want to get out and run alongside of it!
Anyway, it was a dumb thing to do. The truck had been overloaded before in the past, so I didn't think anything of it. And I was honestly surprised at how well it still drove, considering it had an extra 2800 lb to contend with! I also only had to drive about a half-mile, from the place where I got the dirt from to my house, so I was tempted to chance it.
Once I spread out those three cubic yards though, and saw how little coverage there really was, the next time I needed dirt, I just ordered a whole dumptruck full...14 cubic yards, and delivery was only around $50-60. Well worth it, IMO!
Would I buy one, no, because:
I'm too cheap
can't get past the IMO horrible plasticky / bubbly IP
prefer the older iron
only converts I would really buy would be '59 Eldo, C2 Sting Ray (but prefer '63 Split Window) or 64-1/2 thru '66 Mustang
GM noted that under the policy, if a new car is damaged beyond repair within the car's first year or first 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, MetLife will repair or replace the vehicle with a new vehicle, without deducting for depreciation."
GM Offers Free Auto Insurance to New-Car Buyers (Inside Line)
You know what they need to do, too? Offer a Cruze convertible. I loved that they always kept a convertible in the old Cavalier lineup. Heck, for a long time they even had a wagon!
That insurance idea is pretty novel. Let's see how they do!
Could be our tax dollars at work again...Sounds like MetLife has caved to the White House guys, more ObamaCare..
Regards,
OW
I will also wager those "blue states" put more into the system than many "red states".
Politicos don't control financiers, you know...it's the other way around.
The grand sport, z06, ZR1 vettes were especially awesome as was cts-V coupe and the CTS-wagon.
(I was there to test drive a Cruze LS and trade my 06 VW TDI manual-shift for a 011 Cruze LS manual-shift... Mission was accomplished.)
Loaded with 4 banger Malibus and Cruzes..The Cruze LT RS is the only decent one of the bunch and it is not really cheap, however, the top speed is around 125mph..shows promise..H-rated tires..
The alarming side of the window sticker is the that only 45% of the parts content comes from the USA/Canada, 15% from Mexico, and 19% Austria..The engine is from Austria, and the tranny is from the USA..The car is assembled in Lordstown by our benevolent UAW, a union adored by the White House Car Czar, Ron Bloom..Just repeating Bloom's sentiments..
I guess you could say that the Camry has more USA content than the Cruze, Volt, or the upcoming Sonic..If it wasn't for the trucks at the Chevy dealer, one could say that our beloved "Hot dog, Baseball, and Apple pie" American dream dealer is gone!!!! Aren't Camaros assembled in Quebec???? How's the "Hope and Change" working out for our auto business..
Now, in order to sell these little boxes called transportation, the guys in DC will make sure the price of gas takes off to the $5.00/gal range..After all there still a few shares of GM stock left to issue and the fat cats need a big price for the next go around..Somebody upgraded the GM stock this last week over Ford, so the push is on, for the price in the high 20s is not good for the houses holding large blocks of GM stock..
Sorry I got into the "insurance freebie" for auto insurance is a pain, however Govt would probably like to "level" the playing field and eliminate the "fat cats" on car insurance, parallels the "health care" drumbeat..
Remember "Cash for Clunkers", next program could be "Cash for Guns"....
Interesting note, 400 mile trip in the Cruze by C/D mag, gas mileage average was 18mpgs, and the test of the 2012 Mustang Boss 302, the gas mileage was 15 mpgs.. I know which one I would pick, for motoring has to be fun and getting 18 out of 138 hp doesn't seem like much pleasure, just major disgust...Probably had the a/c on..You think????
General Motors Co. beat out Bank of America Corp. by $1.4 million in revenue to make a triumphant return to the top 20 of the world's largest corporations, according to Fortune Magazine.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
and you appear to be lying about the mustang GT vs Cruze mpg numbers.
Soon I can gladly report actual 6.0 V8 mpg vs Cruze 1.8L mpg... I'm guessing probably it will be 20 vs 33.
moto, what is your goal in looking at cruze as a performance car?! What other models are you considering/comparing.
(i look at Cruze as an value-leader 4-door econobox with all the latest tech - very civic like. In the 1990s i owned 3 honda civics as well as various Z28s... i don't much like driving large vehicles, and it seems like GM has a great competitor to civic now...)
It was not Hope and Change.
It was Rope and Chains.
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110711/OEM01/307119952/1261- -
"Inside General Motors' sprawling Orion Township assembly plant, nearly 100 workers pick through a jumble of components for power mirrors, heated seats and other trim parts for the new Chevrolet Sonic. For easy plucking on the assembly line, the parts are sorted neatly into a single plastic bin for each car.
"GM says the system of sequencing parts into tidy kits for line workers is a game-changer that will boost productivity. And the workers doing the sorting are not GM employees. They're UAW workers employed by an outside supplier and paid about $20 an hour, including benefits, far less than GM's Orion workers."
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110711/OEM01/307119952/1261- - #ixzz1RpoNnSOJ
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
GM sold about 25,000 Cruzes last month, vaulting the model past perennial leaders such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord to become the best-selling car in the U.S. Both Toyota and Honda had fewer models to sell because of parts shortages caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/AP-Sources-GM-to-sell-diesel-apf-629858216.html?x=- - 0&.v=4
Here's Edmund's info sheet for 2013 Cruze (diesel)
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/cruze/2013/features-specs.html
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The only road block I see is a lot of people are still ignorant to the advantages of a diesel. Back when I had my diesel Jetta, a common response was "why in the world would you buy a diesel".
If GM uses a decent diesel in the Cruze, I could be very interested, particularly if it's offered with a manual.
As a lesson, pick a brand and support it like this, GM.
Thanks to a handful of subtle tweaks, the 621 horsepower 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 can run around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 19.63 seconds, fast enough to turn Ferrari Enzos red with embarrassment...if most of them weren't red already. But the 2012 Z06, when equipped with the Z07 performance package, scores most of the same updates the ZR1 did. So how does the new Z06 do around the 'Ring? As a matter of fact, pretty damn well.
With Corvette engineer and racing driver Jim Mero behind the wheel (the same guy who led the ZR1 to its new record), the 505 horsepower Z06 lapped the N-Ring in 7:22.68, 3.05 seconds slower than its big brother. That time means the Chevy hoists a big middle digit to such notables as the 2012 Nissan GT-R, the Pagani F Clubsport, the Maserati MC12...basically, all the same cars the 2012 ZR1 blew away, with the exception of the hardass, 600 horsepower, ditch-the-radio-we-can't spare-the-weight 2009 Dodge Viper ACR. And that car only beat the Z06 by half a second.
You'd like to see some video of the record run? Well, all you had to do was ask.
Pretty Damn Fast
Regards,
OW
You betcha!
How can you repair something that's beyond repair? Sorry, just had to :P
Anyway, I'm seeing more and more Cruzes, current Malibus and Camaro converts on the road lately (as well as the "new" Focus). And we just got a Traverse as a company vehicle - haven't had a chance to drive it personally but will get a review from the person who has taken it to one of our plants approximately 100 miles out. Should be able to give an informative review on its road manners, handling and hauling capability.
I wouldn't buy any of them but nice to see GM is appearing to make some in-roads.
Regards,
OW
Stinky too. :P
What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?
Akerson offered some other hints of GM's powertrain future, citing electric vehicles and those fueled by clean-burning compressed natural gas (CNG): "We're going to introduce battery-only vehicles CNG vehicles. Stay tuned. This is not the old GM."
"I drove it the other day. It is great," Akerson said in an interview with USA TODAY. "These new diesels are quiet. Should make it in the low- to mid-40s, and that's with an automatic," the CEO said, referring to the likely fuel economy rating with an automatic transmission.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2011-07-22-diesels_n.htm?AID=4992781&PID=417- 8141&SID=fve6maycal9a
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Another CEO carrying the WH mantra!!!!!
the Euro cruze sites do not post favorable diesel mpg numbers, but it's hard to take them seriously with their silly Euro/Drachma/metric thing.
no mention yet of a 6-speed manual transmission with the cruze diesel, hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm !?!?!
What will be the lowest-$ diesel cruze offering? An LTZZ++SS diesel Special Edition $10k or $20k option package like it is on 2500/sierra trucks ?!?!!?
Also, even with the $20k option package, the Denali Cruze Diesel would probably have only an automatic transmission !
And no a 400 hp vette is not chopped liver especially when it gets nearly 29 mpg highway!
how about that new green-edition package 6-speed V6 camaro? easy 29 mpg highway with that.
Save The Planet (at least until we find a few new ones to Pave & Drive all over.)
One may get sick of the "Green Beans."
For its 100th birthday, Chevy is celebrating the cars and the passionate fans who've made them, by pitting them against each other in a contest to determine the Best Chevy Ever."
The Best Chevy of All Time? Cast Your Vote (Straightline)
Although I like the '71 exterior styling, I think Chevy started cheaping out on interiors, even in the Caprice, in '71.
Regards,
OW
Oh I think they went downhill in a major way in 1971. All of 'em, not just Chevy. The only styling detail I'm not that crazy about on the '70 is those peaked headlights. I didn't like that detail on the '71-73 Olds Delta/98 or '73 Dodge Polara either. However, I think the '70 Chevy wears it well, perhaps even better, because it doesn't have the divider between the headlights like those other cars did. And, while I'm not a fan of that detail, it's not enough to make me dislike any of those cars I mentioned.
I think the '71 Chevies did a good job with a bit of "baby Cadillac" look up front, but overall, the '70 just seems like a better-built, quality piece. I always thought the rear of the '71 had sort of an unfinished look to it, although they improved that for '72.
Also, on the interior, when they went to those 2-piece door panels, where the upper part was covered in vinyl (vinyl and cloth on the Caprice) and the lower part was plastic with the armrest molded in (and carpet glued on if you got a Caprice) just seemed cheap compared to the 1-piece door panel that the '70 had. Even though the armrest an old-fashioned bolt-on style, it just seemed higher quality overall.
One thing that impressed me about the downsized '77 big cars is that they went back to those 1-piece door panels. I don't think it made as big of a deal with the Caprice, but at least with the Impala you got vinyl from top to bottom, rather than the bottom half being hard plastic.
Oh, as for that $5,000 Chevy, my grandparents' '72 Impala 4-door hardtop ended up being around $5,000. Dunno if that was what they paid with tax, tags, etc, or the MSRP, but I just remember "5,000". So, inflation started taking its toll. Just three years later, my grandparents paid about $5,000 for a '75 Dart Swinger! My Mom's '75 LeMans coupe was also around $5,000, which I can't figure out...a V-8 intermediate for the same price as a slant six compact? Both had automatic, ps/pb, and air conditioning.
My old car book lists the base price of a '75 Swinger hardtop at $3518, and a '75 LeMans coupe at $3590, so they were pretty close. Of course, you'd have to add for the V-8 in the LeMans, as standard was just a 250 6-cyl. I guess it was conceivable that they'd both come in close. LeManses really weren't selling by then, as big cars in general were still off, and Pontiac buyers were flocking to the Grand Prix. So maybe it had deeper discounts? Meanwhile, the compact Dart was still pretty hot seller, even if it was past its prime.
Left a 150 burnout. Measured by ME.
Remeber this?
Did 13's in the 1/4 with stock engine and a few mechanical upgrades.
These were the SOME cars GM forgot about as business progressed... :sick:
Regards,
OW