A Tale of Two Cruises

Not since Tom and Penelope called it quits have the names Cruise and Cruze appeared in the headlines together. So stick around and see how it happened.

But the spelling was so close

I know, I know, she (Penelope) doesn’t have an “e” at the end of her name. Still, it was close enough to bring back memories of one of Hollywood’s oddest “golden” couples. In any case, what we’re really talking about here is the wrap-up of the Woodward Dream Cruise and the “sneak peek”  at GM’s 2011 replacement for the Chevy Cobalt called the Cruze (complete with high res images – sneak peeks have come a long way).

The Woodward Dream Cruise

It’s always a little sad when the Dream Cruise is over. Not only will we miss all that great American iron rolling up and down Woodward, but it also means the end of another Michigan summer is just around the corner. So as we bid farewell to this year’s Cruise, here are a few more shots of the event:

The 2011 Chevy Cruze

Such is the state of the auto industry that GM chose to release images of its new Cruze C-segment vehicle two months before its introduction in Paris and fully five months before it goes on sale in Europe where it will replace the current Nubira sedan (yes we are in the game and these shots prove it!).

The Cruze, like the Nubira, was designed by GM’s Korean subsidiary, Daewoo, although the Cruze, when it comes to the U.S., will be built at the General’s small car assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

According to the press release that accompanied the pics, “At launch in Europe, Cruze will be available with 16-valve, 1.6-liter (112 hp/82 kW) and 1.8-liter (140 hp/103 kW) gasoline engines featuring variable valve timing (VVT) on both inlet and exhaust sides, giving more power as well as better fuel economy and lower emissions. A new 2.0-liter turbo diesel, developing 150 hp/ 110 kW and 320 Nm of torque adds power with even greater frugality. Five-speed manual gearboxes and an all-new automatic transmission, Chevrolet’s first six-speed application in the compact segment, complete the powertrain menu.”

The new design promises to make Chevy a real contender when it begins production in 2010 – something that it will need if it hopes to successfully compete with the likes of the next generation Ford Focus.