Chevrolet Orlando to be built on Cruze platform

General Motors has confirmed that it will bring a production version of last year’s Chevrolet Orlando concept vehicle to the United States in 2011, reversing an earlier decision to only sell the vehicle overseas. The Orlando will likely be built at GM’s Hamtramck plant in Michigan, however there is still a chance that a cheaper imported version may be sourced from South Korea.

Sitting on the same platform as the recently revealed Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan, the Orlando will be able to seat up to seven adults and will be powered by a range of engines displacing between 1.6 and 2.0L. The most powerful model will be a 2.0L turbodiesel with 150hp (112kW) and 236lb-ft (320Nm) of torque. According to latest reports, GM is also considering using its Volt plug-in hybrid technology in the Orlando.

“I would point out that the Chevrolet Orlando is built on the same basic vehicle architecture and component set as the Chevrolet Volt,” GM’s vice president of global program management, Jon Lauckner, revealed to Automotive News. “So if it makes sense, it’s certainly something we can take a look at.”

Furthermore, GM’s president of North America, Troy Clarke, said the Orlando’s platform was “very adaptable” to sharing the Volt technology.

Even without any hybrid technology, Chevrolet promises highway fuel economy of around 40mpg (5.88L/100km) for a petrol-powered Orlando, and a more efficient diesel version also in the works is also being considered for U.S. sale.