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Heads up, compact fans; the configurator for the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze has officially gone live. If you’ve got a few hot seconds to spare as your work week comes to a close, you can build up your new Bowtie fuel miser any way you so please. It doesn’t take long to click off enough options to have the Cruze sitting pretty at just shy of $26,800 including destination. Of course, that kind of coin will fetch you a sunroof, spare tire, RS appearance package, navigation and just about everything else your heart could desire in LTZ trim.

Of course, the frugal among you can sink your teeth into a $16,995 LS model, complete with a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, six-speed manual transmission and not much else. If it were us laying down the coin, we’d probably hold off until we got word exactly how much Chevrolet is going to ask for the super-efficient Eco model. Thanks for the tip, Scott!

Tags: 2011, 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, 2011ChevroletCruze, Chevrolet, Chevrolet Cruze, ChevroletCruze, chevy, configurator, Cruze
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With all the focus on small cars and fuel economy, there’s some good news for sporty and performance minded individuals looking for a GM product that suits their desires. In an online web chat GM’s new North American president Mark Reuss made some exciting comments about the potential introduction of both a Chevy Cruze Coupe and a RWD sedan based on the Australian Zeta architecture.

“2 door Cruze is a nice idea, and it may show up in the global market,” said Reuss. “As we have 2 door Cobalts currently, NA [North America] would naturally look at a Cruze 2 door, but I believe our small car portfolio will be WAY beyond what it is now, so a 2 door something still is needed.”

This really comes as no surprise, as Chevy has often delivered a coupe model shortly after the sedan.

Next up, Reuss made a surprising remark when asked if a rear-wheel drive sedan based on the Australian Zeta platform could eventually make its way state-side. “Quite possibly,” he remarked, something which is sure to be celebrated by those who bemoaned the demise of the Pontiac G8. Currently, the only Zeta platform model available in the U.S. is the Camaro, although some reports have suggested a next-generation Camaro could ride on a more adaptable Zeta architecture that could also be used for a North American sedan.

If Chevy does decide to move ahead with a rear-drive sedan for the North American market, it’s not likely to arrive for several more years. By then, the Cruze Coupe will most certainly be on the market and perhaps even a high-performance Cruze model.

[source]

Tags: 2012 chevrolet cruze coupe, american cars, Chevrolet, chevrolet cruze coupe, chevy, domestic cars, mark reuss, zeta
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The new Cruze is already on sale in South Korea and will arrive in Europe almost 18 months before the U.S.

While General Motors’ financial strife may be putting many of its development plans on the back burner for now, a statement from Chevrolet’s European Executive Director confirms that the upcoming Chevrolet Cruze will remain on schedule for its debut in the European market in just a few months.
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Tags: chevy, Cobalt, Cruze, Daewoo, European market, General Motors, south korea
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The World Touring Car Championship has been conquered by Chevy 12 times. This time, they plan on entering a brand new vehicle into the equation. In an unprecedented move, Chevy will be entering a WTCC prepped Cruze into the 2009 season beginning with the March 8th race in Curitiba, Brazil.

This will be quite the challenger for the Cruze, which is set to debut in the U.S. in 2010. One must wonder how this 4 door American econobox will overtake the rest of the field in the WTCC.

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Tags: Brazil, Chevrolet, chevy, Cruze, GM, World Touring Car Championship, WTCC
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