Chevrolet has gotten a lot of press for the extended-range Volt, but the real winner in their lineup will be the 2011 Cruze. Arriving this fall, the Chevrolet Cruze will bring segment-beating standard safety equipment, a stylish and high-quality interior, top fuel economy, and more interior and cargo room than the competition.

Safety in the compact class is always a challenge, with cost and size the two largest factors. Chevrolet stepped up to the plate though and installed a total of 10 airbags in the new Cruze. That’s six MORE than the Cobalt it replaces.

Scott Thomas, among the engineers associated with the Cruze’s double-digit air bag count, has some 30 safety patents to his credit – most of which were awarded for new or improved air bags and restraint systems.

The Cruze features frontal, head curtain side, front and outboard rear seat side-impact and knee air bags.

“My co-workers and I have put a lot of personal effort and thought into Chevrolet products like the Cruze,” says Thomas. “Anyone who buys this car will have peace of mind knowing that they are driving a vehicle with some of the most advanced safety technology in the segment.”

Tags: 2011, airbags, Cruze
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The new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze ‘Eco’ model has been touted as one of the most fuel-efficient small cars on the market. To accomplish this, the new Cruze Eco has a new innovative feature that can automatically shutter air literally changing the vehicles shape based on wind and temperature conditions. The new shutter system uses an electric motor to open and close the shutters redirecting air thus allowing for better fuel efficiency up to an estimated 40mpg on the highway. That means the Cruze Eco gets hybrid-like efficiency without the hybrid cost.

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JASON PLATO turned his fortunes around at Snetterton on Sunday and now leads the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship by 20 points.

The Newcastle-educated former champion had been trailing Team Honda Racing’s Matt Neal by eight points as the series returned after its summer break.

But, after taking two wins out of three races, he now has a comfortable cushion at the top of the points table.

Plato, who had qualified second on the grid behind his Silverline Chevrolet team-mate Alex MacDowall, led from lights to flag in both the first and the second of the day’s races – despite his Chevrolet Cruze being laden with 36kg of success ballast in race one and 45kg in the second.

He also set the fastest lap in both to ensure he grabbed maximum points.

In the third race he brought his car over the line in fifth spot, grabbing more points to leapfrog Neal in the standings, who suffered mixed fortunes at the fast Norfolk track.

With BTCC wins now under his belt, Plato is just three shy of Andy Rouse’s all-time record of 60, although he admits his only concern is to win what would be his second title in the class.

He last won in 2001 while driving for Vauxhall.

Plato said: “I expected us to be strong here and so it has proved.

“The team has used the summer break really well and dug deep into all the data.

“We have improved two key areas, and the result is a fantastic race car now in the Cruze.”

Plato’s season is turning into a carbon copy of last year, when he upped his championship charge towards the end of the season – although this time he is gunning for better than runner-up sport.

He added: “This is where last year we really got our championship going, and I have a sneaky feeling we are going to be very strong again from here on in.

“I am feeling very confident for Silverstone. What you are seeing is a result of all the hard work we have put into the car during the summer break.

“The Cruze is a great race car which does not deteriorate over a race distance.”

Neal, meanwhile, was forced to retire from race one when his Honda Civic picked up a puncture, and was only able to limp home ninth in the second.

In race three he managed to grab a third place. He warned that the rest of the season looks very close thanks to Plato’s strong form.

He said: “I knew we were in for a tough weekend and it has been a case of damage limitation, whereas Jason has gone and pulled a rabbit from the hat. That is ominous for the rest of us.”

Sunday’s result means Plato now has 151 points in the Drivers’ Championship, with Neal second on 131.

[source]

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Up until recently, the US consumer really couldn’t expect much from the compact car segment. Did it have four wheels, a cheap price, and get decent fuel economy? If so, then that was all you could really ask for. Special features like USB ports, heated seats, or a decent comfortable interior were, at most, a pipe dream. Small cars were only for folks who couldn’t afford a larger one.

Then, as is always the case, things changed. The precipitous fuel price increase to near four dollars a gallon in 2006/2007 time frame drastically changed the buying habits of the American consumer. Small cars were suddenly looking at a rather large increase in popularity. The problem was that while the compact car buyer had changed, the compact car had not.

This has led to a rather fierce battle among the automakers for current and future small car buyers. A once neglected group of vehicles is finding new found glory as Ford and Chevrolet introduce brand new models in 2011. The idea of a full featured compact car, once laughable, is turning out to be the fuel both companies plan on using to propel themselves into profitability for the foreseeable future.

[source story]

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