RML will run a pair of factory-supported Chevrolet Cruzes in the British Touring Car Championship this season under the Silverline Chevrolet banner, with Jason Plato staying on as the lead driver in the squad.

Plato, 42, previously drove for RML when it ran the SEAT works squad in 2004, and returned last year after signing a deal to race an independently-fielded Chevrolet Lacetti three days before the start of the season.

After missing out on the title by only five points, the 2001 champion is confident of challenging for honours this season.

“I always had confidence that teaming up with RML again last year would mean wins – the Chevrolet Lacetti of 2009 was a formidable piece of kit,” he said.

“Now in 2010 we have manufacturer support from Chevrolet, continued support from Silverline and a very exciting new car in the Cruze. We are very motivated to make this our year, the opposition better be ready. Roll on Thruxton.”

Plato’s team-mate will be Renault Clio Cup runner-up Alex MacDowall, who, at 19 years old, will be the youngest driver on the grid.

“To compete in the BTCC has been my goal for some time, and it’s a great feeling to not only be entering the series this year, but to being doing so with such a competitive and experienced team as RML,” said MacDowall, who also tested for the Motorbase and WSR BMW squads during the winter.

“I’m really excited for the season ahead – the Cruze has proven its pace and reliability in WTCC, and from the initial test last week there’s no doubting that it will translate well in the BTCC.”

To be able to sit among the crowd witnessing WTCC live at Guia Circuit located around the streets of Macau was a memorable and interesting experience for winners of the Chevrolet Grand Draw who thanked their lucky stars for being picked among hundreds to win the trip to the race.

One of the excited winners said it was truly an experience having to stand there listening to the roaring and screeching of the racing street machines and seeing them driving past in split of seconds and the sense of pride of a Chevy owner was even more than seeing the Chevrolet Team leading straight to checked flag.

From someone with zero interest in car racing, the trip built his interest in this particular challenging sport.

The trip, he added, had also given him the confidence of driving the Chevrolet as the race had given solid proof that the Chevrolet engine is definitely the best among the best, though initially purchasing his Chevy Captiva was totally due to the attractive promotion offered by Chevrolet Brunei dealer.

The trip had indeed changed his standpoint about the Chevrolet, yet, at the same time he noted that he had made the right choice of car as the Captiva provides him a comfortable and smooth ride, just as how it has been claimed.

Overall it was a well-organised trip for him and he gave the thumbs up to the management and officials participating in the trip comprising General Manager Jake Goh, Sales Manager Tony Leung, tops sales executives and GHK motors officials Hal and Nazree.

From the welcoming dinner that saw Chevrolet dealers from various countries to the race day and the many visits to the places of interests, it was all well taken care of and made him feel at ease being a first time visitor to Macau.

At the welcoming dinner that took place at one of the prestigious hotels, L’Arc Macau, the group also had the opportunity to get up close with the WTCC drivers and the night also saw touring car star and Chevrolet WTCC driver Nicola Larini bidding his farewell to WTCC.

The 45-year old Italian driver commented that having spent 20 seasons at the highest level in touring car racing, he intends to devote more time to his personal life and other interests, yet, he will not quit racing, his lifelong passion. He wishes not to be involved anymore in professional projects as demanding as WTCC.

Starting his career with single-seaters, spending 10 years in Formula 1 and fulfilling the dream of any Italian racer to be a Grand Prix driver for Ferrari, he has indeed become a touring car legend where he clinched the DTM (1993) and ISC (1992) titles and in major international touring car series, he had won no less than 48 race wins.

Nicola said after so many years of his life in motorsports, it is timely for him to take a different approach to racing and to give back to his family as well as to develop his other interests.

“I say goodbye to the WTCC today in Macau, but I will not quit racing altogether.

“I will continue racing, but want to be involved in projects not taking such a heavy toll on my personal life. Chevrolet and RML have been my WTCC home for the last five years, a spell of my career nearly as long as the ones I spent with Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. It has been a fantastic time that I will cherish forever in my memory. I wish to thank Chevrolet and RML for all the support received during these five years and wish them well for the future,” he said.

Well, this summed up our WTCC trip to Macau and as for me, the most memorable experience was being able to stand among the limited peoples at the grid walk and get up close with the cars and drivers.

source

CHEVROLET ‘CRUZES’ AHEAD ON PRICE…

* Price announced for Cruze, from £11,545 on-the-road
* Exceptional spec levels even on entry-level car
* On sale from July 2009

Keeping an eye on money has never been more topical, and the good news for Chevrolet customers is that the all-new Cruze will be true to the brand’s traditional value-for-money ethics despite its premium styling and build quality.

The newcomer, which has the stance of a four-door coupe, will start from just £11,545 on-the-road, and will arrive at UK Chevrolet retailers in July.

It will be offered with a choice of four engines – 1.6 (113PS) and 1.8-litre (141PS) petrols featuring variable valve timing for maximum performance and efficiency, plus two diesels, both 2.0-litres and with a choice of 125PS or 150PS power outputs. Automatic transmission will be offered on the petrol models.

The range will kick off with the 1.6 S, which enjoys a comprehensive list of standard equipment despite its value price tag. As well as remote central locking, the model features follow-me-home lighting, a feature normally reserved for premium cars, a quality CD-radio system, electric front windows, a fully-adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel, six airbags, ESC, upmarket soft-touch cabin materials, and premium blue-backlit dashboard dials. The 1.6S A/C model, at £11,995, also adds air conditioning.

The LS model, expected to be the best-seller in the range, starts at only £12,595 for the 1.6 manual variant and includes air conditioning as standard, plus other upmarket features such as 16-inch alloy wheels, a chrome edged radiator grille, front fog lights and reverse parking sensors.

Flagship of the range will be the LT, which comes in 1.8 petrol or 2.0-litre diesel guise, starting at £13,595. For that, you get a list of specification that’s truly befitting of a luxury car, including cruise control, climate control, an automatic anti-dazzle rear view mirror, an upgraded high-output stereo, electric rear windows, chrome detailing and 17-inch alloy wheels, plus the option of an integrated satellite navigation system.

The Cruze will also spearhead Chevrolet’s campaign in the 2009 World Touring Car Championship, which kicked off on March 8 in Curitiba, Brazil. The UK round of the WTCC takes place at Brands Hatch on July 19 – just in time to coincide with the car’s UK introduction.

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.

CHEVROLET PRESENTS NEW CRUZE FOR 2009 WTCC
To Continue Chevrolet’s World Touring Car Success

ZÜRICH / WELLINGBOROUGH – Chevrolet Europe has shown the first glimpse of the marque’s 2009 World Touring Car Championship contender, today. The all-new Chevrolet Cruze, which recently premiered at the Paris Motor Show, will continue Chevrolet’s presence in the WTCC, in which the marque so far has won twelve world championship races.

Testing of the new race car – which is the first to start Chevrolet’s new design language in Europe – has already started and is on schedule, and will continue throughout the remainder of the current season and the coming winter. Developed, built, run and driven by the same team and drivers, the Cruze will be all but guaranteed the same speed, reliability and success. The Chevrolet Cruze’s first competitive outing will be in Brazil at the opening round of the 2009 WTCC in Curitiba. In 2009, the WTCC will again visit twelve tracks, in South and Central-America, Africa, Europe and the Far-East.
# QUOTES

Wayne Brannon: “Chevrolet has motorsport is deeply embedded in our DNA. With the new Cruze World Touring Car, Chevrolet continues to embrace its long tradition of winning on and off the track.. In the past four seasons, Chevrolet had distinguished itself in racing with an increasing number of victories, not so different from the record sales growth which has developed in Europe. Again this year, sales are up by 23 percent in the first six month, and we are very proud that customers are choosing us in record numbers. For our European dealers, the WTCC has been an extremely useful communications tool, and they look forward to the next season with Cruze. With Cruze, we again look to emphasize the synergy between product and motorsports, and the WTCC is the best possible platform to achieve this. The championship’s slogan is ‘Real Cars, Real Racing’, and that fits nicely with our philosophy to provide real cars for real lives, with expressive design, world class quality / reliability and an impressive list of standard features and content, all at an affordable price.”

Eric Nève: “The new Cruze will be the next milestone in Chevrolet Europe’s motorsports history. So far, we have achieved every goal we set in 2005, step by step: challenge the competition, score points, prove we can win and then become regular frontrunners against competition with an established motorsports resume. With the Cruze, we will put the bar even higher and firmly aim at winning the World Championship. Chevrolet’s unique ‘trump card’ is having worked with the same team, engineers and drivers for the past four seasons, with the success we all know. To be able to do this again with the Cruze will only help to increase our chances of achieving our goals.”