admin

One thing you'll notice at the Detroit Auto Show is the hype about vehicles that can stretch gas mileage.

Chevrolet is pushing four fuel-efficient models at this year's show, including Lordstown's new product, the Chevy Cruze.

"For Chevrolet and Chevrolet dealers around the country, this is a very important launch and really one of the key elements for our growth plan in 2010," said Chevrolet Division Chief Jim Campbell.

GM is counting on the Cruze to be a big hit here in the U.S.. It's said to get 40 miles per gallon of gas on the highway.

"For Chevrolet, our strategy is what we call gas friendly to gas free," said Campbell. "We'll have a pickup truck this summer. It will run on biodiesel. We also have hybrids on Silverado and Tahoe. In addition, we have a fleet of Equinoxes that are driving gas free on hydrogen fuel cells."

GM is counting on fuel efficient models to drive the re-birth of a newer, leaner company. The success of the plan is crucial for the Mahoning Valley, as well.

"In Lordstown, it was 1966, I think they built an Impala there," Campbell recalled. "Here we are in 2010, and they are going to be bringing the Chevrolet Cruze to market. So for me, it's an amazing tradition. It's an amazing workforce. It's a partnership with the UAW."

"It's a great opportunity for Lordstown," said Tom Mock from the Lordstown plant. "It's a great opportunity for the Mahoning Valley. It's a great opportunity for the state of Ohio. We need manufacturing."

And U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles, did not understate the significance of Lordstown. "Whether you talk to the CEO of General Motors or their competitors, Lordstown is ground zero for the American car revolution. It's clear the auto industry has turned the corner, and we're participating in it and shaping it. It's exciting for us."