Automotive World, August 29, 2014
In a bid to redouble safety efforts and boost the Chevrolet brand in its biggest market, GM has decided to debut a redesigned Chevrolet Cruze sedan in Shenzhen, China.
The Cruze was Chevrolet’s
best-selling model in China last year, and is one of the six new or refreshed
models under the brand being brought to the nation this year by the OEM.
“The new Cruze is the first model
based on GM’s new global platform for midsize compact cars,” said Shanghai GM
President Wang Yongqing. “With GM’s global intelligent technology, it sets new
benchmarks for styling, efficiency and user-friendliness in its segment.”
Developed to meet global five-star
safety standards, the new Cruze comes with a range of active and passive safety
features. It is the only vehicle in its class with active park assist, which
takes the worry out of parking. The side blind zone alert system warns the
driver of potential hazards when changing lanes. The model’s airbags are
designed to protect pedestrians as well as occupants.
Automotive World spoke to Bill Russo, Managing Director at
consultancy Gao Feng Advisory Company, Ltd, who explained that China has become
the growth engine of the global automotive industry, and noted why the market
has become such an important one for GM: “GM sold nearly 3.2 million units in
China in 2013, and has so far this year seen growth of over 10%
year-over-year.”
The new Chevrolet Cruze represents
GM’s newest entry in the midsize compact car segment. The Cruze was
developed for China on GM’s latest architecture and a choice of new 1.4
Turbo and 1.5-litre Ecotec engines. Russo noted that the compact car segment is
the largest segment of the Chinese market, and explained that it is critical
for GM’s overall market share performance: “In fact, several GM models
including the Chevrolet Cruze, Buick LaCrosse and Buick Regal were launched in
China before they were launched in the US. The Cruze is one of 19 new or
refreshed models to be introduced by GM in China in 2014 – but given the size
and importance of the product segment in China, this is a very crucial launch
for GM to regain their sales growth momentum.”
Fuel efficient and
safe
Despite GM’s recent recall frenzy, in
which the OEM was forced to pay a US$35m settlement for failing to act on an
ignition switch defect for ten years that led to the recall of approximately
2.6 million vehicles, Russo argues that the OEM has weathered the storm of the
recent recalls and notes that its sales in China have certainly not lost
momentum. To maintain this success in China, the OEM has noted the potential
for further safety and efficiency improvements to fulfil customer needs. The
Cruze offers a great deal of content for a product in this segment, priced
between Yuan 109,900 and Yuan 169,900 (US$17,900 – US$27,700).
Although 72% of the new Cruze’s body
consists of high-strength steel, the extensive use of aluminium and lightweight
materials in key areas such as the engine, chassis and interior makes it 10%
lighter than the current-generation Cruze, enhancing fuel economy without
compromising safety.
The car also boasts an active park assist feature which is unique in
this class of vehicle, mid-mounted injection engine technology and a wide range
of fuel-saving features such as start/stop technology and ultra-low rolling
resistance tyres, which make it 24% more fuel efficient than the
current-generation Cruze. The engines offer peak fuel economy of only 5.9 litres
per 100 km. In addition, they are up to 50% quieter than engines in competitive
models.
Russo continued, “GM’s product
offensive will only help generate more interest among consumers going forward.
Getting the new Cruze into the market with differentiated features will help
rebuild the image of GM as a manufacturer of safe and dependable cars.”
Rachel Boagey
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