subject: Car Dealers Get a First Look at the 2011 Chevy Cruze [print this page] As the first new vehicle launch since General Motors emerged from bankruptcy, Chevy has a lot riding on the release of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. In support of the new product launch, GM invited over 80 of its' car dealers to come attend an exclusive preview event at the Lordstown, Ohio production plant where the new compact car is being both built and assembled. The Cruze "driveaway event" found car dealers from Buffalo, Altoona, Harrisburg, Pittsburg and Rochester attending an exlusive plant tour, followed by a presentation and closed course test-drive of the new vehicle.
The Cruze is a four-door compact car set to compete against vehicles such as the Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. As a replacement to the somewhat ill-recieved Chevy Cobalt, GM hopes the all new vehicle will help them to gain marketshare in a segment where they haven't succeded in quite some time.
The dealers in attendence seemed very impressed with the vehicle's overall style and performance, given the cars starting price of just $16,995.
"It's certainly a step up" said Kurt Wojda, Marketing Manager for Heinrich Chevrolet in Buffalo. "This is exactly what GM needs to regain footing in this market. Once you sit in the car, it's hard to believe the price point it's starting at...It feels like a much more expensive vehicle."
Manufactured in Lordstown, Ohio, the Cruze is being built at the same plant where GM had built the Chevy Cobalt. They're currently building over 600 cars a day, with a plan to ramp up production to 1200 units a day in the next few months.
The Cruze comes standard with many features not found in cars of the same class, such as 10 standard airbags, electronic stability control, bluetooth wireless technology, OnStar, and a two-tone leather interior that really makes the entire interior of the car shine.
If you're considering a vehicle in this price range, it's very worth checking out the Chevy Cruze. It might just be the next big thing in the American compact car market.
Car Dealers Get a First Look at the 2011 Chevy Cruze
