[BigAls87Z28]

Originally Posted by NJSPEEDER

Delete features = raise price?

Cars all over the world are built to US enviromental and impact standards, so what possible excuse is there to hand out down graded merchandise in your home market? I would have thought this would be the market they would push for the hardest since it is the one they are losing the fastest.

-Tim

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

I do not think that is correct.

Like Scott said, US specs are different then Euro specs. Neither is better then the other, but they require different things like the new pedestrian crash protection for Europe vs 5mph bumpers in the US. Its why the 04-06 GTO's have a bigger nose then the Monaro. And that wasnt good enough for Canada!

Most if not all automakers, be it GM or Toyota, bring thier B game to the US, especially when it came to compact cars. In America, hatchback compacts are cheap-o cars that people with less money buy. Bigger is better. In Europe, a small hatchback is ideal, and people want dont want to lose out on such items like satnav, heated leather seating, etc etc. Now the other automakers have been used to making these types of cars for years, while the American auto makers were used to making midsized to large vehicles. Thats what we were good at, thats what Americans wanted.
Now, with the most recent gas spike, people want small cars. People are ready to think smaller.
Look at the Astra that GM finally brought to the US. If you look at the Astra in Europe, its one of the best selling cars, and GM's best selling car in the world. It comes with multiple engines, transmissions, body configurations including a hard top convertable, and an option list that is a mile long. Even a performance model that had held the record for the fastest lap around the Ring in its class (it was beaten by the new 08 Cobalt SS turbo btw)

They brought it to North America as its probably the only place its not sold. They decontented it and only left a few options available, and brought over only 2 versions, the 3dr and 5dr, and only the 5dr has optional trim levels while the 3dr comes in XR model only. Not a lot of options, and only 1 engine with 2 trans options.
And its here, and they are piling up on dealer lots. Last time I looked, dealer supply is 411 days. That is embarasing. When gas prices hit its highest, the Cobalt was selling like ice cream on a hot day, but Astra's sales didnt move. But thats a different story all together.


Anyway, the Cruze will come to the US with a lot of really cool technology, and be a premium compact car, something that Amerians are not used too. Think Jetta vs Focus.

This is the car the Cruze will replace in the European racing series.



And this is the interior of the Cruze (Daewoo Version)



This is the Astra Euro Spec



American Spec Astra




And the Chevy Cobalt SS interior