Chevrolet’s blizzard of European launches next year will be a “big positive” for the automaker as it looks to break through the “clutter” in the marketplace, according to the automaker.
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Speaking to just-auto in Valencia, Spain, as the automaker prepared to launch its Orlando MPV, Chevrolet Europe president Wayne Brannon was confident the six new models would perform well.
“One of the hardest things to do is break through the clutter of the marketplace,” he said. “Now we are going to be talking about our cars simultaneously – that will help us to build the brand – it is a big positive.”
Chevrolet previewed its seven-seat Orlando crossover – the production version of a 2008 concept – at this year’s Paris motor show – alongside several other new models.
“A lot of people were surprised by the new showroom,” (at Paris) said Brannon. “It is a real dramatic change in the Chevrolet portfolio.
“There are a lot of things happening at once – we bring products to market as fast as we can. We are filling out the line-up and improving our powertrain offer – that will give us access to the market.”
Part of that improvement has seen Chevrolet enter the European diesel arena.
“When we took the legacy portfolio from the bankrupt assets of the former company there were no diesels – we are coming into a different category of cars – diesel is a European phenomenon.
The Orlando’s market entry next spring will also see Chevrolet launch an updated Captiva, the Cruze five-door hatchback, Aveo and the Canadian-sourced Camaro in hardtop and convertible forms.
The Orlando is based on the GM Daewoo-designed Cruze saloon and, in Europe, will be sold with a 1.8 litre petrol engine and two two-litre diesel units.
