Chevrolet’s new entry in the compact car segment will be called Cruze, the automaker said on Tuesday.
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The new car, which will make its global debut at the Paris motor show in early October, was developed by a global design and engineering team and will be built in multiple locations around the world.
GM said it’s about 4.6m long and offers “ample interior space and cargo capacity for five passengers”, giving it an advantage over competition in the compact segment.
US commentators have noted that’s about the size of the current locally-built Cobalt model and are speculating the Cruze could be its replacement.
GM last month confirmed a new model for its plant in Lordstown, Ohio that would be a 2011 model with a new 1.4-litre turbocharged engine.
The automaker said the Cruze would have Chevrolet’s new global design features and would be a “very attractive package at an exceptional value”.
It will go on sale first in Europe next spring. The Cruze name has previously been used on rebadged versions of Suzuki’s Ignis sold in Japan and Asia-Pacific.
