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GM Confirms New 40-MPG Compact Car in the Works for Chevrolet
WILMINGTON, Delaware — As part of its sweeping announcement about product strategy changes on Tuesday, General Motors announced that it will build a new global Chevrolet compact car. Production will begin in mid-2010 at GM's Lordstown, Ohio, plant, the automaker said in a statement.
The next-generation compact will "feature the 1.4-liter turbocharged version of GM's global four-cylinder engine," said GM. It said the new Chevrolet "is expected to achieve a 9-mpg improvement over Chevy's current entry in this segment." GM did not specify the exact fuel economy that the new compact will get. However, the EPA says the entry-level 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt equipped with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission gets 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.
"This car will represent the first U.S. application of our global architecture strategy," said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. "This strategy will pay major dividends as we leverage our extensive car product development capability in Europe, Korea and other locations to accelerate the shift in our U.S. product portfolio."
GM did not say whether the new compact will retain the Cobalt name, but the media speculation is that the car will be rechristened.
GM also confirmed that a next-generation Chevrolet Aveo is in the works. "Based on a global architecture, the Aveo is also expected to have segment-leading fuel economy when it goes on sale in the U.S. market in the second half of 2010," said GM.
What this means to you: A Chevy compact that exceeds 40 mpg may help to take the edge off high gas prices for you in the not-too-distant future. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
The next-generation compact will "feature the 1.4-liter turbocharged version of GM's global four-cylinder engine," said GM. It said the new Chevrolet "is expected to achieve a 9-mpg improvement over Chevy's current entry in this segment." GM did not specify the exact fuel economy that the new compact will get. However, the EPA says the entry-level 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt equipped with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission gets 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.
"This car will represent the first U.S. application of our global architecture strategy," said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. "This strategy will pay major dividends as we leverage our extensive car product development capability in Europe, Korea and other locations to accelerate the shift in our U.S. product portfolio."
GM did not say whether the new compact will retain the Cobalt name, but the media speculation is that the car will be rechristened.
GM also confirmed that a next-generation Chevrolet Aveo is in the works. "Based on a global architecture, the Aveo is also expected to have segment-leading fuel economy when it goes on sale in the U.S. market in the second half of 2010," said GM.
What this means to you: A Chevy compact that exceeds 40 mpg may help to take the edge off high gas prices for you in the not-too-distant future. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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