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Paris
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General Motors Co.’s new Chevrolet Cruze hatchback, bowing Sept. 30 at the Paris auto show, is set to go on sale in European markets in mid-2011.
Boasting 14.1 cu.-ft. (400 L) of cargo space with the 60/40 split rear seat folded down, the Cruze hatchback will offer the same trio of 4-cyl. powerplants as the sedan: 112-hp 1.6L and 139-hp 1.8L gasoline engines and a 123-hp 2.0L diesel.
“The Cruze is turning out to be a real success story,” Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe, says in a release. “We are selling it in 70 countries around the world and it has recently surpassed the Aveo as our top-selling passenger car nameplate globally.
“Hatchbacks play a critical role in many markets. The total compact segment in Europe represents around 4.8 million units, which is over a quarter of the total market, with hatchbacks representing around 65% of that volume.”
Chevrolet Europe says sales of the Cruze sedan are exceeding internal targets in Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the U.K.
