Cruze Hatchback to Take Spotlight at 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.

Cruze hatch hits European markets in mid-2011.