Dear GM

"Logansteno: Bought a VW?" (logansteno) 03/30/2014 at 01:57 • Filed to: Ideas

0

11

Please bring the Cruze hatchback over:

Add 2.0 turbocharged engine from Malibu LTZ:

Add LSD and other performance doo-dads, like Brembo brakes:

Take Recaro seats from Camaro SS:

Slap some SS badges on the thing:

Sell for around the same price as the Focus ST. Sit back and let the cash flow in.

Come one GM! This is literally a parts-bin car!

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 03/30/2014 at 02:12

0

I'm not sure they could do brembo brakes for the price of the ST. The brakes on my ST are probably it's biggest weakness, they get real hot after 5 laps or so.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK 03/30/2014 at 02:14

0

So maybe not Brembo, but the rear drums gotta go.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 03/30/2014 at 02:19

0

No shit. I'd rock a cruize hatchback. Maybe not with the Ricaro's, getting too old to squeeze into those, but I'm all for a good hot hatch. Make an automatic an option, I know I'm a heritic, and I'd consider it for the next appraiser car of my career.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 03/30/2014 at 02:24

0

I don't know why the hell they never brought the hatchback over here. Ford sells one, so why doesn't Chevy?

jkm7680 > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 03/30/2014 at 08:19

0

Or better yet bring this Opel over

Eazy-O > jkm7680 03/30/2014 at 09:16

0

Kinda what I was thinking. They could just rip the parts off the VXR/OPC Astra and stick 'em onto the Cruze, job done.

Might not be worth it, since the Cruze is looks like a Korean econobox, though.

What I don't get is the pricing. Where I'm from, you can get a Cruze from 14.6k EUR. The Astra is 15.4k EUR. I do dare say that if they ditched the Cruze development and used that money towards making the Astra less expensive at the base trim levels, they woulda been better off.

And what's especially funny is the history. The Astra used to be brought over to the USA as a Saturn, slotting a bit under the Chevy brand, yeah? Now they bring it over as a Buick, the pretend-Luxury-but-really-an-Euro badge, above Chevy. Granted, they uglify it in the process and offer it only in sedan.

In Europe the Astra still remains where it used to be. See the problem, GM? :)

Anyway, bring over the VXR/OPC Astra, slap some Buick badges on it, call it the Buick V*something*X (a la Grand National X = GNX) and be done with it.

jkm7680 > Eazy-O 03/30/2014 at 09:28

0

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking. The Regal Gs basically has the same wheels as the Astra also. The Saturn Astra wasn't a very good seller, so that might be scaring Gm away from bringing it to the United States.

Eutropius > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 03/30/2014 at 09:36

0

Wait, I thought the Cruze hatch was a US model. It sure as hell never made sense in Europe next to the Astra (which costs a whole €1500 more).

Skif6996 > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 03/30/2014 at 10:38

0

Rear visibility looks pretty solid on this one. I wouldn't want to back this into a spot in an empty parking lot.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Eutropius 03/30/2014 at 12:07

0

I think it's only sold in Asia, the middle east, and Australia.

gabdere > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 03/30/2014 at 17:56

0

A hatchback Cruze with some improvements over the current one-which is very good even from a guy that owns only german car- would sell like crazy in Quebec.