There’s no word yet on which engine will be used, but a likely candidate would have to be the 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbo diesel that’s already employed in the European-spec Cruze, as well as Holden’s version.
Developing 160 bhp (120 kW / 163 PS) and 360 Nm (265 lb/ft) of torque, it gets the six-speed manual Cruze from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.5 seconds and up to a maximum of 127 mph (204 km/h).
Alternatively (and probably of more interest to prospective North American consumers) there’s also a six-speed automatic transmission available. It slows the acceleration time by 0.9 of a second, but actually allows the top speed to rise by 2 mph.
Whatever the power source that Chevrolet decides on, the big issue will be customer acceptance. The North American markets are notoriously resistant to diesel cars, despite an ability to deliver fuel economy that’s around twenty to thirty percent better than their gasoline equivalents. Indeed, research firm JD Power & Associates reckons that diesel sales will account for just 3.1 percent of the United States market in 2011, rising very slowly to 7.4 percent by 2017.
The best-selling diesel car in the US is currently Volkswagen’s Jetta, but significantly most of the Cruze’s other major competitors in the American compact segment - including the Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra - don’t even bother with a diesel option in their ranges.
Image © GM Corp.
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