SEOUL — General Motors’ new global small sedan, which will be sold as the Chevrolet Cruze in the United States, went on sale here today.In Korea, the car is called the Daewoo Lacetti. Its 1.6-liter engine produces 114 hp and is available with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
The Cruze was expected to replace the Chevrolet Cobalt in 2010 in North America. But sources at GM say it could be delayed until 2011 to help the company conserve cash. The car was scheduled to go on sale in March in Europe to replace the Daewoo Lacetti and Nubira.
GM has scheduled Cruze production in St. Petersburg, Russia; Lordstown, Ohio; and Gunsan, South Korea.
The Lacetti’s price here starts at 11.5 million won, or $7,948 at current exchange rates. But the dollar equivalent is a poor gauge of the U.S. sticker price because the won has lost about one-third of its value against the dollar since Jan. 1.
