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Cruze news: [Chevy] Cobalt replacement to get turbo'd 1.4-liter and 40 mpg
autoblog ^ | Jul 14th 2008 | Jeremy Korzeniewski

Posted on 07/14/2008 6:09:19 AM PDT by wolf78

Rising fuel prices, both in the U.S. and abroad, means that automakers can now offer similar engines in vehicles sold throughout the world. According to Automotive News, General Motors' next small car, the Chevrolet Cruze, will be offered with a new 1.4-liter force-fed four-banger, putting out between 120 and 140 horsepower and returning fuel mileage in the 40 mpg range.


(Excerpt) Read more at autoblog.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Technical
KEYWORDS: automakers; chat; chevrolet; chevy; cobalt; cruze; energy; generalmotors; gm; mpg; prius; transportation
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Basically what VW did in Europe a few years ago: Small engine plus turbo/supercharging equals great gas mileage. Nevertheless, a good sign from GM. For the next few years this car is likely to have a much bigger impact than the Volt, GM's purported saviour.
1 posted on 07/14/2008 6:09:20 AM PDT by wolf78
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To: wolf78

Once again, the best and simplest option is right under the nose...cut both R&D and production costs and sell the same cars, with the same engines, etc. around the world.
DUH, GM!!!


2 posted on 07/14/2008 6:13:28 AM PDT by GOPsterinMA (Osama is Carter's second term.)
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To: wolf78

what is the downside? Heavy wear and tear on a small engine?


3 posted on 07/14/2008 6:13:44 AM PDT by balch3
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To: balch3

I’ve seen some relatively small 4s with turbos last well over 100,000 miles with proper maintenance.


4 posted on 07/14/2008 6:16:18 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS
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To: wolf78

High gas prices will cause fewer births in future for the US, as cars won’t be made to carry families of five or six.

I don’t know what my family of five will do when the van is put out to pasture someday.


5 posted on 07/14/2008 6:16:23 AM PDT by Sybeck1 (I would rather be water-boarded than vote for John McCain......)
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To: wolf78

Nice. Now can we get this engine in something less boring looking?


6 posted on 07/14/2008 6:16:38 AM PDT by Slapshot68
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To: balch3

Do you notice that GM and Chevy keep changing the names of their cars. Vega, Chevette, Nova, Cobalt, Cruze.

You get the impression that they are trying to make people forget their experiences with the older cars.

Civic and Corolla have been around for thity years.


7 posted on 07/14/2008 6:17:55 AM PDT by WilliamReading
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To: wolf78

I still think diesel is the way to go, if memory serves isn’t there almost 10X the energy in diesel fuel than in gasoline per volume?


8 posted on 07/14/2008 6:20:50 AM PDT by Abathar (Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
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To: balch3

what is the downside? Heavy wear and tear on a small engine?
.......................... Not if they use one made by Honda.


9 posted on 07/14/2008 6:22:43 AM PDT by Bringbackthedraft (If everyone stays home and no one votes will Congress disappear?)
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To: balch3

“what is the downside?”

Low torque. Not a biggie for most people.


10 posted on 07/14/2008 6:23:27 AM PDT by L98Fiero (A fool who'll waste his life, God rest his guts.)
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To: Abathar

No...it’s about 1.3x. But I agree that diesel engines are superior. They are also inherently fuel-flexible.


11 posted on 07/14/2008 6:24:40 AM PDT by B Knotts (Calvin Coolidge Republican)
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To: WilliamReading

Wait right there! The SS Nova’s were outstanding and affordable street cars. Many came equipt with potent 350 / 396 and 454’s turning in low 13’s right off the dealer’s lot.

...as for the Vegas and Chevettes, never heard of them. (LOL)


12 posted on 07/14/2008 6:28:10 AM PDT by mr_hammer (Checking the breeze and barking at things that go bump in the night.)
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To: wolf78

“....returning fuel mileage in the 40 mpg range.”

Wondering if this estimated miles per gallon takes into account the Ethanol disadvantage? I blame Ethanol as I have discussed with disgust this issue with the pro’s, had the cars tuned, as well read much commentary here at FR that indicates Ethanol as the culprit as to why I’m not getting the fuel mileage touted by the Auto Manufacturer. IOW we are paying about $.60 per gallon more for the Ethanol I understand, getting less mpg because of Ethanol, therefore logic indicates that the Leftist mandated Ethanol is robbing me/us of lots of money. It’s also my understanding that Ethanol isn’t cutting it as an Environmental advantage either, plus it is burning up a major source of the food base not only for the U.S., but the World as well.

We’ve checked two of our three cars mileage recently (our most fuel efficient by Mfg. statements as well our own historical experience) by jotting down our odometer reading at fill up, then once again at next fill and simple division. We are consistantly getting in the neighborhood of 30% less than we used to get mileagewise with these cars we’ve had for a number of years.

I read commentary here at FR on other threads about how much it costs to fill the tank versus the neighbor etc., but never read about anybody actually checking their mileage. Perhaps I’ve missed those posts.

Worthy of the effort to check your mileage rather than depend upon what the mfg. of your cars tell you. BS is rampant not only in the U.S. anymore, but the entire World. BS is what fuels the Socialist culture that prevails today.

I realize I need to confirm these thoughts to some folks here with more clarity, but I don’t have the time this morning.

Rant off.


13 posted on 07/14/2008 6:28:35 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...call 'em what you will...They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: mr_hammer

Yes. I owned a ‘66 396 rat motor Chevy. It got 8 miles to the gallon of premium gasoline.


14 posted on 07/14/2008 6:33:15 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: WilliamReading
Do you notice that GM and Chevy keep changing the names of their cars. Vega, Chevette, Nova, Cobalt, Cruze. You get the impression that they are trying to make people forget their experiences with the older cars.

LOL. I never thought of it that way. Nissan Maxima debuted in 1976 and my 99 is still running like brand new. Gets 29MPG at EPA conditions. A brand new accord gets the same thing.

I can think of many American models though: Mustang - '64, Corvette - '53, Town Car, Taurus, Explorer, Wrangler, F150, LeSabre

15 posted on 07/14/2008 6:34:37 AM PDT by varyouga ("Rove is some mysterious God of politics & mind control" - DU 10-24-06)
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To: Sybeck1
I don’t know what my family of five will do when the van is put out to pasture someday.

Buy your choice of any used SUV for a nickel a pound. Some dealers are not even taking them as trade-ins because the values are dropping so quickly. There are four on front lawns on my street.

I think it's silly, because if people buy a new "fuel saver" and actually run the numbers and consider newer excise taxes, insurnces, and finance charges, etc., if someone has a short commute, they'd lose on the deal. I saw the same thing in the so-called '70's "Crisis" and actually fell for it myself...I traded a Cadillac in for two Toyotas. I probably left the dealershop with the same tonnage, they were great little cars, and one lasted over 200,000 miles, but really, I lost money on the deal. Gas prices fell back down, and there I was with new tax and insurance bills and two payment books.

But as long as no one expects this to happen, you can get great deals on some of the big vehicles. I may buy one myself for local hardware trips.

16 posted on 07/14/2008 6:35:18 AM PDT by Gorzaloon
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To: Sybeck1
High gas prices will cause fewer births in future for the US, as cars won’t be made to carry families of five or six.

In Europe, GM sells a minivan-version of the Saturn Astra. It's called the Zafira, seats 7, and if you pay a bit for the upgrade, also runs on natural gas.

Looks like this:



Yeah, it's a bit smallish, Mazda 5 - territory. But there's also the full-size Ford Galaxy:



Americans will probably consider it underpowered with its ~150 hp diesel engines, but hey, it gets great mileage, too.
17 posted on 07/14/2008 6:35:48 AM PDT by wolf78
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To: rockinqsranch

Ethanol performs pretty well in a turbo charged engine, you know.


18 posted on 07/14/2008 6:37:15 AM PDT by Mr. Lucky
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To: varyouga

The LeSabre is long gone , along with the Catalina.


19 posted on 07/14/2008 6:39:24 AM PDT by WilliamReading
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To: rockinqsranch
We are consistantly getting in the neighborhood of 30% less than we used to get mileagewise with these cars we’ve had for a number of years.

Ethanol additions dropped my MPG from 30 highway to 27. About 10%

I always tracked my MPG because it was a good diagnostic tool. If anything changed, it was time to look under the hood, or ask the OBD2 how the car is feeling.

20 posted on 07/14/2008 6:39:24 AM PDT by Gorzaloon
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