Chevy is reportedly considering building a 4-door coupe-style model based on the new Cruze. The idea would be to imitate what companies like Mercedes did when it built its 4-door coupe (the CLS), using an existing platform (the E-Class) and then add more style and jack up the price. Not only would it potentially allow for higher profit margins, but it would also work to draw in European and Japanese buyers into Chevy dealerships.
The new Cruze-based 4-door coupe would use the same wheelbase but sacrifice some back seat room in exchange for a more impressive design. With the Cruze already quite large for the compact class, this might be a real possibility.
The report, by Motor Trend, also suggests the best may to do this might be to sell the model as an SS version – although GM has said that it the future it will use SS badges more sparingly and not just toss them on anything they can slot a more powerful engine into. (Yes HHR SS, we're talking about you).
SS badges or not, a more powerful version might use Chevy's 2.0-liter turbocharged motor, although even a slightly more powerful version of the 1.4-turbo could work.
Regardless, don't look for a four-door coupe Cruze until at least 2013.
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Report: Chevy Considering Cruze SS as a 4-Door Coupe on AutoGuide.com
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