General Motors has reportedly pushed pack the launch of the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze by 12 months as a result of engineering changes.
According to a report from Reuters, sources with knowledge of the US car maker’s plans say the second-generation Cruze, originally planned to launch globally in late 2014, will now start production in December 2015.
The news agency says officials from the Canadian Auto Workers union (CAW), who represent staff at a Cooper-Standard Automotive plant that produces rubber and metal seals and trim parts, said “engineering changes” were the cause of the production delay. This was secondarily supported by another supplier source.
CAW broke the news to its members via a newsletter, saying, “It was disappointing to hear that the Chevy Cruze program has been pushed back a year and will not start until 2015″.
Spied cold-weather testing in February, the next-gen Holden Cruze is due to start local production in 2016, one year after the model’s previously scheduled 2015 debut.
Holden spokeswoman Andrea Matthews declined to comment on any potential impact on local production of the next-generation Holden Cruze.
“We’re aware of the story… but beyond that we don’t talk about future products or timings and we don’t respond to speculation about product programs,” Mathews said.
“We’ve obviously got development plans underway for future products but we don’t talk about the timelines or specific product programs.”
When asked if the project was progressing as planned, Mathews said, “Yes.”
To be built on an all-new Dx22 platform and promising a bigger boot, more interior space and improved fuel economy, the next Holden Cruze has already been confirmed to be part of the local arm’s strategy to build ‘global’ next-generation cars until at least 2022.
In the US, the Chevrolet Cruze will continue to be built in Ohio, where the current model (pictured) has been produced since September 2010.
According to the report, by the end of 2013 the Cruze, which was updated locally in March, will be GM’s oldest model.
