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The Cruze, fighting for the 2010 WTCC titles

2010-09-29

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In the spring of 2009, at the same time when the Cruze, the new Chevrolet model for markets around the globe, was first launched in Europe, its racing version made its debut in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). One year and a half after, the success of the Cruze in the marketplace is also mirrored on international tracks, as the Cruze is fighting for both the Drivers' and the Manufacturers' titles in this year's WTCC, the most prestigious global touring car series.

When the Mondial de l'Automobile will open its doors in Paris, the 2010 edition of the WTCC will be heading to Asia for the decisive last two rounds in Okayama, Japan (October 30-31) and Macau (November 20-21), and for the first time since joining the WTCC, Chevrolet will be in a position of fighting for both titles, having led both the Drivers' and Manufacturers' standings for most of the season.

This already is an outstanding achievement for a model which was introduced into WTCC racing only 18 months ago, competing against fierce and experienced rivals such as BMW and SEAT.

A potential champion also on the racing tracks

Designed, built and developed by Ray Mallock Limited (RML), the stalwart racing organization which is in charge of the technical and sports aspects of the Chevrolet racing program since 2005, the Cruze WTCC has a closer link than usual with its street counterpart. The design and development of the Cruze have been conducted taking into account both the needs and constraints of racing and the lessons learnt from the valuable laboratory that motorsports represents. Consequently, it is not a surprise that the WTCC racing program was an integral part of the marketing plan to launch the Cruze at global level since the very beginning.

Success has come fast for the racing Cruze, as it claimed its first WTCC win, in Marrakech in May 2009, in what was only its fifth racing outing. Five more wins came in that first season of competition at the highest level.

This year, the team has been strengthened with the hiring of French ace Yvan Muller, one of the most acclaimed touring car drivers in the world and a former WTCC champion in 2008, who joined Switzerland's Alain Menu and Britain's Rob Huff, who have been part of Chevrolet's WTCC program since 2005.

After 8 rounds into the 2010 Championship (status: mid-September 2010), the Cruzes have put 4 wins and 3 pole positions under their belt. Moreover, they have proven competitive on all types of circuits and have been extremely consistent in collecting heavy points at all events, placing the team and Muller in an excellent position to bid for the Manufacturers' and Drivers' championships in the closing rounds of the WTCC 2010.

Racing, a global shop window for the Cruze

Chevrolet's involvement in the WTCC started in 2005, from a blank sheet of paper. Since then (first with the Lacetti/Nubira in 2005-08 and then with the Cruze as from 2009), the progression has been constant, against fierce and much more experienced competitors. So far (counting its first five full seasons and 8 out of the 11 rounds of 2010 campaign) 25 race wins, 75 podiums, 14 pole positions, 18 fastest laps, 306 laps in the lead and 1375 manufacturer points.

The WTCC racing program has played a crucial role in building up the image of Chevrolet since the brand was re-launched in Europe in 2005, and has been a tremendous tool to communicate Chevrolet's brand values and the quality of Chevrolet products to the public, dealers and employees. It has also allowed Chevrolet to re-connect with its roots in motorsports, which trace back to the early years of the 20th century, when the Swiss-born founder of the brand, Louis Chevrolet, started to race the cars he personally built.

The World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) is along Formula One, the WRC and the FIA-GT, one of the only four FIA World Championships. It features cars close to the regular production products: 'Real cars, real racing' is the championship's tag-line that very appropriately encapsulates both the spirit of the WTCC and Chevrolet. With races taking place in 5 different continents (Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa) and offering a truly global audience, the WTCC is the ideal platform to showcase both a product like the Cruze and the Chevrolet Spirit, so well symbolized by Louis Chevrolet's motto: "Never give up!".

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet Europe delivers attractive, distinctive design, practical, economical cars and outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2009, Chevrolet held its market share in Europe at 2.3 percent, selling 426,000 cars. Chevrolet has a network of 2,900 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the all-new Spark city car, the small Aveo, compact Cruze sedan, Captiva SUV, mid-size Epica and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet will launch the Orlando, an all-new family van, the Camaro coupe and convertible, the new Aveo and the Cruze hatchback as well as re-launching the Captiva SUV with four new engines. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the U.K. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is preparing to celebrate its centenary with the launch of the ground-breaking Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. More information on Chevrolet can be found at http://www.chevroleteurope.com or http://media.chevroleteurope.com.