Chevrolet Cruze WTCC Racer Unveiled by GM

Being the global corporation that it is, General Motors has been a regular competitor in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) for quite a few years already. Up until now, their competing car was based on the Chevrolet Lacetti (built by Daewoo). But now it seems that is all about to change.

Chevrolet Europe recently gave fans a glimpse of the 2009 World Touring Car Championship contender. The vehicle was premiered at the Paris Motor Show and no doubt turned quite a few heads. The new Chevrolet Cruze will replace the Lacetti, which has already won twelve world championship races. Fans are ecstatic but critics are sceptical – perhaps unsure if the new contender will be able to keep up with the reputation of the old marque. That is something that only time will tell, but in the meantime the new WTCC Cruze is already being tested as it gets ready to make is debut next spring in Brazil. It is interesting to note that the new vehicle has been developed, built and run by the same team that was involved with its predecessor. It is also being driven by the same team. Everyone involved in the project is currently very busy with the testing which will continue right through until the vehicles first race in Curitiba, Brazil, in 2009. The vehicle will then go on to visit all twelve tracks involved in the WTCC, in South America, Central America, the Far-East, Africa and Europe. Oddly enough, the WTCC has never really caught on in the US where NASCAR sees a much bigger following by and large.

According to Wayne Brannon, motorsport is deeply embedded in the DNA of Chevrolet. It would seem then that the new Cruze World Touring Car is simply the next logical step in a long tradition of winning both on and off the track. Brannon also drew parallels between Chevrolet’s winning performance on the racetrack and in the sales room, remarking that sales were up by 23 percent within the first six months of this year. Clearly customers are choosing Chevrolet in record numbers. No doubt the new Chevrolet Cruze will prove to be yet another vehicle that the company can be proud of. Motoring enthusiasts look forward to seeing it perform in the 2009 WTCC season.