Chevrolet Invests $350 Million In Lordstown Ohio Assembly Plant To Build The Chevy Cruze In America

March 14, 2011 - PRLog -- The most obvious reason to buy American made products is quite simply to keep American's working.

When you buy products made in the USA it helps keep American workers employed, it helps American businesses stay in business, and helps the economy. Every U.S. and Canadian version of the Cruze is built in Lordstown, Ohio.

ENGINE BLOCKS Made in Defiance, Ohio
The Cruze is powered by 1.4L and 1.8L turbo Ecotec engines, part of a new generation of highly-efficient, small-displacement, four-cylinder engines. General Motors invested $59 million in the Defiance Foundry to retool the facilities and equipment for the production of these engines. The plant now employs 1,346 workers. The Ecotec engines are built on a strong, low-mass foundation that supports high fuel efficiency. The cylinder blocks are made of gray cast-iron with five reinforced main bearings. To minimize weight, the block has a hollow-frame construction that makes it about 20 percent lighter than conventional casting. The block also incorporates a gray cast-iron bedplate that reduces engine vibration. The cylinders in the block are triple-honed to minimize friction and wear and optimize oil and fuel consumption.

SIX-SPEED TRANSMISSIONS Made in Toledo, Ohio
General Motors has invested $350 million in new equipment for its Toledo Powertrain Center to manufacture six-speed front-wheel-drive transmissions that go in both the Cruze and the Malibu. Both the automatic and manual six-speed transmission available in the Cruze are to improve the car’s fuel-economy and engine performance. The six-speed automatic transmission — standard in the Cruze LT and LTZ models — is designed to bolster engine power. The automatic transmission has an on- axis design — the gear sets are on the same axis as the engine centerline — that enhances the car’s interior space and gives it a lower hood line. The six-speed manual transmission — standard in the Cruze LS and the Cruze Eco — delivers a wide set of gear ratios. The manual transmission includes triple-cone synchronization in first and second gears for easier engagement, and a synchronized reverse gear.

STAMP METAL PRODUCTS, Made in Parma, Ohio
GM’s Parma Metal Center is stamping 49 different parts for the Cruze, including many of the car’s critical structural components. In the past year, the company has spent $60 million on new equipment and machine upgrades at the plant, including the installment of new robotic welding lines. The plant, which employs about 1,450 workers, now uses five high-speed progressive systems and 13 transfer presses to produce many of the smaller parts used in GM cars. The plant is on target to produce 58.9 million parts this year, up from about 28 million produced in 2009.

ALLOY WHEELS, Made in Cleveland, Ohio
Alcoa Automotive Wheel, a division of Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products, will provide the aluminum alloy wheels that will be standard on the Cruze Eco model that will be released in the fourth quarter. Production of wheels will take place at the company’s Cleveland Works facility that employs about 1,000 people. Alloy wheels are lighter than cast aluminum wheels, which helps reduce fuel consumption. The Cruze Eco model will come equipped with light-weight 17-inch forged aluminum wheels. The wheels are said to weigh less than 18 pounds, about 20 percent less than comparable cast aluminum wheels. The wheels are designed to help the Eco achieve an average 40 miles to the gallon. Alcoa says that the reduction in the car’s unsprung weight also will improve the Cruze’s handling and overall performance. The wheels will also be available on the Cruze 2LT and LTZ models.

SEATING, Made in Lordstown, Ohio
Magna International’s Lordstown Seating, the company that supplied seating systems for the Chevy Cobalt, is supplying the seats for the Cruze. Magna is among 18 tier-one suppliers in Ohio that are supplying parts for the Cruze. Other local suppliers include Comprehensive Logistics and Jamestown Industries in Youngstown and Falcon Transport in Austintown. The seating systems are part of an interior refinement strategy that aims to set the Cruze apart from other cars in the compact segment. Standard six-way power driver’s seats, leather seating surfaces and heated seats are included in the Cruze 2LT and LTZ models.

Jeff Gordon Chevrolet recently placed an order for 100 Chevrolet Cruze and special arrangements have been made for customers to color & option available Chevrolet Cruze currently in production.

Don't miss the opportunity to color and option your very own 2011 Chevy Cruze.
Your vehicle will come straight from the Lordstown, Ohio factory to the showroom of our 15 acre Award Winning Chevrolet Dealership in Wilmington North Carolina.

Go to http://www.jeffgordonchevy.com/ and color and option a 2011 Chevy Cruze to your exact specifications.

Jeff Gordon Chevrolet is a proud member of the Hendrick Automotive Group. GM Dealer of the Year and GM Certified Used Vehicle Sales Leader for 9 consecutive years, you can rest assured we'll be there for you long after the sale.

Shop 500 GM Certified and up to 3,500 Hendrick Certified vehicles at http://www.jeffgordonchevy.com/

Don't live near Jeff Gordon Chevrolet?
No problem, our GM Certified Internet Sales Managers can arrange hassle free delivery right to your front door with our Exclusive Door-To-Door Delivery Program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HB8xs8Z1pc&tracker=False



# # #

Shop 500 GM Certified and up to 3,500 Hendrick Certified vehicles at http://www.jeffgordonchevy.com/

These days, we know shopping begins on line, before you ever step into our showroom. That's why we set up an Award Winning web based shopping experience, so you can become more familiar with us and all that Jeff Gordon Chevrolet has to offer.

JeffGordonChevy.com has been a favorite destination for on line car shoppers for over a decade. We are truly humbled by the thousands of customers who allow us the opportunity to earn their business every month.

Four time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion, Jeff Gordon, displays the same winning formula he uses on the race track in his dealership.Jeff Gordon Chevrolet in Wilmington, NC is a Hendrick Automotive Group dealership and a member of Hendrickcars.com