Chevrolet is injecting some sport into its compact car with the 2017 Cruze Redline edition. The 2017 Chevrolet Cruze sedan and Cruze hatchback were revealed as part of nine Chevy vehicles to receive the special edition package at the 2017 Chicago Auto Show.
Like the gaggle of Redline editions, the 2017 Cruze Redline receives black wheels featuring distinct red hash marks, black nameplates with a red outline, blacked-out grilles and black Chevrolet bowtie logos. The Redline edition design cues certainly help dress up the Cruze to look more aggressive than any other trim combination currently available. However, it’s still no Cruze SS.
Chevrolet states the Silverado Redline will be the first of the bunch to become available with the Cruze and other Redline editions coming throughout the 2017 calendar year.
Comments
Or they should just bring the Cruze ss
Big Deal ! Come on GM-drop a bigger turbo engine the Cruze to go with the Redline trim! Lately automakers are offering these trim packages-decals, stripes and blacked out wheels-big whoop! They did this in the ’70’s and ’80’s too. Time for a rethink on offering special edition-change the interiors, the engines and make limited numbers.
give me the turbo from the malibu OR the one from the camaro in the cruze redline. i would buy one!
Opel Astra OPC. The hardware already exists for a Cruze SS.
I agree with bat & vic1212. I’m not really impressed with these SEMA concepts from GM if they’re appearance packages with little to no performance upgrades.
Spreading out the packages across so many models dilutes the uniqueness that makes them desirable. Go ahead and offer an Express Redline while you’re at it. This just becomes gimmicky and parallels the same pitfalls with badge engineering.
Without performance enhancements, these won’t age well and will do little to improve the reputation that Chevrolet needs if it intends on growing into a world player.
I’m becoming more frustrated with GM with each passing year. They are a big company (record 10M global sales on top of year over year increases) and yet they don’t have a single car line that is truly global. I know they’ve been trying since 2009, but here we are 8 years later and little has changed. I say this, because the excuse given for not offering performance on lower tier vehicles is GM’s inability to leverage volumes. Similarly sized Ford can since they have a global brand to get the volumes to offset the niche performance vehicles. I was going to mention Hyundai as an example of a smaller company, but as it turns out, they are 3rd worldwide behind Toyota and VW. How much longer do we have to wait until GM finally gets the ship turned in the right direction with some performance products that really inspires. I don’t think Hyundai was always larger, so GM needs to stop being so risk averse and put out some product that challenges the larger companies worldwide.
If you’re going to make a special edition.. it should count for something and not just cosmetics like the high tech DDVS suspension system in the Colorado ZR2 or just adding a bit more performance with the LWC 1.6L DOHC-4v 4-cyl turbo from Buick’s Cascada that pumps out 200 horsepower; imagine the 200 hp LWC with the DDVS suspension.
Wow, red stickers and a blacked out grill! Wowee!!! 🙁 Do it right, or don’t do it at all. Stickers and black paint mean nothing.
Cruze SS: 275-300hp, w/ options like–6 speed manual, Recaros, Brembos, dealer installed Stage Kits, etc.. All for a package STARTING at ~25-26k. Make the damn thing!
Yeah no doubt.
These Redline editions are weak.
Mind as well make all the Redline models Pontiac’s at this point.
Once again Chevrolet is all show and no go. Too bad Ms. Barra has gone back to the future. While Ford keeps cranking out performance versions across the line up, Chevy fans get the appearance packages one would have found on 90’s Pontiacs. Why doesn’t she bring back the Iron Duke for the base Colorado. As a Chevy and GMC fan in general, I continue to feel disappointment in the brand I love.
Give it some power and handling as well as AWD then I might be interested, but they still look nice anyway.
The GTO was a HUGE success in 1964/65 because it had GREAT LOOKS ….AND … bunches of HORSEPOWER. Do the same thing with this REDLINE concept. PLEASE.
Times have changed and you just can’t do this as easy anymore.
Often today changing an engine would mean a total new battery of EPA testing on emissions and CAFE. It may also mean more crash testing if you change the nose for a larger inter-cooler and a new fuel system to manage it.
Then too you will only sell about 1/4 of the GTO’s in 64 due to higher prices and the fact most performance models sell in very low numbers necessitating global models being sold and for Chevy that is a tough one since they are only in a few global markets with this Cruize unlike Ford with the RS and VW with the GTI being sold almost everywhere.
The development cost are high and the profits are thin.
Sadly this paint and sticker job will sell in about the same numbers and bring in more profit.
Just bring the OPC Astra here and rebadge it as a Buick and also as a Holden and then send it to China to draw the volume needed.
All show. No go.
I have to agree that offering this to every car ruins the uniqeness of the special appearance package .
After looking at all the vehicles getting this special Red-Line package I see the Impala not mentioned at all . That car would do well to get the package with some real offerings , engine , suspension etc.
You’re right. If Chevy would use the TTV6 and AWD that is already available for the platform it is built on, you might see folks get excited about Impala again. It might even placate some of those who will morn the loss of the SS.
Well here is the problem doing this as an SS. Just look at he sake volume of the Cobalt SS. The reality is the volume is too low to make much on the investment.
Even the HHR SS sold less than 9000 unit over 3 years.
Also to do the car right it would need AWD And 300 HP. That will cost you about what the RS sells. $42,000.
Finally you need to find new customers as the GTI guys will not be coming over.
Now to do this right you need volume how do you do that? Going global with sales. Now that is the problem at Chevy as their global reach is limited. But!
With that said GM does have a vehicle already to fit this slot that can easily go global. The Opel OPC. This car can be a Holden, Vauxhall, and Buick. It also would be at a place it would be easier to sell at a higher price.
Ford would not be selling the RS here if it were not for global sales.
The scales of economics are not like they used to be. It is no longer enough to just make money they now have levels if profit that need met before they will approve development of a model.
Also today just dropping in a 300 hp engine in a FWD is not enough. You need to prepare the whole package.
Hey I know this sucks but that is the state of the market. Performance used to be a must but today it is only an add on sale and only taken on if the volumes and profits make it worth the investment over another CUV that is more like printing money. The reality is this is about making money.
I know you hate hearing it but it is the 600 pound gorilla in the corner. I also own a HHR SS and love it but it 9 years ago stickered at near $28,000 then and it lacks much like Awd as fwd sucks for traction. My SS has 300 HP and it is fast if I can get it to hook up. Launch control just slows it down. To do this right it needs Awd bad and to do it right it cost money.
The OPC is the best shot we have and I hope one day we see it.
Yet we have a Golf GTI, Focus / Fiesta ST and RS, Mazsdaspeed 3, Honda Civic SI, and Nissan Sentra Nismo. Chevrolet is the only one not playing in this field.
AND, ….. look at what DODGE is doing with low volume performance vehicles. Hmmmmmm, are they losing money and slowly, maybe, going out of business (or just NOT paying dividends). I am a serious GM fan having owned, GTO’S, Grand Sport, Z-28, Corvette, Trans-Am, Impala SS, … BUT, in todays market, I dislike seeing generic GM “performance”, that is “Just Another Vehicle”. And I do know GM makes great performance at high dollars, ….. ie. Camaro, Corvette, Cadillac offerrings (but they are pricey). By the way, does anyone have a value on a 1970 1/2 Z-28, original owner, 13,258 miles, white, turbo 400, positrac, 4:10 rear, console, radio ….. only options-? Back to “BADGING”–it would be exciting to own a REDLINE and have REAL PERFORMANCE at $33,000 to $38,000.
People keep commenting about more hp and or stage kits from the dealer. Well that was done by all three American makers with the dodge neon srt-4, ford focus RS, and cobolt SS supercharged. All had stage packages from the factory and more hp just like everyone is saying in the comments . the problem was that this wasn’t as popular as thought and sales were slow for all three makers. Well, lesson learned ! Majority sells, and in the case of these cars the majority wants nice looks and good gas mileage. I had a srt-4 with dodge stage 2 kit, loved it!! To bad we are the minority