France: World premiere for Chevrolet Orlando at Paris show
By: Glenn Brooks, Tuesday, September 09, 2008, AutomotiveWorld.com
A seven-seater concept version of a new minivan for Chevrolet will be revealed at the Paris show. The Orlando show car is believed to be the basis for a vehicle to replace Chevrolet Europe's Tacuma, or, in some markets, Rezzo. This nine-year old vehicle is a rebadged version of the Daewoo Rezzo/Tacuma.
GME says the new model, as expected, uses the same architecture as the forthcoming Chevrolet Cruze. This means Delta 2. The next Opel and Vauxhall Zafira will also no doubt be closely related to the eventual production version of the Orlando concept.
If the Rezzo/Tacuma replacement shares the concept's 2,760mm wheelbase, it should be a far roomier vehicle (2,600mm).
The concept is said to be powered by what GME calls Chevrolet's 150hp (112kW) 2.0-litre I4 turbodiesel engine. This is highly likely to be the VM Motori unit used by Chevrolet Europe in other vehicles. General Motors owns 50% of the Italian powertrain specialist, with Penske having recently sold the remaining 50% to Russia's GAZ Group.
As yet there is no news from GM on production plans for the Orlando show car. A replacement for the Daewoo Rezzo is overdue, however, and so the South Korean market is expected to see the first production version of such a model. Though by no means confirmed, GM Daewoo is expected to build the replacement for Chevrolet Europe's Rezzo/Tacuma.
A production version of the Orlando may also be built at GM's Hamtramck plant in Michigan in 2009. Chevrolet division is believed to be due to release a rival for the Mazda5, one of the few entrants, along with the Kia Rondo, in this segment of the US market, later next year.
Published on Tuesday, September 09, 2008
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