Reports: Cruze delay done to improve engine performance

Senior General Motors executives pushed back the launch of the Chevrolet Cruze for more time to improve engine performance, reports said.

The Associated Press and The New York Times this week quoted GM officials as saying the shifting and quietness of the car needed to be improved to match industry leaders.

Since the delay that was announced last month, GM has been running the Cruze in 80 mph test runs with the Honda Civic to find ways to match the segment-leading model, The Times reported.

The reports provide more details than GM released when it announced that its Lordstown complex would launch the car in the July to September quarter of 2010, instead of April. Officials last month said the automaker just wanted to be sure the launch would go smoothly.

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