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THE Cruze Chronology
2008
Aug. 21: General Motors Co. announces it will invest more than $500 million in the U.S. to build the Chevrolet Cruze, a new compact car, in Lordstown.
2009
Sept. 15: President Barack Obama visits the General Motors Lordstown plant.
2010
Feb. 23: Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, announces a third shift at Lordstown.
Sept. 8: The Cruze launches.
2011
May: The Cruze has its best month to date with 25,160 sales.
June: GM sells 22,711 Cruzes in May and becomes the first American-made vehicle to lead the compact-car category in five years.
July: Cruze becomes best-selling car in America in June, topping the Toyota Camry, after GM sells 24,896 of the Lordstown-built vehicles.
July 22: GM announces it will build a diesel model of the Cruze.
July 28: Nearly 9,000 attend the first open house at the Lordstown plant since 1986.
Oct. 20: GM announces $5.5 million investment in Lordstown to build the diesel Cruze, including the MyLink in-dash navigation and entertainment system.
2012
February: The Lordstown-built Chevrolet Cruze is named “Best Compact Car for the Money” by U.S. News and World Report.
April 25: GM makes 100 temporary workers at the Lordstown plant full-time employees.
May 2: Cruze sales drop by nearly 30 percent to 18,205 compared with 25,160 in April 2011.
June 16: GM announces the Cruze will have new features for 2013 including MyLink multimedia system, rear-vision camera and side blind-zone alert.
June 23: GM will recall all 413,418 Cruzes for the 2011 and 2012 model years because of the risk of a possible engine fire.
July: Automobile Magazine ranks the Lordstown plant as the ninth-highest producing vehicle plant in the U.S.
Aug. 23: GM announces $200 million investment in Lordstown plant for the next-generation Cruze.
2013
February: GM unveils Cruze diesel model at Chicago Auto Show.
March: Cruze cracks the top 10 most-sold passenger cars in February.
March: Cruze named the best 2013 compact car for families by U.S. News & World Report. Consumer Reports recommended three Cruze models to consumers based on crash-test results and improved reliability.
June: Media reports state the next-generation Cruze will be delayed by a year and come out during the 2016 model year.
July: GM’s sales figures show the Cruze had its best month yet in June 2013 with 32,871 sales.
August: GM recalls nearly 293,000 Cruze compact cars in the U.S. because the power-assisted brakes could fail.
September: Cruze celebrates its third anniversary.
2014
January: GM sales figures for 2013 show the Cruze with a record sales year, 4.4 percent higher than 2012.
February: GM recalls more than 1 million vehicles for faulty ignition switches. Among the recalled was the Chevrolet Cobalt, the Cruze’s predecessor.
March: GM halts some Cruze sales and expands worldwide ignition-switch recall.
March: 2015 Cruze unveiled at New York International Auto show.
April: One millionth Cruze rolls off the line at Lordstown.
May 2: GM announces a $50 million investment at its Lordstown plant for the next-generation Cruze.
June: United Auto Workers Locals 1112 and 1714 announce they will raffle off the 1-millionth Cruze to a union member. Proceeds made after covering the cost of the car go to St. Vincent DePaul Society in Youngstown.
June: About 33,000 2013 and 2014 Cruzes recalled for a bad part in the steering wheel air bag.
Aug. 4: Steve Notar Donato named the new GM Complex plant manager.
October: 2015 Cruze arrives to dealerships with a facelift.
November: Cruze named the 2014 fleet car of the year by Automotive Fleet and Business Fleet magazines. It beats 48 other cars.
November: Missouri-based NorthPoint Development purchases more than 170 acres of former GM property to develop an industrial park that will include GM Lordstown plant suppliers.
2015
March 23: GM announces Cruze will also be produced in Mexico, but it will not affect Lordstown.
April: NorthPoint Development announces summer plans to break ground on the Lordstown Logistics Center.
May: United Auto Workers Local 1112 re-elects Glenn Johnson as president.
May: GM announces the Cruze will be unveiled June 24 at a global event in Detroit.
June: More details of the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze are released: larger, yet lighter with new technology, powertrain and safety features.
June 12: Several Cruze owners from across the nation meet in Lordstown to talk about the Cruze and tour the Lordstown plant.