General Motors has delayed the launch of its next-genration Chevrolet Cruze by a whole year due to an engineering problem and "the desire to squeeze more sales" out of the vehicle before it's completely redesigned according to Reuters.
Canadian Auto Workers union leaders at a plant in Stratford, Ontario have already started announcing the delay to crew members.
"It was disappointing to hear that the Chevy Cruze program has been pushed back a year and will not start until 2015," CAW Local 4451 Chairwoman Karen Fleming said according to Reuters.
The next Cruze, which was supposed to begin production in late 2014, will now start production in December 2015 according to unidentified sources who spoke to Reuters.
GM Spokeswoman Annalisa Bluhm declined to comment on the plans, and only said the latest Cruze has sold well since being released.
The next Cruze will feature a completely redesigned exterior and interior, with a larger trunk and more space for passengers.
The vehicle will also achieve a better fuel economy according to the GM sources.
During the first six months of 2013, U.S. sales of the Cruze increased 17 percent to almost 134,000 vehicles sold. The Cruze ranked second among best selling passenger cars, falling behind Toyota's mid-size Camry according to GM.
The Cruze was first introduced in 2009 shortly after GM came out of bankruptcy with the help of a $50 billion U.S. taxpayer bailout provided by the Obama administration.
By the end of 2013 however, the Cruze will be one of GM's oldest models, making it that much more important for the company to release the next Cruze with a completely new look.
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