General Motors has confirmed that the Orlando will not come to market in the U.S. despite previous plans to sell the seven-seat crossover. GM says the move was made to allow it to focus on its existing core brands.
According to the Kansas City Star, GM has announced that it will limit the Orlando’s sales to Canada, Europe and Asia, canceling previous plans to begin selling the CUV in the U.S. in 2011.
Bloomberg is reporting that auto dealers are to be notified of the change today, according to an interview with Margaret Brooks, Chevrolet’s product marketing director for small cars and crossovers.
“The best thing to do for Chevrolet is to focus on the brands we’ve already brought to market: the Traverse, Equinox, Malibu and, soon to come, the Cruze,” Brooks said. “We feel that with those vehicles, Chevrolet has plenty of options for the modern family.”
The Orlando had been unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, and was intended to effectively replace the HHR in Chevrolet’s lineup. The Orlando was based on the same Delta platform as the Chevrolet Cruze and Volt, but was configured to seat seven.
The Orlando was originally planned to be built in the U.S. at the Hamtramck, Michigan, plant, but those plans were canceled in late 2008.
References
1. ‘The consumer memo, 4/30…’ view
2. ‘GM scraps plan to sell seven…’ view
Source: Leftlane