Chevy Orlando For Eur Eyes Only

Not so long ago, GM teased us with the prospect of building the Chevy Orlando in the U.S., and even selling the mini minivan here. Pffft. GM execs say they aren’t prepared to take the chance.

It’s a seven seater built on the same platform as the Chevy Cruze. It could, then, be built at the Lordstown, Ohio plant. The Euro-sized minivan is similar in size and package to the Mazda5. Mazda has sold about 16,000 through September, though with no marketing support to speak of and limited allocation.

GM is effectively out of the minivan business in the U.S., having ditched the segment for full-sized crossover SUVs like Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave.

Some believe that the Euro minivan segment could become a profitable segment in the U.S. as fuel prices rise and more one and two-child families bypass traditional minivans for smaller packages.

However, the Orlando lacks the one thing minivan owners, and Mazda5 owners,like—-a sliding door, which is crucial for getting small kids in and out of carseats in cramped U.S. parking lot spaces.

Chevy Orlando Show Car

• Looks like: The guy that designed the Pontiac Aztek found a new job
• Defining characteristics: Compact seven-seater with over-stylized snout
• Ridiculous features: Glass roof with what appear to be solar cells
• Chance of being mass-produced: In Europe, nearly 100%; in the U.S., chances are 50/50

We caught our first glimpse of the Orlando a few weeks back, but today we see every angle of the Cruze-based MPV, including a radically truncated rear. Man, that is one flat backside.

Chevy calls the Orlando a “show car,” but it looks nearly ready for production, with the same basic interior design and materials as the Cruze. The three-row people-mover has a 60/40-split second row and a 50/50-split folding third row. Both can fold flat to create a very large, flat cargo area. The seatbacks are covered with a metal finish, but we’d expect something more affordable, like durable plastic, in a production version.

There’s also a storage bin under the rear cargo floor.

A small turbo-diesel is planned for the European model, if it’s produced, but the new turbocharged, 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that GM announced for the U.S. last week could serve duty under the Orlando’s hood if it does go on sale here.

Check out the photos below and let us know if you think Chevy should bring the Orlando stateside.

News Chevy Orlando Concept Unveiled In Paris, Shows What Pontiac Aztek Could Have Been

Yeah, we said it: The Chevy Orlando Concept shown here on the Paris Auto Show floor is the spiritual successor to the Pontiac Aztek. And in this case, we mean that as a complement: The Aztek had a ton of great interior features going for it, and the Chevy Orlando takes that post-minivan people-mover spirit and wraps it in sharp-looking sheet metal. The Orlando seats seven, has five doors and is based on the Cruze platform, meaning it has a shot at actually being really fuel-efficient, particularly with its Euro 2-liter diesel. We're not sure how much fun it would be hauling seven folks around with a 1.4-liter turbo motor here in the states, though, so it'll be interesting to see how — and if — it evolves for our market.

Chevy Orlando Concept On The Paris Show Floor

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Inside The Seven-Passenger Chevy Orlando Concept

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Chevrolet Orlando show car signals entry into new segment for the brand

Detroit - The Orlando show car, making its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October, is a clear indication that Chevrolet is considering an expansion to its portfolio with a seven-seat multi-purpose vehicle with distinctive sport utility-like design, adaptable seating and impressive interior space.

Based on the recently announced all-new Cruze compact sedan, the Orlando show car carries Chevrolet’s signature design language into a new vehicle segment. It explores the potential of combining the versatility attributes of a sport utility, a family van and a wagon in a single execution.

Chevrolet Orlando cuts a distinctive silhouette, replacing conventional monocab proportions with a more defined contrast between the hood and windshield lines. With flared fenders instead of a flat side-body, Orlando has a muscular stance that gives it the appearance of a sport utility vehicle, yet it offers dynamic ride and handling, excellent fuel efficiency and easy entry thanks to its car-based architecture.

Inside, the five-door Orlando is designed to meet the needs of families and those who need plenty of seating capacity with adaptable, theater-style seating in three rows that comfortably accommodate up to seven occupants. Whenever load carrying becomes a priority, the spacious cabin can be quickly transformed into a large cargo area. A generous 2760 mm wheelbase and wide front and rear tracks provide Orlando with outstanding interior roominess.

Chevrolet’s latest-generation 2.0-liter turbo diesel, developing 150 hp and 320 Nm of torque, provides a powerful and fuel efficient powertrain.

Following the recent announcement of the all-new Cruze sedan, the Orlando show car promises another page in Chevrolet’s product portfolio and another step in Chevrolet’s plan to offer customers around the globe impressive value, quality and fuel efficiency.

Chevy Orlando Concept reveals its rear 2010

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the Chevy Orlando

The Chevy Orlando, due to be revealed at next month's Paris Motor Show, has turned tail and the rendering doesn't look half-bad. It's mildly reminiscent of the Audi A2 from way back when, in an exaggerated, chunked-up way, and we get a little Volvo feeling from the sculpted area of the rear lights. Overall, we give it a thumbs up.

The Orlando is a compact seven-seater, and the dip in the rear roofline means that those last to occupants might need to be especially compact. However, the intended audience is probably not the local WNBA team, so the kids should fit just fine. With a hot front and rear, and an interior that nearly qualifies as dreamy, this is the kind of thing we're looking forward to checking out in the flesh. Stay tuned for Paris...

Chevy Orlando concept previews compact 7-seater for Europe

Click either image for a hi-res gallery of the Chevy Orlando

GM has announced that it will unveil the Chevy Orlando show car at the Paris Motor Show next month. The compact 7-seat crossover has a 105-inch wheelbase, rides on the same platform (Delta II) as the Chevy Cruze and gets turbodiesel power from a 2.0-liter four. The Orlando and the Chevy Tacuma prototype caught testing in disguise would appear to be one and the same, and as the Tacuma spy shots hinted, instead of a traditional vannish MPV appearance, the Orlando show car demonstrates that the production vehicle will follow the CUV pack and adopt tougher-looking SUV styling queues (Quien es mas macho? Orlando.) A substantial split grille dominates the front end, along with headlights that sweep back onto the front fender. Inside, an attractive cabin blends styling elements from a number of modern Chevys and Opels. We'll get the rest of the skinny and report back live from the Paris show next month.