General Motors India (GMI) here on Thursday launched its Chevrolet Cruze which comes with a new 2-litre diesel engine and added features.

The new Cruze is offered in three variants – LT, LTZ MT (manual transmission) and LTZ AT (automatic transmission) – and seven colours. While the ex-showroom Hyderabad prices of LT and LTZ MT are Rs 14,08,966 and Rs 15,02,609 respectively, the price of LTZ AT is Rs 15,94,198.

“The Cruze is all about value, refinement and power-packed performance combined with an array of unique features," GMI president and managing director, Lowell Paddock, told mediapersons.

Stating that the Cruze had received overwhelming response from customers across India since its launch in 2009, Paddock expressed the hope that the vehicle would continue to stand out against the competition in its segment.

During the first half of the current calendar year, GMI sales have declined by seven per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year. The company, which has an installed capacity to produce 225,000 units a year, had sold a total of 111,510 vehicles last year.

GMI sales, marketing and after sales vice-president, Sumit Sawhney, said that the company was producing according to the demand and hence does not have any built-up inventory of vehicles.

“We all are looking forward for a turnaround sometime during the festival season," the company’s vice-president (corporate affairs), P Balendran,l said .

He said that GMI’s growth rate this year would be in tune with the overall growth of the industry, which was expected to be 8-10 per cent.