All of us over here in the colonies have historically never treated the ole hatchback concept with any fervor. This disdain for the “junk in the trunk” versions of our favorite sports cars has been declining lately as more and more hatchbacks, shooting brakes, fastbacks and slant backed-whathaveyous have been making their way across the pond in recent years. Some have succeeded, some have failed, some have just meh’d. What the latest Cruze is bringing to the table however, seems to be a prime example of a hatchback done right.

Now before you get all hissy, keep in mind that this model isn’t set to invade U.S. shores… yet. It was just announced for the rest of the globe in Paris last week and since then, has been developing quite the brew ha-ha for U.S. duty – which is why we have brought it to you, the live free or die GM fans, to discuss, rant, rave or dismiss.

From a purely subjective standpoint, the Cruze hatchback seems to translate over well the clean, simple and forward design of its trunk-laden counterpart – a plus for sure. With some high-offset wheels and a lower stance, this version has the opportunity to even be better looking than the Cruze sedan.

Look over all, that’s right we said ALL, of the shots in the gallery below and then share with us your thoughts in the comment section below. Should we throw this one off the boat, or bring out the welcome wagon?

We know, we know. You want to pick up a Cruze the first day they hit the streets but you’re not exactly sure what options you want yet. Luckily, the Chevy team feels your pain and has supplied a handy dandy Cruze configurator so you can let your imagination run wild. Feel free to customize as many Cruzes (Cruzi? Cruzeses?) as you can and let us know what your favorite package would be in the comments section. For the uninitiated, the whole Cruze deal starts at $16,275 for the LS model and if you want to get hooked up with the turbocharged LUJ, the boosted Cruze kicks off at $18,175. The Cruze comes pretty well stocked from the factory, but there are a few options you can cycle through to make your Cruze your own. Get to work on your custom Cruze here - http://www.chevrolet.com/vehicles/2011/cruze/build.do

There’s one thing we love about the Europeans: they know exactly how to slap a large motor in a small car - such is the case with the latest Chevy Spark we just laid eyes on. Apparently some guys at Chevrolet’s office in Europe thought that it’d be a good idea to transplant the new LUJ 1.4L Turbo motor into the upcoming B-segment hopeful, the Chevy Spark, and send it out for WTCC pace car duty. All we know is that we’d like to meet the man that thought of this idea and buy him a drink.

The LUJ puts out an incredible 140hp out of its miniscule 1.4L displacement – that’s less space than that bottle of Mountain Dew you pounded last night. That’s not N/A of course and comes via the help of the snail integrated into the header of the ECOtec four. And keep this in mind; the LUJ has an iron block… That means it’ll eat boost up better than your Uncle at the Sizzler buffet. For that reason, we can’t wait to see what Tuners do with this motor when it finally makes its way over to the States this fall underhood of the Chevy Cruze (WTCC-version Cruze shown in the background of the image above).

Fun fact: the Spark only tips the scales at 1,905lbs. Do the math on that and let us know how easy it will be to clean house at your local test-and-tune on Friday night in a LUJ-powered Chevy Spark. For now though we’re forced to live vicariously through the WTCC pace car iteration of the turbo Chevy Spark and hope that it comes as an option on the US Spark order form.

Would you be down to roll out in a Spark Turbo? What would you be willing to spend on such an automobile should it be parked at your local dealer? Let us know in the comments below!

It’s almost officially Chevy Cruze time and with that comes the onslaught of aftermarket Tuners that are foaming at the mouth to get their paws on the new GM Sport Compact halo car. DUB seems to be one of the very first Tuners that got their hands on the new Cruze and they didn’t waste any time giving it the DUB treatment. We have to say also that we think they achieved the perfect stance every Cruze should have right off the bat. What are your thoughts on the DUB Edition Chevy Cruze? Would you rock it, or just let it roll on by? If you need some more details to make your decision, check out the video and full specs of the 2011 DUB Edition Chevy Cruze after the jump.

Ever since it was announced that the globally-popular Cruze would be replacing the Cobalt as the sport compact car entity in the GM lineup, many have been wondering what changes GM would make to the already successful Cruze platform when it finally comes to the US. As it turns out, not many. The Cruze is coming for blood against all competitors in the small car segment with some serious benefits for tuners as well. If you grab an LT or LTZ Cruze, you’ll be getting a 1.4L turbo under the bonnet with a choice of a 6-speed manual – no flappy-paddle gearboxes here, just a straight pull-throw stick is what you’ll find nestled in your right hand. The 1.4L Turbo engine is an ECOtec too so you know it can take some serious abuse from aftermarket tweaking and tuning. We’ll be interested to see what offerings tuners like Garrett will be putting out once this bad boy hits the streets. That’s just the beginning though, for full details about the U.S.-spec Chevy Cruze check out all the pics and the full press release after the jump. 

When you think Bumblebee, you think a small creature that you don't want near you on a summer day. Or, if you're a little geekier like us, you think giant Autobot that transforms into one of the coolest cars on the road today. In either case, the colors yellow and black come to mind, which is what makes the Chevrolet Cruze "Bumblebee" odd upon first sight. Like drinking milk out of a sports bottle, you just don’t expect what you get. However, what you do get here is quite a different and welcome take on the new Chevy Cruze, which is set to debut in the US next year.

The Cruze is almost here and it’s only a matter of time for the buzz to really start to take off. This video is a great example of how the Cruze WTCC car makes its way to the top of podium after podium after podium. The WTCC-version of the Cruze also shows off some cool performance mods that we hope *crosses fingers* make it over to the U.S. production version – namely the sick Chevy bowtie-camo wrap job. Check out the full video after the jump.

The Chevy Cruze is a proven performer in the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) series and has captured the hearts and minds of Sport Compact lovers already. We're excited to see what the Cruze has in store for us here in the states so our eyes are always open for anything Cruze we can find - which brings us to our Friday video.