Buried among its other massive news announced earlier today in Detroit, General Motors confirmed the long-speculated and rumored delays of a handful of its key products. Formerly set to be released during 2009 as 2010 model-year cars, the Cadillac CTS Coupe, Saab 9-5 wagon and sedan, 9-4x and Chevroelt Cruze have all been pushed back a year.
The most notable of that quintet of new models is the Chevrolet Cruze – Chevy’s upcoming Cobalt replacement – which will go on sale overseas a year before production begins at Lordstown, Ohio. GM is banking on the Cruze as a high-volume, high-profit premium compact car.
Also important to note is that the Saab 9-5 replacements have been pushed back yet another year. The current 9-5 dates to 1998 (1999 in the United States), though it was subject to a fairly extensive 2006 update. This leaves Saab with a small product portfolio since the Chevrolet TrailBlazer-based 9-7x SUV will go out of production when the Moraine, Ohio, assembly plant shuts its doors on December 23.
Though the CTS coupe was delayed, the CTS wagon will still debut as a 2010 model in 2009.
