An all-new show car will take centre stage at Paris alongside the new Cruze family saloon, as Chevrolet looks to further its incredible growth in Europe.

The seven-seat Orlando show car is a clear indication of how the company plans to move into areas of the market where it can attract new customers. The compact Orlando combines the attributes of an SUV and an MPV, with a stylish yet bold appearance and a practical seven-seat interior.

At the front, the car displays Chevrolet's signature double-deck radiator grille and prominent ‘bow-tie' logo, while the octagonal windscreen, concave bonnet and steeply raked window line reflect styling cues first seen on the WTCC Ultra concept, first shown at the 2006 Paris show.

Orlando Show Car

Featuring three rows of seats in a theatre-style layout, the Orlando's interior can comfortably accommodate up to seven adults, yet when the need arises the cabin can be quickly transformed to give a large, flat load carrying area.

The driver's environment is particularly well detailed, with a steeply raked centre console incorporating the gear lever, brushed metal-effect details and smart blue-backlit dials.

Power comes from Chevrolet's 2.0-litre 150PS common rail turbo-diesel engine developing 320Nm of torque, making it both lively and fuel-efficient.

Orlando Show Car

The newcomer is a powerful suggestion of a future addition to the Chevrolet line-up, and will join the all-new Cruze compact family saloon on the Chevrolet stand at Paris, alongside two more new models that will be announced before the show opens in early October.

The news comes at a great time for Chevrolet in the UK – despite a downward turn in the British car market as a whole, sales in August were 43 per cent up on the same period in 2007, with overall sales for 2008 showing a 12 per cent increase year-on-year.