Chevrolet’s new Spark (codenamed M300) a.k.a Chevrolet Mini was caught by an Autocar India reader, while undergoing fuel economy testing in Chennai. The new Spark, which happens to be Chevrolet‘s second car for this year following the Cruze, will be launched in the end of this year (maybe sooner).
Since a greater part of the car will be built at GM’s Talegaon facility near Pune, the new Spark/Mini will sport a more modest price tag ranging from Rs 3.5-4.5 lakhs.
The car measures 3640mm in length and will be powered by a 1.2L petrol engine. There are also talks of retaining the old Spark’s 1.0L petrol engine as well as introducing a new three-cylinder diesel variant.
The Chevrolet Mini (for the Indian market) which was intended for release at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last month (until internal issues struck GM), will be showcased in next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The Chevrolet Mini mules were spotted munching miles across the United States, most recent spotting was at the Rochester University campus in NY.
The success of its two hatchbacks – the Aveo U-VA and the Spark and new releases from other automakers – has spurred GM India to think of bringing the Chevrolet Mini sooner than ever!
GM is now working out all odds to bring in the ‘Mini’ and heat up the premium hatchback space. The Chevrolet Mini which is based on the Beat concept (showcased two years back in New York Auto Show) will come with frugal Petrol and Diesel engine options; expected to be positioned above the Chevrolet U-VA and priced around that range.
The Chevy Mini as it appears (in pictures), would be a large hatchback- possibly the largest hatchback India has seen (we’ll leave out the SRV for now)! But this is just a speculation (a visual perception), as no dimensions have been revealed yet.
After revealing pictures of the Chevrolet Beat production version last week, GM seems to have more surprises in store. At the Detroit Auto Show, General Motors revealed that its all-new Chevrolet Spark would go on sale in the United States by 2011 and would reach South Korea & Europe in early 2010. The Beat concept small car which was showcased at the New York Auto Show in 2007, has been selected to become a global car – The Spark. Sources at Chevrolet confirmed that the production car will make its world debut at March’s Geneva Motor Show. The five-door compact small car will be sold as a world car to replace the current Matiz.
It’s Christmas! But that won’t stop us from giving you content. In today’s Audio Cast, I talk about the 2010 Chevrolet Beat. Harry goes on and on about the G-Power Hurricane, which has taken the crown away from the Brabus Rocket as the world’s fastest sedan. Dave speaks about the Skoda Octavia Park Assist which has sent waves through the U.K. And what better way can there be to end today’s conversation than discussing what we’re shopping for the New Year!
A very swift spy photographer has had a shot of heavily camouflaged Chevrolet Beat prototype lounging around at New York’s Rochester Institute of Technology. The camouflaged runabout was spotted in a parking lot on the university’s grounds.
As you may recall, the Chevy Beat was the most popular of a trio of concepts (Beat,Groove & Trax) that Chevy showed to the world at last years New York Auto Show. Based on General Motors’ new global mini-car platform, the Beat was originally designed to be the sportiest of the triplets with only two doors and a 1.2L 16-valve DOHC inline-four cylinder,turbocharged petrol engine mated to either a manual or automatic gearbox.
Speculation has it, that the Chevrolet Beat will be launched in the Korean markets first, as a four door version and without a turbocharger. The production is set to take place there in mid-2009, but with GM struggling to make its ends meet even after receiving the bail-out package, delays should be inevitable.
The latest edition of AutoBild magazine has a rendering of the Chevrolet Beat, along with 24 other cars. Grab a copy- it’s an exciting read full of eye candy.
