Chevrolet Spark: World Premiere at Geneva Auto Show

Fun and fashion add sizzle to mini-car segment
Youthful interior with motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster
Fuel-efficient 1.0-liter and 1.2-liter 4-cylinder DOHC engines

All-new mini-car with maximum attitude
The all-new Chevrolet Spark, making its world premiere at the Geneva auto show in March, is a small car designed to make a big statement. It’s big on style, big on fuel economy and, like all products carrying the Chevrolet gold bowtie, big on refinement and value.

Its design breaks the mold for mini-cars and takes Chevrolet’s signature styling elements to this vehicle segment in a youthful, fun and fashion-conscious way.

Spark was inspired by the Chevrolet Beat concept, the most popular of a trio of mini-car concepts that has toured international auto shows since 2007. A clear majority among 1.9 million internet voters said it was the car they wanted produced.

Exterior
The crisp lines of the five-door hatchback provide a wedge-like profile. Below Chevrolet’s hallmark two-tier grille and headlamps that resemble diamond cut lines, the shape of the fog lamp housings and the “floating” lower air intake extend the sense of forward movement. Strong wheel arches accommodate up to 15-inch wheels to give the car a dynamic, ready-to-go stance.

The rear door handles are integrated into the upper part of the door to preserve the clean lines of rear quarter panel and wheel arches. In the rear, an integrated tailgate spoiler and Chevrolet’s round tail lights add to Spark’s appeal.

With an overall length of 3,640 mm and a generous 2,375 mm wheelbase, Spark offers a spacious cabin with outstanding leg and hip room in the front and rear.

Interior
The design of Spark’s spacious cabin clearly matches its fun and fashion exterior look and functionality. A unique feature is the motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster. Mounted on the steering column, it provides easy- to- read information to the driver utilizing a combination of analog and digital displays.

With fresh colors and fabrics, exterior color schemes continue inside to Chevrolet’s signature ‘dual cockpit’ layout and the door panels. Textured inserts flow from the instrument panel to each side of the cabin into the doors, adding another eye-catching element to the interior.

Spark also boasts a high level of interior acoustic refinements typical of larger vehicles.

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The South Korean unit of General Motors Corp. said Monday it will begin selling the Chevrolet Spark mini-car in the United States in 2011 as part of the U.S. parent’s push to focus on smaller, fuel-efficient models.

What’s more, automakers can bring microcars to market at relatively low cost, since they already have developed the platforms for foreign markets, where they often sell extremely well.

“We’ve been thinking about dipping our toe into this market for a while now,” said Troy Clarke, GM’s president of North America. He predicts that the Spark, which will go on sale in Europe next year prior to coming stateside in 2011, could be a big success.

“It could be a 90,000 or more volume vehicle,” he said, adding that the company could consider an electric version.

The Spark is a microcar currently sold in markets including India and South America, but this new car has pretty much nothing to do with it. It takes all it’s styling for the Beat and, unlike the Spark, will actually be sold in North America. Originally, the triplet of concept cars was not meant for the American market.

But, apparently, the market has changed enough (and it has certainly changed) that pretty much the whole world will be able to buy one.