Filed under: Chevrolet, GM, Lightweight
Chevy will get mini car by 2011
Click on the photo for a high res gallery of the Trax
Although we were deeply saddened by the notion that General Motors would not be bringing its Beat subcompact car to the Unites States, the General is apparently planning to send a new minicar to America to replace the Aveo that we are currently
U.S. safety standards will enlarge the car somewhat, which is one major reason why GM won't be offering the Beat here. Somehow, smart and Toyota have figured out how to engineer small vehicles which can pass Federal crash tests, so we know it's not impossible. Regardless, the new vehicle is expected to be in showrooms no sooner than 2011, so there is plenty of time to stew over the decision.
Gallery: 2007 Chevy Groove Concept
Gallery: Chevy Trax Concept
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Craig 10:43AM (7/29/2008)
I'd like to see more balance between exterior and interior shots of a vehicle. I'm a prospective buyer. Once purchased I spend virtually 0% of my time outside the car and very close to 100% of my time inside. I'm far more interested in leg room, shoulder room, instrument layout, and storage space - okay, you can add interior color scheme too, than I am in what a vehicle looks like from the outside. There is no interest at all in shots of headlights or tail lights. I'm sure they meet safety requirements.
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Winsor 10:57AM (7/29/2008)
GM finally realizes we don't want dinosaur sport utes. Instead it offers baby dinosaurs. How about a small car that was designed by and for adults? The adorable baby car look may appeal to a few people for a short period in their lives, but shouldn't a corporation that has been going out of business for 25 years be shooting for wider appeal?
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Gordio 4:03PM (7/29/2008)
Why can't they just release all three, and compete with the scion trio?
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BoneHeadOtto 5:25PM (7/29/2008)
That Groove looks very similar on the front to teh scion xD. Pull up a picture of it and be amazed how similar they really are. The Groove does look good but why must all these cars sit in teh stratusphere like an SUV. I dont want or need ground clearance. It is bad for looks and gas mileage.
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collegedude10 12:58AM (7/30/2008)
2011.... why not now?
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Whopper 11:40AM (7/30/2008)
@collegedude10,
Because the normal gestation period for new car development is generally 3 years. 2008 + 3 = 2011 (math 101). If the design is complete, which it probably isn't, tooling is running 12 to 18 months. When I worked on this stuff the government didn't want to test prototypes, they wanted cars off of production tooling to certify safety and EPA results.
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paulstamser 12:40PM (7/30/2008)
This Trax vehicle looks very practical to me. It looks easy to get in and out of, good storage space, and yes, even some ground clearance. Just keep it small as possible and 50 mpg!
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This Is Me 5:02PM (7/30/2008)
Looks like a more rounded version of the Honda Element to me.
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