A Twee Three: Chevrolet Debuts Three Microcar Concepts
Apparently accompanied by blonde triplets, Bob Lutz, the chairman of GM, unveiled Chevrolet’s three new concept micro-cars at the New York Auto Show this past weekend. The Beat, the Groove, and the Trax (what, no Rhythm or Riff?) are all based on the small 137-inch platform shared with the Asian-built Chevrolet Spark. Designed in Korea, Chevrolet is hoping to capitalize on the currently building buzz around mini cars that are all the rage everywhere but in the U.S.
Aimed at the youth market, the display models feature hopefully not permanent garish colors. When did we start assuming that hip, young people have no aesthetic sense? Choices range from an electric green for the Beat to a “blaze” orange with burnt orange one-piece bumper for the Trax. The most understated of the bunch is the dark purple sheen for the — Chevy’s words, not mine — “Funkastalgic” Groove. Come on, Chevy, if you’re trying to appeal to urban youth, how about choosing an adjective that doesn’t sound like something that so obviously came out of the mouth of a 64-year-old white Midwest corporate exec?
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The Beat is the most fully realized of the concepts, with an interior layout and powertrain, while the Groove and Trax concepts were simply their outer shells at the New York show. The Beat is a three-door hatchback coupe with an in-your-face bulky front end and side sills and a sporty, steeply-sloped windshield. Cloth upholstery extends to the dash, which includes a navigation system and a pop-up jukebox. The Beat will most likely have a 1.2-liter turbo engine with an auto tran. It is being marketed as a tuner car, with opportunities for customization.
The wagon-like Groove gives nods to retro fat-fendered dragsters and borrows some appearance elements from the Scion and Element, as well as Chevy’s own HHR — namely its boxy shape and vertical windshield. The squared-off roof and pushed out wheels allow more interior room. A 1.0-liter diesel is planned for the Groove.
The Trax is an urban crossover SUV, and it is most closely related to the Spark. Chevy’s target is young drivers wanting SUV versatility without losing any street cred. The AWD Trax will feature an electronic limited slip differential to help keep costs down. Other SUV trimmings include a roof rack and back-mounted spare tire.
These microcars represent the smallest vehicle that Chevrolet will offer and are clearly an attempt to reinvigorate an urban segment that isn’t served by Chevy’s suburban sedans and its gigantic rugged trucks. They also will directly compete with the upcoming Smart Fortwo. Only one of these concepts is likely to make it to production, and Chevrolet has set up a website where people can vote for their favorite of the trio. In my opinion, the most realistic one for the U.S., despite or perhaps because it is the least distinctive, seems to be the Groove.
More specific information is at leftlane
