GM previews its small-car future

GM trio of funky minicars -- all wearing Chevrolet badges -- that were displayed at the recent New York Auto Show, exist officially to gauge public reaction to varied styling approaches.

Dubbed the Trax, Beat and Groove (leaving no doubt about the target market), the minicars were all styled at GM's South Korean design studio, where former Holden crayon-wielder Max Wolff is now the deputy director of advanced design.

Built on GM's 'global mini architecture', the concepts point to a potential replacement for the Chevy Spark -- formerly sold here wearing Daewoo Matiz badges. Make no mistake, however, when the models reach production, they'll be sold Down Under wearing Holden badges.

The bright orange, SUV-mimicking Trax is a five-door utility vehicle with a 1.0-litre engine, similar to the one that powers the existing Matiz.

The concept has a faux bash plate and other all-terrain cues such as external bonnet clips, wheelarch flares and roof rails, but in reality it's a fairly conventional city runabout with seating for four (or five at a pinch).

Notwithstanding the fact that it's a wannabe 4WD, there's plenty to like about the Trax's cute, perky styling. It's proof that microcars needn't be boring to look at.

Equally easy on the eye is the lime-green Beat. The aggressively styled three-door Beat seemingly has hot-hatch aspirations, and the fact that it's powered by a turbocharged 1.2-litre engine suggests it should be able to muster up a reasonable turn of speed.

Designed with 'fast-four' aficionados in mind, the Beat features a nicely integrated body kit and possibly the largest headlights (extend almost as far back as the windscreen) you'll ever see on a car this size.

The Beat's USPs include fibre-optic lights that produce a star pattern and a navigation unit that's hidden in the centre console. It also comes with an Alpine six-speaker stereo system that features a subwoofer mounted in the luggage compartment.

The dark grey Groove was inspired not by the tuner market but by a military helmet (we're not making this up!). GM says the intention was for potential buyers to feel safe by simply looking at the vehicle. So the emphasis is on looking tough rather than cute.

The Groove's 17-inch rear wheels were placed as far back in the chassis as possible to create the perception of length, says GM, while the long, flat cabin provides more interior space than would be expected of such a small vehicle.

Motive power for the Groove comes from a 1.0-litre turbodiesel engine, so it should undoubtedly be the fuel economy champion of this trio.

No production plans have been made public for the GM trio, however, with light cars playing an ever more important role in both established and emerging markets around the world, it's unlikely the General will dally for long…

To comment on this story click here.