Spark-ing into life

It's not due to go on sale until the second half of this year, but technical details of Holden's new Spark light car have been revealed. Full specification and technical details of the compact hatch have been released in the right-hand drive UK market.

The second offering from General Motors' new global product plan after the Cruze, the Spark has been designed and developed by GM-DAT in South Korea. Although it will mostly likely carry the Holden Barina Spark badge locally, overseas it will be known as the Chevrolet Spark.

Specifications for the car are as we first revealed last month, with the one-model-only range set to sit alongside the next-generation Barina range that will be based on the Chevrolet Aveo RS concept that was previewed at last month's Detroit Motor Show. Both cars will be built by GM DAT (the company formely known as Daewoo) in South Korea to keep prices down.

In the UK the car will be available with both 1.0-litre and 1.2-litre four-cylinder engines, but Australia looks set to only adopt the larger unit. It produces 60kW at 6400rpm and 111Nm at 4800rpm. Chevrolet claims fuel consumption figures of 5.1L/100km on a combined cycle and 6.6L/100km on the urban cycle.

Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and no automatic is available yet. On the safety front the Spark is equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) and ABS brakes, which helped it earn a four-star NCAP rating.

"We've styled and engineered the Chevrolet Spark so that it can compete anywhere in the world where there's a demand for mini cars and the benefits they bring," said Jack Keaton, vehicle line executive for Spark, quoted in the UK material. "The Spark is, first and foremost, a car that offers great economy and manoeuvrability, yet it is also quite sophisticated. We think it will turn heads with an aggressively stylish design and we think it's going to make a lot of drivers happy with its dynamic ride and handling abilities."

He added: "We developed the Spark with the idea that buyers would feel they got a lot of vehicle for their currency. From a complete package perspective, we think the Spark will be among, if not the best five-door car in its segment. It offers high quality craftsmanship, is well-equipped with safety technologies and, most importantly, is fun to drive."

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at www.carsales.mobi