SPY PICS: Nurburgring Nubira is new Viva

Holden's slow selling Viva will be upgraded with a new 'Euro-style' look in 2009. That's the news revealed in these pics from the spymeisters at Carparazzi.

More adventurous in styling than the current model, the camouflaged prototype caught undergoing testing at the Nürburgring is a sedan with a short rear overhang, rising waistline and more prominent sculpture lines. Rear disc brakes are fitted and the alloy wheels are fastened with five studs, as opposed to the four studs of the current Viva.

The doors appear to reflect contemporary styling trends -- as seen in the BMW Z4 -- and the deep, recessed grille lends itself to the new Chevrolet frontal styling theme introduced for 2008 with the American market Malibu.

To be sold in world markets as the Chevrolet Nubira (and Oz as the new Viva?), the new car has been developed by GM-Daewoo and is due for release in 2009. Frontal styling will reportedly carry over some of the cues introduced in the Epica mid-size car recently. The most obvious of these are the headlights which sweep along the leading edge of the front quarter panels.

Daewoo's J-Car platform in Australia was originally the Nubira, before being replaced by the Lacetti, which was subsequently re-branded as the Holden Viva. GM acquired Daewoo and Holden later closed down the local Daewoo dealer network. Holden owns a substantial share of GM-Daewoo, on behalf of GM.

The 2009 Nubira will be an international design effort but likely features significant input from Holden, through the appointment of former Holden designer Max Wolff and other Aussies to the Daewoo design team.

-- with Carparazzi