vLane Blog

The Future of GM Part 3: 2011 Chevrolet Spark

From Banovsky, Featured Contributor
Posted on July 2, 2009

Filed under GM, General Motors, Hatchback, Future, Green, Mileage, Feature, Chevrolet, Detroit, 2011, Spark

In this five-part series (including the 2010 Buick LaCrosse and 2011 Chevrolet Cruze), we'll take a look at some of the most exciting products that GM has in the pipeline. It's not a commercial, either: with 60.8 per cent of the company now owned by the US taxpayers — and 11.7 per cent by Canadian taxpayers — it's a good time to look at how well our investments are holding up.

The Spark is one of the first truly global GM cars. The company has developed this Aveo replacement, based on a seriously upgraded platform to compete with small cars the world over.

Click through for more info, photos, and a video with GM designer Dave Lyon!

Not much is known about the Spark apart from its styling, which is a pretty strong base to begin with. It'll compete with the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, and upcoming Ford Fiesta for subcompact car superiority.

Inside you'll find hugely upgraded interiors that are worlds apart from the little re-badged Korean prison cells the company currently offers. From the motorcycle-inspired gauge cluster to color-accented trim, the Spark finally looks the part.

In Europe, buyers will be able to choose from 1.0 and 1.2-liter 4-cylinder engines, while here in the US you can expect 1.3 and 1.4-litre models — hopefully with a turbocharger attached for extra power.

Read More:

• Future of GM Part 1: 2010 Buick LaCrosse
• Future of GM Part 2: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
• Opinion: the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro RS
• Interesting Car Names: The Wuling Little Tornado

Banovsky is a featured contributor for vLane.