Chevy Confirms Smallest-Ever Spark Minicar For U.S. In 2012

[EJD1984]

Chevy Confirms Smallest-Ever Spark Minicar For U.S. In 2012
GreenCarReports



The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact just going into production this month is the smallest car sold by Chevrolet in the U.S., but the bowtie brand isn't finished downsizing yet.

Today, General Motors confirmed that the Chevrolet Spark minicar will be sold in the U.S. GM's executive director of North American product communications, Jason Laird, confirmed with GreenCarReports that it would arrive "next year," with a launch during the first half (January to June) as a 2013 model.

In January 2009, before its bankruptcy and government-backed refinancing, GM had announced that the Spark would be sold in the U.S. in 2011--along with the Chevrolet Orlando small minivan, which was subsequently dropped from the U.S. product plan. Restructuring thus delayed the Spark's arrival roughly a year.

The Spark is the smallest car ever sold as a Chevy, with its roots in a trio of minicar concepts shown way back in 2007. The tiny five-door Spark hatchback is now on sale in a number of Asian countries, and has been an important model for Chevrolet in the global minicar segment, where the brand has had only a minor presence until now.

It is fitted with a variety of engines, starting with a 1.0-liter four-cylinder engine.

Laird tweeted from the Management Briefing Seminar conference in Traverse City, Michigan, that GM product chief Mark Reuss said the "Spark minicar will give Chevrolet A-B-C-D-E segment coverage for first time in [the] U.S."

In world auto-industry terminology, the Chevrolet Spark is considered an A-segment, or minicar, vehicle.

The Sonic is B-segment, or subcompact; the Cruze is C-segment, or compact; the Malibu is D-segment, or U.S. mid-size; and the Impala is E-segment, or full-size.

[toxictaz]

Hope it looks like the concept shown at the n y auto show a couple of years ago,

[WishIhadatruck]

Glad to hear it. I'm sure there will be quite a few buyers out there for it if the fuel economy and price is right. I'd never want to go that small but I'm sure many will. I do think the market is limited however so the fact that GM is one of the 1st into that segment is good. It looks like a good car as well.

[FierySolstice]

This is a good idea from GM. Plus it looks waay better in design than the Sonic.

[paul8488]

[B][SIZE="3"]
...with a launch during the first half (January to June) as a 2013 model...
..."Spark minicar will give Chevrolet A-B-C-D-E segment coverage for first time in [the] U.S."...
...In world auto-industry terminology, the Chevrolet Spark is considered an A-segment, or minicar, vehicle...
...and the Impala is E-segment, or full-size...

Is this an error, or will GM still be selling the Impala in the second half of 2012? Or will there be a new Impala by then?

[EJD1984]

Just a little off-topic.

The Sonic is B-segment, or subcompact; the Cruze is C-segment, or compact; the Malibu is D-segment, or U.S. mid-size; and the Impala is E-segment, or full-size.

Since when/how did the W-Body (Luminia) change from a mid-size to a "full-size". Wishful Chevrolet thinking? (a gripe of mine for years)

[paul8488]

Hope it looks like the concept shown at the n y auto show a couple of years ago,

It looks EXACTLY like the car in the original post. It's already been out for over a year in many other world markets, and if they need to change it at all for US standards, any visual changes will be very very minimal.

[nadepalma]

Good news. However, I wonder if the design will be unchanged or if the North American version of the car will get some kind of update before it debuts on our shores?

While I like the look of the Spark, it arguably deserves a bit of a refresher. Granted, it was never sold on our shores, and consumers shouldn't be tired of it's appearance, but I can't help but feel as though the design is a bit tired and over-exposed over the last few years since it made it's first appearance on the world state.

Just my opinion, of course.

[Dr. Show-Me]

Since when/how did the W-Body (Luminia) change from a mid-size to a "full-size". Wishful Chevrolet thinking? (a gripe of mine for years)

Mine too. A wide 4 passenger car isn't "full-size" just because you say it is. Objectively it takes 60 inches of shoulder and hip room to be a "3-wide" car or truck, a width nowadays only found on the trucks and suvs. Nearly everything else is more like "EPA-category" full-size.

[CJH]

Anybody know what mileage it gets with the 1.0?

[Ronald McChevy]

Good news. However, I wonder if the design will be unchanged or if the North American version of the car will get some kind of update before it debuts on our shores?

While I like the look of the Spark, it arguably deserves a bit of a refresher. Granted, it was never sold on our shores, and consumers shouldn't be tired of it's appearance, but I can't help but feel as though the design is a bit tired and over-exposed over the last few years since it made it's first appearance on the world state.

Just my opinion, of course.

To you and me it's old news, but remember that 99% of the US population has never seen this car and has no idea it even exists.

[Slideways]

Since when/how did the W-Body (Lumina) change from a mid-size to a "full-size". Wishful Chevrolet thinking? (a gripe of mine for years)

It's no conspiracy by Chevrolet, they don't set the vehicle class sizes.

Lumina has 101 cubic feet of passenger volume and 15.7 cubic feet cargo volume for a total of 116.7 cubic feet.

Impala has 104.5 cubic feet of passenger volume and 18.6 cubic feet of cargo volume for a total of
123.1 cubic feet.

Per US vehicle standards, any car other than a station wagon with more than 120 cubic feet of passenger and cargo volume is fullsize and 110-119.9 is midsize.

[Quickening]

Saw these over in Italy, pretty cool little cars.

[DetroitIron]

My lawnmower has bigger tires.

[demonspeed]

For some reason, this is the first thing that pops in my mind: