Opel/Vauxhall Agila

[agman25]

This chassis may be what the Chevy Beat will be based on. This gives an Idea of what to expect.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/...2/?&R=EPI-5584

Vauxhall is claiming two brand new powertrains for the Agila and, fair enough, the 1.0-litre three cylinder and the 1.2-litre four are new to Vauxhall. Yep, you guessed it, they’re Suzuki engines, competitive in terms of power output (64bhp and 85bhp respectively) and CO2 – especially the 1.0, at 120g/km.

The 1.3 CDTi matches it for emissions, and that’s the familiar 74bhp diesel engine from the Corsa and Meriva. But diesel-powered city-cars make little sense in Britain, and the 1.2 petrol (131g/km) is expected to be the biggest seller. Vauxhall charges a £1600 premium for burning oil, which would take quite a few miles to pay off at 62.8mpg, when the 1.2 manages 51.4mpg. The thrifty 1.0-litre splits the two on fuel efficiency at 56.5mpg.

Those mpg numbers are imperial not US.

[jkennedy293]

Looks like a new Aveo to me.

[Bravada]

Just for the record - this is a rebadged Suzuki Splash, not a GM platform per se.

[Toto]

I bet Suzuki will bring the "Agila" to the US first.

Opel Agila / Suzuki Splash

[Koasterking]

I like it; the Opel more than the Suzuki. I can see it fit well in Saturn.

[agman25]

It is based on a Suzuki Swift platform. So, with a slightly larger engine could be a great drive. Imagine a Twin Turbo 1.4 with 140 hp.

[t-rex]

But remember GMDAT are tipped to develop and produce the Beat... and since Suzuki own a big chunk of GMDAT (people so often forget that!) it's quite possible, if not outright likely, the Beat will ride the Splash/Agila platform.

Just looking at the Micro Trio in photos, it's easy to tell by their proportions that they're Agila-sized.

I'd all but bet cash that if/when the Beat arrives, it'll be on the Splash's platform...

As for the Splash/Agila, I actually prefer the Splash's front sheetmetal. It's a bit more bland than the Opel, but I find it more aggressive-looking and less feminine than Opel's treatment.

[paul8488]

I'd forgotten about the Splash... when is it coming out?!?

[ctaylorzl1]

I could deffinatly see that for the Beat! I like it alot, even the interior is nice, all except for the one huge Mini style guage. I hate it when they do that with the guages. I say bring it on!

[Bravada]

Originally Posted by t-rex

But remember GMDAT are tipped to develop and produce the Beat... and since Suzuki own a big chunk of GMDAT (people so often forget that!) it's quite possible, if not outright likely, the Beat will ride the Splash/Agila platform.

I think it is more likely GM DAT would either rework the Matiz platform or come up with a smaller version of the Gamma.

Just looking at the Micro Trio in photos, it's easy to tell by their proportions that they're Agila-sized.

The Trax, IIRC, looked like a reworked Matiz, so it's more like reworked Matiz than anything else.

I'd all but bet cash that if/when the Beat arrives, it'll be on the Splash's platform...

Good for you, cause I was hoping for some quick buck...

As for the Splash/Agila, I actually prefer the Splash's front sheetmetal. It's a bit more bland than the Opel, but I find it more aggressive-looking and less feminine than Opel's treatment.[/quote]

I really don't know with all this "aggressive" and "feminine" stuff. You guys prefer woman, to say so, right? So why would you want a masculine looking car? Regardless of the fact that I don't see much masculinity or feminity (voc?) in auto design, I believe a heterosexual male should be attracted to a "feminine" design. But seriously, I believe a design is just good or bad. The Agila front looks swollen and uproportional on the small body - the Suzuki front end is just better designed to fit.

As concern aggressiveness - I am always thinking of Christine when I am hearing of an aggressive car. Why would anyone want aggression? I want a car that looks wonderful, not one that bites. I know its only me, I just don't get it why aggressiveness might be a good trait...

[paul8488]

Some people listen to Slipknot, others listen to Celine Dion... some people have Rotweillers, others have Poodles... some people find Posh Spice beautiful... others prefer Kirsten Dunst... some buy abstract modern art... others prefer pictures of flowers... are we really going to have a discussion about how some people like aggressive looking cars while others like more simple and clean?!?

I personally can appreciate both... but I typically like a car that looks like it will bite someone. It's a machine... you're not meant to hug it à la Neon ("HI... I'm a big dork!"). Now when we're talking about a little city car I am more inclined to like something a little less angry... but at the root of it I totally get why many men prefer aggressive cars, and don't think it's that much of a mystery.

That said I don't see much difference between the Splash and Agila... I think that I do prefer the Splash, though, as the headlights are slightly less bubbly. This is a car I'd buy in a second. I love this class of vehicle. I like the 'bend' to the back of it, just below the rear window. Adds some character. Any ideas when it hits showrooms in Europe?

As for it spawning the Traxx or Beat or whatever... it doesn't make any sense to design another vehicle on the same platform, does it? What's the point? There can't be much profit in a little buggy like this... it would make more sense, I think, if they built an even smaller (aka direct competitor to the C1 and Twingo and company) vehicle for Chevrolet... but that's more or less a Matiz replacement, isn't it? Not sure I have these mini cars all figured out...

[eb110americana]

I like the Agila over the Splash. Mostly, they're pretty close, other than the nose and a few rear end details. I like the nose of the Agila, as the hood angle seems less steep, giving it more of a two box shape, rather than that of a shrunken minivan. Its headlights and trim also look more upscale to me and the "V" shaped rear window sill seems more interesting and well designed.

But anyway, if GM could sell a vehicle in this size class from Saturn and Chevy, I think it would be a sales success for them. A shorter (height) car might not hold enough to be acceptable to Americans used to larger vehicles, so the tall car proportions of this model should actually swallow an acceptable amount. The small engines and light weight will be necessary to meet the upcoming 35mpg CAFE standards without average vehicle prices skyrocketing by $20K. Because of that, the sooner GM starts making efforts in this class, the better.

At first these things will just be for teens, singles, those who find them cute, and the eco-conscious looking to save a few dollars and some gas. Once they become more standard fare, I can see families getting by just fine with a car this size. In that right, they should start out cheaper around $10K-$20K now, and gradually gain options and nicer interiors as we approach 2020 so that they cost $15K-$30K. If they came with leather, nav, bluetooth, mp3 compatibility, soft touch materials on the dash, doors, and console, HID/LED lighting, auto climate control, power seats, wheel, windows, remote start and locks, etc., they would be too costly to draw buyers now. But by 2020, those very things could make this a comfortable car that GM could actually make a decent profit on as larger vehicle sales decline, rather than lose customers to other brands which do compete in this class.

I would like to see an engine around 1L in displacement with the technology of the Solstice GXP/Sky RL 2.0L mill. Namely, twin scroll turbo, intercooler, DI, but in a smaller package. In the future, since the LNF engine can be tuned for 300+ hp and similar torque now, I see no reason why an engine half its size could not make 130-150hp and 150 lb ft torque. Such an engine in a car this size weighing 2183 lbs (990kg) would be plenty for a top of the line model and should still get insane mpg. It would also make a great standard/optional engine in the Cobalt, Malibu, Vue, Astra, Aura, G6, etc.

[Bravada]

Paul - we both tend to like similar designs, so it's not that. I really don't know what's so aggressive about them - they are sleek, dynamic (not sure about the use of this word in English in this context), full of character, interesting, inspiring, stylish, chic etc. I really don't see why one would seek to find them aggressive or applying that particular quality as a positive trait. As human beings, we are actually programmed to perceive aggressive behaviour as something unfavorable... Just an observation on the modern world...