General Motors has released images of next-gen Chevrolet Aveo compact car into the autosphere.
Spared a few concept touches, the 2012 Aveo is a dead ringer for the Aveo RS Concept. The front fascia of the production Aveo is, predictably, a toned-down version of the concept's in-your-face styling. The basic, aggressive shape remains, but the production car receives slightly reshaped headlights and loses the exposed projector beams. Fog lights replace the concept's lower side air vents, and the ride height has been raised to that of a normal street car. But even the hidden rear door handles made it to production.
Chevrolet also swapped the concept's 19-inch chrome wheels for aluminum units, and with the exception of the center-exhaust and black taillights, the rear of the Aveo is virtually identical to that of the RS Concept. Overall, the new Aveo is a far sight better than GM's current Korean-built, four-door hatchback.
Full press release below. As with the Aveo RS Concept, GM isn't revealing dimensions quite yet, but simply says the new car is longer and wider than the outgoing Aveo. According to GM, this increases its interior volume to among the largest in its class.
New Chevrolet Aveo brings 'hot-hatch' style to small car segment
There is no shortage of world firsts for Chevrolet at the forthcoming Paris Motor Show, and joining the Orlando MPV and Cruze hatchback show car will be the all-new Chevrolet Aveo 5-door.
The car will go on sale in the United States and Canada in 2011.
The Aveo RS show car was displayed at the Detroit and Geneva motor shows earlier in 2010, and the final production-ready car looks every bit as compelling as the show car.
Entering the highly competitive global small car segment, striking design elements of the new Chevrolet Aveo include the dynamic looking front with its exposed twin-headlamps and Chevrolet’s signature dual port grille, compact taut body panels with a rising shoulder line and short rear overhangs, rear door handles “hidden’ in the c-pillar and a 'body in, wheels out' profile.
Reminiscent of the recently introduced Spark in Europe, the new Aveo is designed to appeal to younger customers with its sporty hot-hatch look. A four-door sedan variant will launch in Europe alongside the hatch next summer. Both hatch and sedan are practical small cars providing ample interior space.
Final specifications of the new Aveo will be carefully tailored to each market in which it’s offered.
Wayne Brannon, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe says: "It's just such an exciting time to be at Chevrolet; in Aveo we have a car which is ready to compete against the best in the small-car segment."
The new Aveo is longer and wider than the current model, giving it a spacious interior and cargo volume that is among best in class. The interior design perhaps holds even more surprises than the outside, in particular the motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster which features an analog tachometer combined with a digital speedometer.
Blue backlighting is featured on the center console, while the whole of the front cabin is enveloped in a wraparound fascia. This can be color-coded and flows from the dash into both the driver's and front passenger’s doors. Aveo’s interior provides consumers with high quality materials as well as multiple storage spaces in the center stack and a modern audio system with USB, auxiliary-in and Bluetooth functionality.
Reflecting its sporty personality, Aveo has been engineered to provide communicative handling, a characteristic which stems partly from its tight body frame integral (BFI) structure where highest levels of torsional rigidity have been achieved.
The new Aveo's chassis has been fine tuned to satisfy discerning tastes with a ride and handling ratio that combines comfort with responsiveness. Electronic power steering (EPS), Electronic stability control (ESC) and ABS brakes will be standard.
In Europe, a comprehensive range of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines will be available in the new Chevrolet Aveo, incorporating the latest technologies such as variable valve timing, double continuous variable cam phasing and common rail fuel injection for the diesels.
The gasoline engine range includes two 1.2 liter versions (at 70 hp and at 86hp), a 1.4 liter unit (100 hp) and a 1.6 liter (115hp). For the first time, Aveo will be offered with two versions of a 1.3 liter diesel engine (at 75 hp and at 95 hp) featuring Start/Stop technology.
Chevrolet's first 6-speed automatic transmission on a small car will be featured on the Aveo 1.4 and 1.6 as an option in most European markets; manual transmissions are of 5 or 6 speed depending on engine choice.
About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is a global automotive brand, with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars, such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including the Cruze Eco and Volt, both arriving in late 2010. Cruze Eco will offer up to an estimated 40 mpg highway while the Chevrolet Volt will offer up to 40 miles of electric, gas-free driving and an additional 300 miles of extended range (based on GM testing; official EPA estimates not yet available). Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security, and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
