A vehicle based on the Chevrolet Beat concept (which made its debut at AskPatty in our New York Auto Show Coverage
as well as across auto shows around the globe and the Internet earlier
this year) will go into global production, Chevrolet announced at the
2007 Los Angeles Auto Show.
An online poll that attracted
more than 1.86 million voters helped influence the decision to take the
cute little concept to final production. The distinctly styled A-class
car will be initially targeted to markets outside of U.S. and Canada,
starting in mid-2009. Garnering more than 877,000 votes, the Beat took
nearly half of all the ballots cast; coming in at a close second, its
sibling the Groove received more than 715,000 votes.
"The people have spoken. The vote count tripled all previous GM online
consumer surveys, telling us the Beat resonated with customers all
around the world," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. "Chevrolet
was overwhelmed by the positive reaction to each of the 'triplets,' but
the Beat was the clear winner." (As an aside, during the press release,
GM's Vice President and "Car Czar" Bob Lutz said he was glad the
democratic process agreed in choosing the car he liked best and had
actually hoped would win.)
GM
press materials say the production model will carry the spirit of the
expressive Beat concept, promising compact, city-friendly dimensions,
and a small-displacement engine meant to deliver excellent fuel
economy. General Motors anticipates it will add further depth and
breadth to Chevrolet's global lineup, which is sold in more than 90
countries around the world.
"Fuel solutions and great-looking
cars are at the core of Chevrolet's values, and this new production
model aligns perfectly with those tenents," said Peper. "It will be
truly global, built around the world for a variety of diverse markets."
The Beat and the other concepts highlighted in the online survey were
developed primarily at GM's Design Studio in Bupyeong, South Korea,
with input from GM's global network of designers and GM's Korean
partner, GM Daewoo. As South Korea is a primary market for this
exciting new car, production will begin there.
Beat
beginnings: Conceived to evoke the mood of a speedy micro import tuner,
the Beat concept debuted at the 2007 New York Auto Show, along with two
other concepts, Groove and Trax. All were designed to appeal to young
car buyers in urban markets, infusing the energy, diversity, and
excitement of urban life into cars that deliver good-looking fun, fuel
economy, and value.
General Motors promises the production car
based on the Beat concept will incorporate these resources, quickly
bringing to market a right-sized car, with a right-sized ecological
footprint.
2007 los angeles auto show
