2007 New York Auto Show: Chevy's Three Minicar Concepts

We told you about Chevrolet’s plans to debut three minicar concepts at the New York Auto Show last week with a look at one of them called the Trax concept. Now, we get our first look at all three, including a lot more photos and information.

GM wants the public to pick which one of the three they’d like to see in production at www.vote4chevrolet.com. To that end we’ll give you a brief breakdown of each one with more information coming tomorrow. Lots of photos of each concept are below.

Chevrolet Beat: Designed by GM’s South Korean design studio, the Beat is a two-door hatchback aimed at the Scion crowd with a decidedly import look. It’s powered by a 1.4 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rolls on 17-inch wheels.

Chevrolet Groove: The Groove again looks to steal customers from Scion with its four-door design. It too runs on 17-inch wheels but features a 1.0-liter diesel engine for power.

Chevrolet Trax: The first minicar we saw still seems the most original and features more American styling. It runs on 16-inch wheels and a 1.0-liter gasoline engine.

Comments

Dayum! Umm can we get all three?

ANY OF THEM!

the beat or the trax is more realistic chevy..but i still like the groove!

They don't stand a chance against Toyota. They may look cool and hip, but they're still Chevys.

you can you at least wait until some experts look at it? if indeed the parts will be falling off as it leaves the dealer, can you at least wait for the first one to come out of production?

Dave,

Is that the same 1.4L in the Beat that's in the AVEO (also Korean built)? I wonder what the turbo would do to the gas mileage numbers. Currently the the AVEO just can't keep up with Toyota in the efficiency, be it the XA or the Yaris.

Spanky,
I didn't see any specifics on the engines in the press materials. they're concepts so GM might not elaborate.

diesel, yes!

They may not put up the best gas mileage numbers in the segment but they don't need to. Look at them, there awesome.Toyota really "uglied" up the next generation, once awesome, Scion's. No comment on Yaris'.

These cars look very nice and if chevy can bring one of them to the market it would be a huge seller for them. And everyone saying that its a chevy it can't compare to Toyotas they're just import loving haters... I must admit that chevy quality has been pretty bad not too long ago but as of late theyre quality has improved and is really beginning to rival that of Honda and Toyota

For some, cool and hip will be all it takes.
The "Beat" seems it will appeal to the drifting crowd (though a tad stubby for that). The "Groove" captures the un-hippness of the XB v. 1, something Scion missed with the xB v2. Perhaps a bit longer and you have me with that one. The first glimpse of the "Trax" inspired an "eh" in me. With more pictures it has grown on me somewhat more. It does appear to go more at the Mini crowd, though not "Euro" enough for that bunch. I say bring on all three, resurrect the "Geo" badge (I miss my Prizm) and throw in a (insert some sort of eco-friendly reference) drive train, and sign me up.

To Tim & RJD,

Have you driven a smaller Chevy (GM)lately? Can you really say that the import lovers are biased for no reason? I give you a comparo...AVEO vs. Honda Fit. One gets it right...the other is trying to low ball people who need basic transportation. The AVEO should get 40mpg at the size it is....Gesh!!! what a load of manure. On a good note though I do like these designs. Even the bow-tie looks decent on there....a shocker.

wow... impossibly cute! not something I would have ever thought possible with Chevy... but I hope that the gas mileage is phenomenal, it would help against Scion and its parent, Toyota. This could potentially steal Scion's thunder if GM works out all the kinks in time.

i know what i'm going to give my little nephew for his birthday when he'll be 3. hopefully the tractor trailer won't blow him off the highway.

They should bring the European Corsa. By the way, Scion is a toy car.

I don't get it, why does Spanky complain that Domestic cars are inferior to imports then site the Korean built Aveo as his example? And is he compairing that to Kentucky built Accords?

Infosaur,

This seems to be a huge discussion in a lot of forums as to what is an import. If a company is a foreign company,but the cars are made domestically should it be considered a real import? I'm afraid I don't have to answer for you there, as we could chase our tails on this all evening. In this globalized economy I was talking about GM not getting it right with the small cars (I know the AVEO is from Korea if you'd look at an earlier post). My Toyota was made here in America. It's the company that's responsible for not getting it right not the counrty building it. America is making great cars...it's not for American auto companies. If you can see a world without borders then it's just the company that gets it right or wrong regardless of where it's built.

All 3 of these concepts do look pretty cool, though I am wondering who chevy has in mind to drive them, I highly doubt that either of them could accomadate this 6'4 350lb guy, you may wonder what does my weight have to do with these cars, but since my gut is more than a tad too big, I will probably be uncomfortable, and no matter how affordable a car is if its uncomfortable I dont want it, its like in 2004 before getting my 04 impala, I really wanted a 2004 grand prix but the seats had these wing type things that jabbed into my side and made it too uncomfortable for me to stand, and I was actually dieting during that time and was down to 325lb.
Also for gas mileage I would expect the beat to get real good gas mileage due to the size, but I doubt if that will be the case, as cars from Korea just cant seem to get it together in that area, for example, a Suzuki Reno only gets about 22/30 my V6 Impala does better than that.
I agree with MF-D that they should just bring GEO back, unfortunately GEO was gone when I was able to afford a new car, the storm was just plain ule, I liked the tracker back then and also loved the prizm Notchback. Oh well thats life

Design and package-wise I love 'em. Bring em on I say - BUT, they'll have to be a bit tighter than the GM products I've driven of late that have reminded me of my Grandpa's '78 Impala. If you want to capture those of us who like the xB (very fun, great shifter/clutch, just enough power to enjoy), you'll have to step it up a bit.

I hope Chevy takes up the challenge and produces these things - I'd have the Groove in my driveway (where no Chevy has previously tread.)

I bought the Aveo over the two door yaris I really feel like its a better car. I also bought a corolla the week b4 for my wife. The yaris was rough and the gauges in the middle yuck!

Love the Beat. Too bad they are not for the U.S. market (I wonder if small-car-lovin' Canada would get one or two or all?). But any of these will need some redesign since they are too low and that might affect the overall styling.

However, I like the way GM is going with styling--now they just need to apply it to more vehicles--especially the Aveo and Cobalt. As gas prices go up, these might become very important vehicles for the General.

Wow now Chevy wants votes on concept cars. My feeling is that whatever chevy does is irrelevent. Loved the add .. power in the double digits .. fuel economy "should be great".

Could you have been a little less specific in the beggining of the article? The most important thing about the whole car was the MPG city/highway. But I will give you one thing .. you still cannot make anything look good!

They look like miniture boat anchors. But may I applaud GM's decision to pull the plug on electric! Way to go GM another brilliant decision.

Let me give you a clue really good looking cars don't look like any kind of vintage 1940 designs .. they look sleek and aerodynamic. Not like a chevy or a ford (who is constantly trying to bring back the mustang in one form or another).

I shouldn't be all the surprised .. if you and your Japaneese competition had access to a time machine:
Japan would go into the futre
Chevey would go into the past

Chevy you had yor day, and you outsourced EVERYTHING including your soul. If this is the best you can do, please just sell whats left of the company and please Stop embarrasing America.

i like, no I LOVE the BEAT and the TRAX they're hip they're funky - especially for the youth market - I wish i could get one of them to drive on the streets of SOUTH AFRICA- Because i know i'll set a trend that many WILL FOLLOW