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Presskit New Chevrolet Spark: It all begins with a spark

2009-11-23

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Please click here to access Full Presskit: Spark Media Info

A spark of life, a spark of intuition – everything begins with a spark. Chevrolet’s all-new mini car is a new beginning, a car that challenges the conventional wisdom that little cars are either trendy or practical, either premium or good value. Spark changes the rules. It is as much about fun and fashion as it is about functionality. It offers style and all the latest in-car entertainment features as well as practicality, low consumption and low emissions. And it’s great value for money.

Built to serve the burgeoning mini car segment, the fastest growing area of the new car market across the entire world, it is a newcomer that has been designed to appeal to car buyers everywhere, from Asia to Europe, Africa, Australia and the Americas.

When the Spark lights up Chevrolet showrooms in Europe in the first quarter of 2010, it will exceed the expectations of many small-car buyers. This is a fast-growing, diverse group of customers. In 2009 the mini or A segment has continued to grow and now makes up almost 10 percent of the total European passenger car market (up from 6.5 percent in 2008 and less than 5 percent in 2005).

From the outset, Spark was engineered and designed to be edgy and expressive as well as to offer exceptional levels of space and practicality. There aren't many cars with such a small footprint that offer the benefits of five doors, five seats and a usable luggage area.

"The Spark is a car that will turn heads with its unique design,” said Chevrolet Europe president and managing director, Wayne Brannon. “And we think it's going to make a lot of drivers happy with its functionality and its dynamic ride and handling abilities, too. It offers great economy and maneuverability."

Much of the Spark's appeal comes from its styling.

"From the beginning, we wanted to have a revolution in size and design," explained Taewan Kim, Spark chief designer and vice president of design at GM DAT (GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co.). "Instead of the relatively common 'cute and cuddly' approach, we wanted Spark to be a little more aggressive, edgy, ready to pounce. It needed to look great from 360 degrees and it needed to generate excitement."

The exterior of the Spark features a 'wheels-out, body-in' stance, its single-arc roofline accentuated by strong, clean body sides free of cladding. The appearance is sleek; bold; and unmistakably more up-market than some of its mini car rivals. This precision and attention to detail is not reserved for the car's exterior. While maintaining exemplary levels of craftsmanship, the Spark's cabin is an iconic piece of design in itself. Chevrolet customers will enjoy the comfort, spaciousness and easy-to-use controls - delivered in a style that is unique to the sector.

The focal point of the cabin is the motorcycle-style instrument 'pod', which sits on top of the steering column and delivers all of the essential information in a compact yet easy-to-read manner. The analog speedometer is backed up by a digital tachometer, just like on a motor bike. All the controls are backlit by ice-blue lighting when the headlights are turned on, further proof of Spark's ability to put the fun back into function. In-car entertainment is a matter of choice and Spark customers can enjoy their favorites on radio, CD, MP3 or by plugging in their portable systems via USB or Aux-in sockets. In true Chevrolet style, the concave sweep of the cockpit is mirrored on the passenger side of the car.

However, it is not just its edgy styling that makes Spark at home in the city. Spark’s size, handling and maneuverability are perfectly in tune with urban life. Chevrolet’s new mini comes in a compact package: at only 3640 mm long and 1597 mm wide, it will easily squeeze into tight city spaces. It has advanced dynamics and taut, responsive handling characteristics, at the heart of which is a very stiff integral body frame structure, designed to aid the car's dynamic performance and provide the driver with a heightened sense of stability, solidity and confident road command.

"We developed the Spark with the aim of giving buyers more mini for their money,” said chief engineer Jack Keaton. "We are proud of the high standards of fit and finish we have achieved. Spark is well-equipped with safety technology and, most importantly, it is highly maneuverable and a lot of fun to drive."

The suspension follows a traditional yet effective layout – McPherson struts at the front and a compound crank (torsion beam) axle at the rear, a combination that allows for neutral, predictable handling characteristics. It is both nimble round town and surefooted at higher speeds.

Spark is available with Electronic Stability Control, providing outstanding safety and control benefits, with electronic brake and traction control capabilities to provide precise anti-lock braking capabilities, as well as exceptional yaw stability.

Of course, even the most able driver in the most dynamically competent car can sometimes find his or herself in a situation where a collision is inevitable, so with this in mind the Spark was designed with high levels of passive safety built-in from the outset.

Almost 60 percent of the car's structure consists of advanced steels, with varying levels of stiffness and built-in crush zones to absorb crash impacts. The front engine bay rails and subframe are designed to absorb energy while maintaining the highest loads possible as they collapse, while a transition zone around the base of the A-pillars and front bulkhead effectively distributes crash energy around rather than into the passenger compartment.

A similar crush zone exists at the rear, with the fuel tank and its connections designed in a way to minimize the chance of ruptures. Additional rear impact loads are absorbed by a strong rear cross member.

High levels of occupant protection are further enhanced by twin front airbags, side curtain airbags and additional seat mounted thorax and abdomen airbags, seatbelt pretensioners and a pedal retraction system, which pulls the pedal box away from the car's occupants in the event of a frontal collision, reducing the risk of lower leg injury.

Two engines are on offer at launch – both petrol units with displacements of 1.0 and 1.2 liters. They are closely related and use a cast-iron block and alloy head, with a double overhead camshaft and four valves per cylinder. They feature multi-port fuel injection and are both Euro V emissions compliant. Both engines come with a five-speed manual gearbox.

The two engines use advanced features such as port deactivation technology to improve exhaust gas recirculation, leading to optimal fuel efficiency and idle stability, along with a timing chain to ensure a lifetime of low maintenance and running costs. Spark consumes only 5.1 liters of fuel per 100 km and produces CO2 emissions of 119 g/km.

Practicality is a big plus, too. It may not be very big on the outside, but the Chevrolet Spark's clever design means it is able to make the most out of its available space.

Front seat passengers enjoy up to 1067 mm of available legroom (893 mm in the rear), while shoulder space of 1295 mm (1255 mm rear) and headroom of 1010 mm (947 mm) are also rated among the very best in the segment, proving that even when a car is small, it doesn't need to be cramped. With five doors and five available seats, the Spark is one of the most space-efficient cars in the mini segment.

Much of the interior space is down to the car's clever packaging. The cabin was designed to accommodate as much supplementary storage space as possible. The center console, for example, incorporates a bin for carrying smaller items such as a mobile phone, MP3 player or packet of chewing gum, while there's also a double cup holder next to the gear shifter.

Spark is a car with a unique character, a classless image and great practicality. Low fuel consumption, low emissions and low cost of ownership make for exceptional value for money. In short, Spark is everything an urban motorist needs.

Please click here to access Full Presskit: Spark Media Info