GM Replaces Chevy Aveo With Mexican Groove. Or Trax.
Good morning participants in TTAC's fantasy GM Car Czar (WTF Edition). Remember when GM announced they were going to build the Beat sub-compact for U.S. Chevy dealers– and then not (too expensive to import)? Well I hope you didn't toss out the cards for the Beat mini-cars' brethren. Automotive News reports that GM now plans to replace the current Aveo with a hecho en Mexico version of the Groove or Trax by 2011. Product-addled Chevy Veep Ed Peper refuses to narrow it down any further. "Of the triplets, we will get one of those variants, I don't want to say at this point." Peper also warns U.S. mini-car fans that the final vehicle will be "very similar to one of those vehicles but larger," in part to meet U.S. crash test standards. The supersized mini-compact will be built on the gamma platform. Oh, and the Cruze will replace the Cobalt. Still, best to save those cars. I mean, cards.
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C'mon GM, give me a reason to stay with your brand! Ford could beat you to it and introduce the new Fiesta AND Focus before you get your s*** together and get the new Cruze/Trax/Beat on the market in NA. Aveo, Groove, Trax, Beat, Cruze...along with Gamma, Delta, Epsilon...and conflicting news stories about all of them in the last few months. Way confusing. I'm guessing it's GMs attempt at marketing to try to create buzz. We never hear about "platforms" from other makers, and consumers likely couldn't care less. Just give us great small cars with brands and names that have longevity and identity. GM, Ford and Chrysler have a bad habit of bringing in imported models that come and go--Colt, Fiesta, Aveo, Optra, Epica, Catera, Merkur. Other companies have single models that have continued for years (Civic, Corolla, Accord, Camry, etc). Pick something, make it great, and stick with it. I live in Canada and bought one of GM's Daewoo imports, a Chevy Epica (aka Suzuki Verona), which I actually like a lot, and it was my first GM vehicle (after a long series of Hondas and Toyotas). Alas it is no longer sold in NA but overseas only; I would have bought another one. The Cruze/Trax/Beat/whatever might show up in a couple years--maybe not. More likely the Cobalt will get a minor refresh. Instead, I've been eyeing the '09 Fit or Versa.
The Groove was the least original and my least favorite of the 3 concepts GM trotted out at the time. It is a Chevrolet xB, waaaaay too derivative of Scion. The Trax and Beat are fairly stylish and original and GM would have been smart to have them on the market by now. So what else is new?
clive, "Ford could beat you to it and introduce the new Fiesta AND Focus before you get your s*** together and get the new Cruze/Trax/Beat on the market in NA." Ford will beat them to market simply because GM only put their cars up for show 2 years ago and didn't really plan or do any work on bringing them to market in the US. Which is why I have no sympathy for GM because I liked all three concepts that were previewed.