DETROIT - Chevrolet's small cars are racking up big sales in 2012 and the bowtie brand will explore their wilder sides at the SEMA Show this year with a stable of stylized Spark, Sonic and Cruze concepts. The cars demonstrate the possibilities for customers who want a more personalized driving experience.
Chevrolet previewed the concept vehicles ahead of the Oct. 30 opening of the SEMA Show, the annual automotive aftermarket extravaganza of styling and performance, along with the multihued "The Color Run" Spark and "Pink Out" Spark - a car for a cause.
"With Chevy's new small cars attracting young buyers with a taste for customization, Spark, Sonic and Cruze are the perfect canvasses to express their personalities," said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. “The content, colors and performance of each concept is being evaluated for possible production as Chevrolet continues to seek new ways to give customers more choices.”
Chevy small car sales were up 97 percent in September. Sonic recorded 7,525 sales for the month, with sales of nearly 65,000 year to date through September. Spark, which went on sale earlier this year in 18 U.S. markets, recorded 2,223 sales in September. The Cruze compact sedan is one of the country’s best-selling cars, with more than 180,000 sales through nine months of 2012. That includes 25,787 sales in September.
“The momentum with these small cars continues to build, as more customers discover their fun-to-drive spirits and high-value content, including great infotainment options – such as Sonic and Spark’s MyLink features,” said Perry.
The small-car concept vehicles demonstrate a range of performance-based styling expressions, including the first application of Chevrolet’s Z-Spec treatment for Spark with family traits, such as the mesh grille inserts and graphic accents. The Z-Spec concept demonstrates a cohesive design with a family of factory-engineered accessories and the best of the aftermarket under a single theme.
Z-Spec parts could be purchased individually to suit customer tastes and budgets. They’re designed for purchase and installation through Chevrolet dealerships with the option of installation at purchase and cost being rolled into the customer’s monthly payments. Z-Spec concepts could spawn limited-edition production models from Chevrolet.
This year’s Chevy small car SEMA vehicles include:
Cruze Upscale concept
The Cruze Upscale concept moves the compact sedan up a few rungs on the luxury ladder with a Burnished Brandy Metallic exterior and unique exterior appointments. Inside is a brown leather-trimmed interior. Features include:
Unique ground effects package with rocker and fascia extensions
Black Ice bright-accented exterior trim
Tinted headlamp and fog lamp lenses
Dark-tinted windows
Custom 19x8.5-inch aluminum wheels finished in Black Ice
225/40ZR19 Bridgestone Potenza S-04 tires
Seats trimmed in Loft Brown leather
Loft Brown and DK Atmosphere leather-wrapped steering wheel
Yellow accent stitching on the seats and steering wheel
Dark Liquid Palladium high-gloss interior trim plates
Door panels and instrument panel with Loft Brown and DK Atmosphere leather wraps and DK Atmosphere paint
Adjustable coil-over suspension kit
Four-piston front brake calipers with two-piece vented and drilled rotors
Two-piston rear brake calipers with vented and drilled rotors.
Sonic Z-Spec 1 concept
This performance-oriented vision of the Sonic sedan blends the Z-Spec aesthetic with a more capable driving experience, including a power-enhancing exhaust system and upgraded brakes. The capability is matched with a custom Synergy Green exterior. Details include:
Chevrolet licensed accessories Borla exhaust system
Lowered ride height, with Chevrolet Performance concept suspension kit, including lowering sprints and performance dampers
Chevrolet Performance concept brake kit, featuring four-piston front disc brake calipers with 16-inch rotors
Eighteen-inch split-spoke wheel design with Synergy Green insert
Sonic RS rear spoiler in Ashen Grey
Ashen Grey Metallic Z-Spec stripe and logos
Chevrolet Accessories ground effects kit
Mesh-style upper and lower grilles in Piano Black with Ashen Grey surrounds
Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel pedals
Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel sill plates
Jet Black and Titanium interior with Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel pedal covers and sill plates
Chevrolet MyLink color touch screen
Chevrolet licensed accessories Sub and Amp Kit, with KICKER 200-watt DSP amp and 200-watt powered subwoofer.
Sonic Z-Spec 2.5 concept
A tuner-inspired concept with the performance to back up its aggressive stance, the Sonic Z-Spec 2.5 sedan shows what’s attainable with Chevrolet Performance and GM Accessories parts, along with select aftermarket components and a dash of color. Highlights include:
Abalone White Tricoat exterior color with Z-Spec graphics
Unique ground effects package and lower fascia extensions
Chevrolet Accessories rear spoiler
Galvano Silver accents on the grille surround, fog lamp bezels door trim and wheels
Tinted headlamps and fog lamps
Concept 18x7.5-inch wheels in Galvano Silver with Signal Red edges
Jet Black leather-trimmed interior with Orange Crust leather inserts and orange accent stitching
Orange anodized and Piano Black interior trim plates
Jet Black Leather-, Jet Black Suede- and Orange Suede-wrapped door panels and instrument panel with Orange accent stitching
Jet Black perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel
Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel pedal covers
Chevrolet MyLInk color touch screen
Chevrolet licensed accessories Sub and Amp Kit, with KICKER 200-watt DSP amp and 200-watt powered subwoofer
Lowered ride height, with Chevrolet Performance concept suspension kit, including lowering sprints and performance dampers
Chevrolet Performance concept brake kit, featuring four-piston front disc brake calipers with 16-inch rotors
Chevrolet Performance concept single-piston rear brake calipers with Sonic RS rotors
Chevrolet Performance concept cold-air intake kit
Chevrolet licensed accessories Borla exhaust system.
Spark Z-Spec concept
The Spark Z-Spec demonstrates a cohesive and branded package of enhancements drawn from accessories already available through Chevrolet dealers – giving the cheeky Spark a definite attitude. The Salsa Red concept is distinguished from production models with:
Chevrolet Accessories ground effects kit (body color)
Chevrolet Accessories Z-spec grille with Carbon Flash-painted surround
Grille surrounds, headlamp housings, fog lamp bezels, belt moldings and rear diffuser painted Dark Argent
Z-Spec body graphics in matte black
Chevrolet Performance licensed front lowering coil-over springs and rear adjustable springs
Concept 15x6-inch split-spoke wheels in Dark Argent with Salsa Red inserts and tire stripes
Lowered ride height
Seats trimmed with Salsa Red inserts
Front door and instrument panel inserts in Salsa Red
Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel pedal covers and sill plates
Chevrolet MyLInk color touch screen.
Spark Sinister concept
The aggressive-looking Spark Sinister concept blends rally-inspired exterior cues with a black appearance for a night-racing aesthetic that looks at home in the shadows of a city’s industrial district. Its content includes:
Dramatic body work with bold rocker fairings, a rear diffuser with dual exhaust outlets, rear wing spoiler and a front fascia with large air intakes
Prominent fender flares to cover large, 18x6-inch split-spoke wheels – in Bahia Red – and low-profile performance tires: 205/40ZR18 (front) and 225/40ZR18 (rear)
Lowered ride height
Carbon Flash Metallic exterior with Bahia Red accents and matte-black graphics.
‘The Color Run’ Spark
Chevrolet Spark is the official pace car of The Color Run – a popular, nationwide series of urban 5K races in which thousands of participants are doused from head to toe in different colors for each kilometer – and it leads the pack in a colorful display of its own. A custom, multihued graphics package gives the Spark a post-race appearance while a Chevrolet Accessories ground effects kit and Z-Spec grille give it a sportier profile. The production 15-inch split spoke wheels are painted white, but don’t stay that way once color-dousing participants shower this one-of-a-kind pace car with colored corn starch along the route. Inside, custom seat with The Color Run graphics are featured, along with Chevrolet Accessories stainless steel pedal covers and sill plates.
‘Pink Out’ Spark Cancer Awareness Concept
Chevrolet takes a stand against breast cancer and supports the American Cancer Society with a Techno Pink Spark that’s adorned with pink ribbon graphics. It also wears Chevrolet Accessories ground effects and a Z-spec grille. Inside, pink accent colors – including a pink suede headliner, pillar trim, instrument panel trim and accent piping – round out the cause-inspired theme. More information about American Cancer Society’s breast cancer-fighting programs is available at www.cancer.org.
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about
the former." - Albert Einstein
DETROIT - Chevrolet's small cars are racking up big sales in 2012 and the bowtie brand will explore their wilder sides at the SEMA Show this year with a stable of stylized Spark, Sonic and Cruze concepts. The cars demonstrate the possibilities for customers who want a more personalized driving experience.