Production is set to begin in mid-2009 in South Korea, which is one of the new car’s primary markets.
Kellen Schefter - Green Car Journal - March 10, 2008
Call it car design for the Internet generation: Rather than trying to decipher the varying desires of young car buyers in urban markets – the target demographic for General Motors’ new global minicar – GM innovated and went after these buyers directly with an online poll and a choice of three distinct designs. After counting some 1.8 million online votes and taking the three minicars to auto shows around the world, GM has decided to put the people’s favorite – the Beat – into production.
The Beat design features sharp-edged styling meant to capture the attitude of an import tuner. Its rival siblings, the Groove and Trax concepts, are both a bit more rugged. The Groove adopts what GM calls a “funkastalgia” theme that gives the small four-door the look of a mini panel wagon in the vein of the two box designs now growing in popularity. The Trax is the mini-crossover SUV of the group, complete with requisite dual-tone paint and all-wheel-drive. All three designs emerged from GM’s Design Studio in Inchon, South Korea, which specializes in small car development. GM says the response to each of the concepts was positive, but in the end, it was clear which one had the competition, well …
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