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Report: Next Chevy Spark coming in 2015, Sonic delayed

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet

As the best-selling Chevrolet product in Europe and a surprising new hit here in the US, the Spark is proving to be quite an important global vehicle for General Motors. Even though the Spark just went on sale in the US last year, it has been on sale globally since 2009, and Automotive News Europe is reporting that the next-generation Spark is expected to debut during the first half of 2015. There is no information about the new Spark except for reports that it will continue to be built in South Korea.

This report also says that the redesign of the Sonic/Aveo has been delayed until after 2015. Again, there was no information as to the cause of the delay, but this means the third-gen Sonic and Aveo will likely debut sometime in 2016 – five years after the debut of the current model. This follows the recent report saying that the redesign of the Cruze has been delayed by almost a year, until the end of 2015, due to engineering changes.

Next Chevy Spark coming in 2015, Sonic delayed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jul 2013 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: 2014 Chevy Sonic to offer short-term limited-edition colors

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Crossover, Chevrolet, Design/Style

2014 Chevy Sonic - front three-quarter view - Deep Magenta Metallic paint

When Chevrolet launched its subcompact Sonic, it made a splash with a bright paint dubbed Inferno Orange. The metallic citrus shade was a genuine retina searer, featuring prominently in the car’s early marketing efforts as its so-called ‘launch color.’ But Inferno Orange is now gone from the Sonic’s order sheets, and the rest of the car’s color palate is more traditional and – dare we say it – a bit sober.

But that’s about to change – Chevy has just announced that it will begin releasing a range of limited-edition short-term paint colors beginning with the “chromatic plum” shade seen above, Deep Magenta Metallic. The striking hue came about after witnessing the successful launch of the Chevy Spark in Techno Pink. The special paint will only be available from August through October, but Chevy hasn’t revealed if it is capping the number of vehicles it will produce in this shade.

Chevy says that Deep Magenta Metallic will be followed up by Cool Blue, a shade the company describes as “a grayish, dirty blue.” The latter will be available from November until March, and another new shade, Dragon Green, will join the Sonic’s permanent color choices sometime in the first quarter of 2014. Interestingly, the company says that a typical Chevy vehicle receives “10 to 12 color options throughout its lifecycle.” The Sonic already received a similar number of paints before Deep Magenta Metallic and it’s still relatively early in the car’s lifecycle, so clearly Chevy sees small car buyers as being receptive to a broader range of color choices.

Continue reading 2014 Chevy Sonic to offer short-term limited-edition colors

2014 Chevy Sonic to offer short-term limited-edition colors originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Chevrolet Sonic’s Z-Spec accessories add illusion of sportiness

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec – Click above for high-res image gallery

Extra spoilers and lower side skirts can look cool, but if the car doesn’t have any sort of augmented performance, it all seems pointless. Still, for those who want to give the appearance of being quick, Chevrolet will offer a line of Z-Spec dealer-installed accessories for its upcoming 2012 Sonic.

Chevrolet chose to debut its dot matrix-wrapped Sonic here at this year’s New York Auto Show, sporting a set of 17-inch painted alloys and a ground effects package. Why anyone would willingly choose such a visually awkward wrap is beyond us, but remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

No performance upgrades are presently available in the Z-Spec line, but customers will be able to roll the cost of the visual accessories into their monthly car payments at purchase time. See the not-so-fast sporty Sonic for yourself in our high-res gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec: New York 2011

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories

2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories

New York 2011: Chevrolet Sonic’s Z-Spec accessories add illusion of sportiness originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet previews Z-Spec accessories for Sonic ahead of New York

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Chevrolet, Design/Style

2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories

2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chevrolet is hopping headlong into the dealer-as-aftermarketer business with its new Z-Spec upgrade line of parts and accessories. The new performance and visual trickery will begin with the much-anticipated 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact shown here. Slated to debut at next week’s New York Auto Show, the range of custom bits will be available by the end of 2011, and will primarily consist of visual accessories – at least for now. The Z-Spec line is a build-out of the Z Spec Sonic Concept that debuted alongside the production car at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year.

At launch, Chevrolet is promising a ground effects package with unique front and rear fascias and side skirts, along with an exhaust tip finisher, spoiler and 16- and 17-inch painted alloys. Inside, Chevy dealers will also be able to fit your Sonic with look-faster bits like drilled sport pedals and aluminum sill plates. The biggest visual change will likely come from the “Color Out” contrasting trim packages that include accent-color painted grille ‘lipstick’, side mirror caps and rear spoiler. Buyers will also be able to have their vehicle outfitted with a number of wraps like the dot matrix pattern you see here.

Critically, Z-Spec parts will be able to be purchased either as a full-on package or piecemeal, and customers will be able to add the cost of the accessories into their monthly payments at purchase time.

Pricing has not yet been announced. Check out our high-res gallery below and click past the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories

2012 Chevrolet Sonic with Z-Spec accessories

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading Chevrolet previews Z-Spec accessories for Sonic ahead of New York

Chevrolet previews Z-Spec accessories for Sonic ahead of New York originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Is there a high-riding Chevrolet Sonic in our future?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossover, Chevrolet

Chevrolet Sonic CUV spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Not long ago, our spies captured a lifted Ford Fiesta prototype, suggesting that a B-segment crossover might be in the works for Ford. If that’s the case, it looks like the Fiesta CUV will have competition when it hits the streets, as we’ve received this set of spy shots showing a high-riding version of the Chevrolet ~~Aveo~~ Sonic.

Is the Sonic CUV bound for North American soil? Hard to say, but we won’t be crossing our fingers for this one to arrive on our shores. Expect to see the Sonic-based crossover sometime in 2012, with both front- and all-wheel drive versions available, with power supplied by a range of gasoline and diesel engines.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Chevrolet Sonic CUV

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Is there a high-riding Chevrolet Sonic in our future? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2011: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is not an Aveo

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z Spec

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Z Spec Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors seems intent on banishing all memories of the unloved Aveo – so much so that it’s gone and renamed its entry-level fighter in the States. While we’re still not 100-percent in love with the name (we can’t get visions of spiky-haired hedgehogs out of our heads…), all three flavors of the Sonic do appear to be vastly improved over the machine they replace, though one of them, the Z Spec, is still in the concept stage.

More than anything else, they look vastly better both inside and out, but until we get a stint behind the wheel we’ll hold off final judgment. According to Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing, “The all-new Chevrolet Sonic blends the practicality of a small car with the passion for driving that Chevrolet vehicles like the Corvette are known for.” That won’t be the only time you’ll ever hear someone mention the Sonic in the same sentence as the Corvette. In fact, Chevy tells us that Corvette engineers are responsible for the ride and handling of the sub-compact.

The Sonic will be available in both sedan and hatchback bodystyles and with either a 1.8-liter four-cylinder mated to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic, or a 1.4-liter turbocharged mill with 138 horsepower that’s hooked to either an automatic or manual with six forward ratios. For those keeping track, these are the same engines available in the slightly larger Cruze. You’ll also get a gauge cluster inspired by motorcycles, OnStar connectivity, 10 airbags and plenty more.

Read all the details in the exhaustive press release after the break, but not before you peruse the high-res images in the galleries below.

Gallery: Chevrolet Z Spec Sonic: Detroit 2011

Gallery: Chevrolet Sonic Z Spec Concept

Chevrolet Sonic Z Spec Concept Chevrolet Sonic Z-Spec Concept

Continue reading Detroit 2011: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is not an Aveo

Detroit 2011: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic is not an Aveo originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Chevy Sonic shown off as sedan and hatchback

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

2012 Chevrolet Sonic sedan

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has officially yanked back the sheets on the newest sub-compact from Chevrolet, the 2012 Sonic. Just don’t call it the Aveo. The five-door hatch and four-door sedan are set to be officially unveiled later today at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, but the Bow Tie brand has been kind enough to share the skinny on this vehicle that’s supposed to tango with the likes of the new Hyundai Elantra and the Ford Fiesta. The Sonic will be available with a standard 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, though buyers can opt up for a turbocharged 1.4-liter producing 138 horsepower, which GM underscores is 18 ponies more than the Fiesta. Shifting duties are handled by either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic gearbox.

In fact, it’s clear that The General had its sights locked on the Fiesta from the get go. The Sonic hatchback packs more back seat room than its Blue Oval competitor and, with the rear bench folded flat, delivers more cargo room, as well.

GM also put plenty of effort into the suspension by tasking the geometry gurus responsible for the Corvette’s mighty grip. Up front, the Sonic benefits from a MacPherson strut design, while a torsion beam handles suspension duties out back.

There’s also plenty design-wise to differentiate the Sonic from its homely predecessor, including a more aggressive front fascia with massive headlight arrays. Judging from the photos, the biggest changes are indoors, where a stylish cockpit replaces the bland, bargain plastics of the Aveo. Stay tuned for live photos from the show floor of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Sedan

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback

2012 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading 2012 Chevy Sonic shown off as sedan and hatchback

2012 Chevy Sonic shown off as sedan and hatchback originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aveo No More: New Chevrolet small car to officially be called ‘Sonic’

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM

2012 Chevrolet Sonic

2012 Chevrolet Sonic – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has officially announced that its all-new B-segment car will be called Sonic, marking the end of the Aveo nameplate here in the United States. We first saw the 2012 Aveo at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year, and the vehicle will officially start production sometime in 2011 at GM’s Orion Assembly Center in Michigan.

The Sonic nameplate will only be used in the United States, Canada and Mexico; the car destined for other markets will retain the Aveo name. Chris Perry, GM’s vice president for Chevrolet U.S. marketing explains the reason for the name change here in North America:

“The Sonic represents a new beginning for Chevrolet in the small car segment and so we felt it was time to give it a new name. The new car is roomy, stylish and fun to drive, and Sonic is a youthful, energetic name that helps convey what this vehicle is about.”

If GM really wants to capture some youth, we suggest offering the Sonic in “Hedgehog Blue.” Follow the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

2012 Chevrolet Sonic

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Aveo No More: New Chevrolet small car to officially be called ‘Sonic’

Aveo No More: New Chevrolet small car to officially be called ‘Sonic’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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