Chevy Beat, Groove, and Trax concepts; No US Beat, but Groove and Trax

[Joey D]

Source: Leftlanenews.com

General Motors unveiled three Chevrolet concept cars at the New York Auto Show today. The Beat, Groove and Trax offer consumers a look at three possibilities for a future global mini car from GM. The company is asking enthusiasts to visit vote4chevrolet.com to vote for their favorite concept.

Here's how GM describes each of the cars:

Beat

Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kw7WdtWHG8

"Designed to evoke the mood of a speedy micro import tuner, the Beat is a front-wheel-drive, three-door hatchback concept built to be personalized, and powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged gasoline engine mated to an automatic transmission. It's loaded with technology, including a navigation system and premium stereo."

Groove

Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdGQla_Ue_8

A 'funkastalgia'-themed vehicle too tough-looking to be 'cute,' the Groove concept is a retro-inspired vehicle with bodacious fender flares and an upright windshield. It looks much longer than it is, thanks to its short hood and long cabin. The front-drive Groove is powered by a small, efficient 1-liter diesel engine."

Joey's note: What the hell is funkastalgia' and bodacious? You can't just make up words.

Trax

Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTUQ8qkrRfY

"An urban crossover concept that's equally at home on the trails or in traffic, it gets a low-cost all-wheel-drive system and looks the part of a rugged SUV many times its size, thanks to a voluminous one-piece bumper and fender system in the front and back, a rear-mounted spare tire and a roof rack. Trax is powered by a 1-liter gas engine."

 

[Jim Prower]

Pics dont' work...but is sounds like G.M.'s trying to rake in the people Scions were aimed at. Too bad these cars are too "responsible" in the mechanicals department.

 

[Dave A]

They don't work for me either.

Joey's note: What the hell is funkastalgia' and bodacious? You can't just make up words.

Funkastalgia is certainly something new, but Bodacious isn't, that's a word that's come from the dictionary. It means thorough, blatant, unmistakable, remarkable, outstanding, audacious, bold or brazen among possibly other things.

 

[Joey D]

I rehosted the pictures using imageshack, they should be good to go now. I added videos to the first post as well.

Hmmm...bodacious is a word? I guess I need to expand my vocabulary.

 

[Perfect Balance]

[sarcasm]I'm sure the Americans will be big fans of the 1 liter engines.[/sarcasm]

 

[Joey D]

Meh you never know, more and more people are getting irked about rising gas prices. If GM does make these and they package them at the right price they will sell. But I'm guessing they are aimed at a non-American market.

 

[stumpydino]

wow those are ugly

 

[YSSMAN]

Generally speaking, I think it is good that an American company is looking at building cars like this before the Japanese and the Europeans get the leg-up on them. The interest in the SMART cars has been steadily growing in America, and certainly it would appear as though GM wishes to capitalize on this with these models.

- Beat:

Overall, I'd rate the Beat pretty high in terms of ideas and overall the way things had turned out. The looks seem like they are of a Citroen or Renault strained through an American perspective. The car looks pissed-off, but still looks 'cute' enough to make most people think it looks fairly good looking. In terms of mechanical features, the 1.2L Turbocharged I4 sounds like a pretty decent idea, especially if they can get the power and fuel economy right. If they could push these out the door with about 100-110 BHP for less than $11K, my guess is that they would sell quite a few.

- Groove

If the Scion xB turned out to be popular, I don't see any reason why this one couldn't do the same. Between the three concepts, this one looks the most like the current crop of possible production Chevrolets at least in terms of the shape of the grille, headlights, and HHR-like tail-lights. The big thing here, at least for me, is the 1.0L diesel I4. In concept form, it shows that GM is thinking about diesels in America, which is a good thing. With gas prices rising, and diesel power being a rational alternative to what we have now, I see this as a sign that we will be seeing more diesel models in the US. Just like the Beat, if GM could push these out the door with 100 BHP for less than $11K, I'd see no reason why they wouldn't sell well.

- Trax

Over at the vote4chevrolet website, I indeed voted for the Trax (currently, the beat is winning, followed by the Trax, and then the Groove). At least in my mind, it has a look to it that is both unique as a Chevrolet, and unique as an American car. With most Americans still looking for alternatives to our SUVs, and some of us even reeling from our crossovers, this AWD model seems like a reasonable idea. We deal with snow a lot in Michigan, and the extra AWD would be nice. Plus, I like the two-tone look the Trax has... That, and the tire-carrier on the back looks cool too. Like before, if they can sell it with 100 BHP for less than $11K, they should be able to sell quite a few...

---

In a perfect world, they would build all three in small numbers. Beyond that, they would make all three engines available with manual or automatic transmissions, and so too would the AWD setup be optional on all the vehicles.

...I say build them, Chevrolet. They are the right thing to do...

Plus, I wouldn't mind buying any of them. So, at least with me, you've already got a customer willing to buy...

 

[Dave A]

Oh my good lord, I've just wathed that Youtube vid for the Beat, is that how they unveil cars in America? How the hell can GM unveil a car like that and think "yeah".

 

[Joey D]

In short, yes that is how they do it.

 

[Dave A]

You'd think they were aiming the cars at nursery school kids or something, thoes guys dancing around the cars like that looked a tad ridiclous. Here, we get Kylie Minogue draped over the bonnet of a Ford Ka sport or some other girl on some other car. I prefer it our way .

 

[YSSMAN]

...Meh, they're just trying to appeal to the 'urban' crowd with the 'funyness' of the cars...

We've done better. When the new Wrangler debuted in Detroit back in January, they drove it through a big window and parked it on some big dirt pile. Not spectacular, but sends a message no-less.

...It depends on the brand and on the product. Usually, I'd rate the GM debuts pretty good, but these ones are just a bit strange...

 

[Dave A]

Urban crowd or not...

Should appeal more.

Marketing eh, what a load of balls.

 

[Pupik]

Oh my good lord, I've just wathed that Youtube vid for the Beat, is that how they unveil cars in America? How the hell can GM unveil a car like that and think "yeah".

I was thinking how great it is to be old and un-hip like me, so a large corporation can't play me out. Except Lexus.

After looking at the pictures of all three, all I can think is "Dude, Where's my side/wing mirrors?"

 

[YSSMAN]

EDIT:

@ L4S/Dave A: Those are just booth-babes. We've got them too, but they usually talk to the consumers about the cars they are standing by. Take for example, my photo of the Camaro Convertible Concept at Chicago...

Its usually the norm to have a lady there, walking around the car, talking about it, with some huge video display behind them showing off the car as well.

Or, we have some interactive car displays with models behind the wheel...

All of the Chrysler brands get their own playgrounds at the Chicago Auto Show. Jeep gets to play around off-road, while the Chrysler/Dodge cars and SRT products get their own prooving grounds, and the Dodge trucks get their own work site to drive around in.

Nine times out of ten, the cars are normally just there, and we get to walk around them until the models come in for a few minutes, do their show, and walk away... Maybe to another car, or just to a 'break.'

The LF-A prototype up above had a model there talking with people and showing off the car, and she would also help out the IS-F display that was next to it (the girl next to the IS-F was hotter)...

Most often though, we just go for the huge displays. Over at the Scion booth, they really don't have too many people working it, but everyone stands around in awe as their stand goes crazy...

---

I don't know if either way is 'better,' but more or less, its just a difference of practice. What you're noting is something that is more popular at car shows like SEMA, not necessarily the big auto shows in cities like Detroit, Chicago and New York...

 

[Jim Prower]

BEAT, TRAX
I saw these, and the term "Kei car" came to mind. These things look like they should be introduced in Tokyo, not New York.

GROOVE
oh, come on. It's a cross between HHR and Scion xB. and less powerful than either. Even the Nissan CUBE has more engine.

 

[Diablomonkey]

WOW those things are freaking ugly

 

[Omnis]

Chevy Beat ftw; although it'd be impossible to beat in there.

 

[Tornado]

- Groove

If the Scion xB turned out to be popular, I don't see any reason why this one couldn't do the same.

Because this thing looks like garbage. Not even Dodge or Audi are stupid enough to release a car with a grill that obviously slapped on and huge, and the rest of the front end is just ass ugly.
Also, its called the Groove. That word hasn't been cool since 1976. Or maybe Interstate '76, but same idea.

Just like the Beat, if GM could push these out the door with 100 BHP for less than $11K, I'd see no reason why they wouldn't sell well.

Because cars sold for under $13,000-$14,000 have a stigma to them that they are worthless, and therefore (ironically enough) they don't sell that awful well except to rental fleets.
That, and all three of them are the ugliest production feasible concept cars I have seen since the Nissan Azeal (and, sadly, they built that). Seriously, look at the front bumper on all three of them! Each one is at least 6 inches tall! The one on the Beat looks like it is a foot tall. They also suffer from the huge grill that has already ruined the next Malibu, and that car actually had potential before it was ruined. These things have so many tortured lines it actually kind of sad.

 

[Sakiale]

I like the styling but get rid of the grill on that groove.

And the Honda Beat is much cooler.

 

[land sea air]

So I'm voting on what GM labeled toy Tonka will be selling next, correct?

 

[Dave A]

@ L4S/Dave A: Those are just booth-babes.

They arn't jsut booth babes, well the second ones might be I don't know for certain, but the first one most certainly isn't. That's Kylie Minogue unveiling the Ford Street Ka. I've never seen a car unveiled like the three in thoes youtube vids before, but I've seen plenty of them over here where there's been a good presentation with some good presentation. Which I certainly don't mind. I do get what your've said though, that thoes arn't typical of all US car unveilings, something I'm gad about for your sakes. They were worse than Pipex adverts.

 

[YSSMAN]

...If GM builds it/them, consider this:

The Smart ForTwo is the only major competition, although it is somewhat clear that the Chevrolet models would be better compeditors to the Smart ForFour.

IMO, I'd rather have these than the two Smart cars...

...But as we have said before, styling largely depends on who is looking at it, and at least from where I stand, I don't think they are bad-looking whatsoever...

 

[Jim Prower]

What If the Japanese decide to enter the market, though?

THat's why I think these Chevys should debut in Tokyo, first.

 

[Joey D]

I don't think they will, there isn't a huge demand for these vehicles in America. The Japanese companies would have to do a lot of work to make them legal on American roads with all the airbags and crap we require.

 

[Jim Prower]

Certianly so, But if anyone (especially Suzuki...the Kei King,) decides to introduce a Smart/MiniChevy competitor, they could have an advantage with their small-displacement experience.

and why, I ask, would G.M. even be considering a Kei-sized minicar in the U.S. market if they couldn't sell it? hell, they could source a 660cc motor from Suzuki and sell 'em over there, if they wanted.

 

[Joey D]

I still don't think these are really slated for the US market, they will probably be for sale here but remember Chevy is a "world brand" now so they will more than likely be sold else where...mainly China. But in order not to lag behind in the game, GM does need an uber small car just in case they do take off here for some unexplained reason.

 

[Jim Prower]

Fair enough. (The Suzuki idea actually works in this situation)

But why introduce it, of all places...in NEW YORK?!?

 

[Joey D]

If these cars are going to be sold decently well it will be in a large city like New York, Chicago, LA, and San Fan/Oakland. That's about as best as I can figure.

And the reason GM isn't using Suzuki is that in the states Suzuki's aren't thought of as car, they are thought of as motorcycles. It's an image thing. But then again the Suzuki 660cc motor is probably a bike variant.

 

[Jim Prower]

I was talking about In Japan, where there's a limit on engine displacement.