Our Chevrolet event coverage comes to us courtesy of Byron Hurd and Speed:Sport:Life. Take it away…
“Near as we can tell, the Chevy press conference wasn’t actually about a car. For that matter, it wasn’t really about cars at all. The intro video for… whatever it was they were trying to introduce, was simply and near-endless string of “man on the street” interviews featuring what we can only assume is Chevy’s new target market. They’re young, they’re poor and they want cars. Also, they don’t really like or care about cars. They just want one, you know? Cuz like, Facebook, twitterconnectivityInternetRacecar.
As for the concepts? Well, they showed us two designs, both four-seater, two-door coupes. The code130R is something concocted from an emasculated Camaro and a little bit of BMW’s 1-Series, though (in many ways like BMW) they forgot to spec the attractive parts. The other draws heavily on the high-haunched (and nearly dead) Mitsubishi Eclipse and a little bit of GM’s own Cadillac Converj concept. Both were meant to capture the imaginations of this newfound youth market, so naturally, they’re an ADD-addled mish-mash of “needs” and “wants” as specified by a sample of the 80-million strong market that, in the Chevy presenter’s own words, can’t truly be defined. Fortunately, they can still be compartmentalized by a demographic, and that demographic wants two doors, Brembo brakes with cross-drilled rotors, and an iPod dock.
The last institution to so disastrously probe the youth market ended up the target of a federal investigation. Fortunately for GM, nothing Chevy’s market research teams have done is considered illegal. Some of us, however, might think it should be. ”
Edit: Powertrain details have surfaced. The Tru 140S (white one) uses a Cruze-derived 1.4L Turbo making 150 horsepower and 148 lb-ft, returning the all important 40 mpg. A 6-speed manual or 6-speed auto are the transmission choices. The Code 130R (red one) uses the same engine and transmission but also employs eAssist and a front engine, rear-wheel drive setup, whereas the Tru is front-drive.
Funny how similar that Chevy looks to the production 2012 Hyundai Elantra aka NA Car of the Year one photo down.
i was going to say that, and I am a Chevy fan.
Really? Other than having the same number of dark shapes (windshield, two air intakes, a pair of “brake ducts” and a pair of headlights) on a white surface, they have very different proportions and angles.
I’m not a designer, but to my eye, the puffy, big-booty Chevy looks way different than the warped and wavey Hyundai.
I thought the red car looked a little familiar, so I checked my search history. Turns out, I had seen it beside the definition of “Dowdy” on merriam-webster.com.
While TTAC outsources show coverage to someone else, we see pix of cars, but other than the pithy criticisms of the PR/marketing spiel, no real information.
From this post, I have no idea of what size, weight, engine capacity, intended purpose and pricing these cars are.
Ahh, pretty pictures…
From the context of the article, it sounds like no one knows size, weight, engine capacity…they’re going for the “I want a red car with an iPod dock” demographic.
We are sharing all the information we have in real(ish) time. This is the first time TTAC has done this. I am on the show floor coordinating four contributors plus attending events myself.
The traditional analysis will follow. We are trying to give the readers more than what we’ve given you in the past.
next time ask me i will help i live near detroit
Full specs, More pictures, other details…
http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f70/naias-chevrolet-130r-tru-140s-concepts-108083/
The red one while looking ugly in concept form, is FR layout(front engine, RWD) 6 Speed Manual, 4 seats, and 40 MPG Highway!!
Thanks, alluster. I’ll head over there for information.
What was the original post supposed to be about?
As a true lover of “pithy criticisms”, I can tell you that …what we can only assume is Chevy’s new target market. They’re young, they’re poor and they want cars. saw me spewing Pepsi on my monitor and was, in itself, worth the read. I’m not interested in either of these cars, but a good laugh? I’ll always take a good laugh!
Uggh…what was GM thinking?
I guess this is a case of…
Before we go out on a date, you need to find someone to go out with my ugly redhead friend.
HA HA — you really believe they did any legitimate market research! (snort)
“The last institution to so disastrously probe the youth market ended up the target of a federal investigation.”
Farragold!
The new G6. Maybe Oprah can give this one away too?
An iPod dock? That is positively ancient. The youngsters I talk to about cars all want pandora (or similar) streamed from their phone through the car audio system wirelessly.
Pandora sucks, just Bluetooth to stream calls or an internal hared drive with with USB connections.
“They’re young, they’re poor and they want cars.”
That’s probably the best phrase I’ve read in months. I’ll be laughing at this for hours.
I just can’t decide if these cars will be worth the extra $5 a day as a rental.
This just in from Detroit … Chevrolet has attempted to steal Toyota’s FT86 hype by using an existing platform and cashing in on the Camaro.
I thought the same thing when I saw the red one was RWD. And that’s a concept I’d love to see others rip off… but 25″ rims and mail-slot windows suggest GM might not ‘get’ what Toyota is going for with the FT.
“They’re young, they’re poor and they want cars.”
I’ll add “rental 28-inch wheels” to that too.
OK, so that’s it. Huh. Just direct those people to the local “Buy Here, Pay Here” lot and save yourself a lot of money developing anything new. I’d rather see that money buy extra tail lights on the Impala as “god” – Mr. Mitchell – intended.
…I’m waiting…
I hear what you’re saying Zackman.
But I can relate to the young, poor and wanting cars statement, as my own two kids (in their early twenties and their friends) would like something new that isn’t used, or a penalty box.
I saw some 80’s BMW 3 series bones in that red car. The greenhouse looks like it would have pretty good sightlines. The white one would look better with a Pontiac split grille, dart and the letters GXP on it.
@geozinger: I like how you think!
Of course I was being facetious, but I’m understanding “poor” to be just that, not young and struggling, which I put in a different class. I’d hate to be young these days, even tho’ I’m nearing retirement, as young people – a lot of people regardless of age – are stuck with all the sins of “globalization” and other factors.
The red car really appeals to me as well – I see a ’90’s Neon coupe in that greenhouse, especially in the B pillar! Call it “Nova”.
@Zackman: I tend to think of poor as more young and struggling, rather than the chronic underclass.
I don’t exactly envy my kids these days either, but being American born and raised, the sun will shine tomorrow, and it will be a better day. I guess that’s why my parents immigrated here.
Sorry, got off track there. Give me the white one, put the Pontiac grilles and that honkin’ motor from the Cobalt SS, and I would be one happy daddy!
…i think the 140’s an attractive styling exercise; clean, fresh, and emergent without a lot of tacked-on filigree…
I like that the 130R’s roof and shoulder lines remind me of the Lancia Fulvia. As a bonus, the name makes me think of Suzuka,
“They’re young, they’re poor and they want cars.”
Further research revealed that this particular auto focus group wanted the cars manufactured with green energy sources only. Windmills. And solar.
They want the cars manufactured out of recycled materials like DVDs, Walmart bags, Mountain Dew 16 ounce plastic bottles, Monster drink cans, Jack Link wrappers, Skittle bags, and old text books. Interiors should be manufactured out of hemp that can make the seats look like they are covered in pajama pants and fleece hoodies.
It will be important to be able to drive these cars while wearing ankle bracelets and pierced nipples. Rear seats should be able to handle large dogs and car seats.
The coupes should be designed to look nice even after a biological father’s best friend who’s baby the buyer is now carrying, steals the car and goes four wheeling in it.
Yeah – that’s Chevy’s market!
So Chevy’s market is a caricature that only exists in your mind? Should assure that sales remain pretty low.
No, he’s saying the young Chevy buyer is a redneck.
Considering that Chevy currently appeals primarily to absolute morons, I would think “redneck” would be a small but notable improvement to the brand’s target demographic.
Wow! You didn’t leave a lot of room there, did you V’Dude?
Now I have to figure out where this leaves me if and when I need another car. Thanks a lot!
…Now I need to remember where I put that hamster suit…
Ya know the only thing we drove where I’m from? Silver-phuckin-rado
One has to wonder if GM is rolling these out just to F*** with Toyota? They see a competitor down and want to go for the kill?
That’s what Toyota, and every other competitor would do.
Thats just doing business
” the all important 40 mpg “….. Like everyone else is doing. At the expense of performance and/or luxury. There is a huge target market that is being ignored.
That’s what happens. Everyone rushes to make cars for the next big thing and other segments get ignored. Then someone realizes it, targets that segment and the cycle begins again.
I think Chevy just revived the quite rare CRX-looking Cavalier hatchback, coincidentally this new Chevy looks like the new CRZ.
The 130R should be a go. It looks to be more practical than an Altima Coupe.
The red one looks like a Camaro halfway through a sex change transformation after a long series of estrogen injections. All that’s left are a couple of precise scalpel cuts.
Code 130 R (the red 1 Series looking car) is somewhat interesting. Too bad it’s a few years too late to make a real splash (if it was even going to be built) The other one that looks like an Eclipse, forget about it.
I like the idea of Chevrolet attempting to be to the upcoming generation, what it was to the baby boomers and older generations. In the last couple of decades, the 3-series, WRX, Civic, Evo and other non-Chevy’s have taken the place of the Chevelle, 409, Z28 and other dream cars of the car guys in your school.
From the reaction, they may have been a little off. But then again, this “Generation X” individual did not get too excited when today’s performance icons first came out.
Maybe the type of interest Chevy is trying to serve up does not happen in a convention hall, but the streets and backroads. I doubt if the song “Little GTO” was written in a GM Motorama.
The red one is a Datsun 510 pimped with wheels from an 85 Camaro.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZfsG-DVCoPM/TC5AcuOj7WI/AAAAAAAAAfM/JtI2G8jTp18/s1600/datsun510.jpg
The white one is just another ridiculous-looking concept with big wheels and no door handles.
White one is hideous, Red one looks great. I espicially love the steep back window.
GM you make me laugh.
What an efficient use of taxpayer resources.
Going beyond why did they even bother with these two: Why would they even bother to make one RWD if the target market gives diddley about cars? If they were serious about RWD, that thing needs to look badass! This was an opportunity to introduce a Roadrunner-style (I know MOPAR) cheap performance car that looks great, goes like stink and can be modded like crazy. You know if it ever sees production the first thing to go is the RWD.
Full disclosure – Former Malibu F41, 4-speed driver.
The white one does not belong to the Chevrolet booth, not at all. It has every design code of Opels (and therefore, of recent Buicks): front lights, central dual exhaust as seen on OPCs in Europe, the shape of the trunk end (see Buick Regal), bar the bowtie on the front. It’s not enough Korean looking…
Not counting the fact that it would be a worthy successor to the sleek Calibra.
Big mistake to show it with this brand as I expect the same car to be shown in Geneva as a new Opel Coupé. Otherwise, it’s the beginning of a branding mess in Europe between Chevy and Opel. I don’t doubt the great GM will be handling this mess in a perfectly inordinate fashion, by the way, giving Opel a slow and agonizing death.
As for the red one… badly executed BMW 1-Series, anyone?
The front end looks a little Elantra-ish and the back sweeps around similar to the Honda CRZ.
Get rid of the red car. Put the engine in the back of the white one, make it handle like it should and you might just have a fun car from chevy that can compete with the foreign makes.
won’t happen, but I can dream right?
One thing I’ve noticed here on TTAC: Any mention of Mitsubishi is typically met with at least half a dozen sarcastic comments questioning their relevance and life expectancy.
Yet, here I sit, perhaps the lone Mitsubishi fan in this audience, laughing that General Motors is only now – 20+ years after Mitsubishi introduced the Eclipse – thinking about introducing an Eclipse of their own – and it even LOOKS like an Eclipse (albeit, one that’s been through the requisite, post-bailout Opel design studio).
I wonder if there will be a collective groan, 12 years from now, when the third generation ‘Chevy Tru 140 LS Z24 Irmscher(/’Buick Andante GSCXL Special’) is released with Pontiac-inspired cladding and a dowdy V6 and slushbox. Will people still be so sarcastic about Mitsubishi’s nearly 100% electric offerings?
Just stirring the pot. :)
I kind of dig the red one. Makes me think of the early-’80’s Celica notchback coupe that an upperclassman had when I was in junior high.