GM’s Matiz/Spark Mini-Car Racking Up Market Share in Europe and China
27 July 2005
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| Chevrolet Matiz/Spark minicar |
The new third-generation Chevrolet Matiz/Spark minicar, manufactured by GM Daewoo in Korea and introduced earlier in the year, is proving to be a solid hit in its global markets.
Some 7,300 units of the car sold in May and June alone in Europe, and by the end of the year, Chevrolet expects to have sold 40,000 of them there. (At that level, the Matiz would represent about 15%–17% of total Chevy Europe sales this year.) In China, sales of the Matiz/Spark have quadrupled in the first half of the year to 12,612.
The new Matiz/Spark features a new 796-cc, three-cylinder gasoline engine that delivers 38 kW( 52 hp) of power and a maximum 71.5 Nm (52.7 lb-ft) of torque. Top-speed of the five door model is 135 km/h (84 mph) with 0–100 km/h acceleration of 21.9 seconds.
GM Daewoo made a number of fundamental improvements to the three-cylinder engine—most notably equipping valve control with roller cam followers made of aluminium instead of rocker arms of steel, thereby reducing friction losses in the valve gear by 15% percent.
Combined with a new automatic transmission, the powertrain is 17% more fuel-efficient than its predecessor in the earlier model. Combined cycle average consumption in 5.7 liters/100km (41.3 mpg US).
The minicar segment is growing in Europe. In 2003, it accounted for 5% (890,000 units) of the total market in western and central Europe. In 2004, that grew to more than 1 million units (5.5%), and the trend appears ongoing.
Is the minicar-class street legal in the US? I know that the SMART cars weren't legal at one point, although I don't know if it was size or emissions issues.
After all, as a Bostonian, were I to get a car I'd want a really small one. One of these guys might really do the trick.
Posted by: stomv | 27 July 2005 at 07:36 AM
As a class, yes—it just depends on the individual vehicles meeting standards (ZAP’s “Americanizes” its imported smart cars to meet safety and emissions requirements)...and on convincing automakers that the cars could do well in the US.
Posted by: Mike | 27 July 2005 at 09:45 AM
Sadly, I don't think we'll see anything like this car from a US company on sale within the US until cars like the upcoming Honda Fit/Jazz have the market locked up.
When will Ford and GM learn that you can't wait for someone else to take the initial risk inherent in a new product segment AND make money by being a leader in a new segment at the same time? After the debacles of the earlier oil shocks and watching Chrysler invent the minivan segment, one would think (or hope) they've learned a thing or three.
(And no, I don't think that pouring metric tons of money into hydrogen, a.k.a. the "New Coke" of energy, counts.)
Posted by: loudGizmo | 27 July 2005 at 12:45 PM
Its not that its the fact the only way ford or gm could do it would be to import em because thier local labor costs are too high for a econ car specialy a small econ car.
In a few years after gm and ford manage to bankruptthier way out of labor contracts that will change but for now both companies are realy depending more on world sales then us sales.
Posted by: wintermane | 27 July 2005 at 02:47 PM
These cars a huge hit in Australia. I was going to buy one at one stage. It was just a bit small for 3 kids 92 teenagers) and 2 adults so I bought a slightly bigger Daihatsu Pyzar - still a small 4 cyl hatchback. If I did not have 3 kids I would have bought it.
Posted by: Ender | 28 July 2005 at 12:06 AM
GM sold a lot of Metros. I think their mistake (as i just said in another thread) was in not keeping a "placeholder" in their US product line for the most efficient car they can build. Who cares if they sell more Tahoes than Metros in a given year? Conditions can flip, and the Metros sell.
It's not like there was a danger that Metros would canibalize Tahoe sales!
Posted by: odograph | 29 July 2005 at 09:09 AM
Ya but did they make the metro in america or mexico? Transport and various other thingies might have changed since then preventing the metro from making sense.
Posted by: wintermane | 31 July 2005 at 02:12 AM
This technology seems so late since the old three-cylinder GEO Metros, even my four-cylinder 2001 Suzuki Swift fairs as well, if not better than these new Chevy's in terms of MPG. And mine was cheap at $7900 - new.
Posted by: shawn | 31 July 2005 at 02:08 PM
I too owned the earlier Chevy Sprint, and now a Geo Metro.
It was stupid for GM to dump them.. but why didn't Suzuki ever start selling these as 3-cyl?
Anyway, this is an improvement in terms of HP/Liter. 800cc producing the same output of the 1000cc Suzuki engine (50HP).
Fuel economy seems disappointing...even though it's combined ave. fuel econ, not highway. 41 mpg is good, and indicates that highway mileage should be close to 50... But it's not so good for an 800cc engine.
Then again, there is the fact that it's automatic... is that CVT or typical band&fluid automatic? An old-school automatic would decrease mileage over a manual trans.
The special "efficiency(EC?)" metro was rated at 60/49 back in 1991... whatever happened to that?
Anyway, I'm thinking that we really don't seem to be much better off in terms of efficiency than we were 15 years ago. Why do you suppose that is?
Posted by: jb | 01 August 2005 at 04:04 AM
True jb, we have not really improved too much when it comes to fuel economy, but efficiency has increased. The reason is most of that efficiency goes to more and more horsepower. If the horsepower levels remained at 1990 levels, We would be seeing a lot more higher fuel economy. The top of the line power rating for a midsize US sedan in the early 90's was at about 170hp, but today thats just the entry level. Same goes for diesel cars in europe. Their economy increased with the introduction of commonrail injection, but has been dropping with every new generation ever since as horsepower keeps going up.
The chevy spark is really not that efficient. The 1.2L honda jazz gets 5.5L/100km(43mpg)and the toyota Aygo gets 4.6L/100km(51.3mpg). Both are more powerful than the spark.
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Posted by: GAV B MASTER | 04 August 2005 at 07:49 AM
Id say the biggest mpg improvements have been made on the biggest trucks and cars.
Posted by: wintermane | 04 August 2005 at 10:47 PM
I drove one in Korea for a year and a half -- it was a kick. I would have early have like to have bring it back to the US, but alas -- bib brother knows whats best for me. Letters to Chevy and Daewoo were usless -- these chumps are morons -- that why, as some one earlier pointed out they are destined for bankrupcy -- and they deserve it! Bring on the Micros! Looks like I may be going back to Korea for a half year or so -- I think I'll get another to drive while I'm there!
Posted by: kenny andersen | 30 October 2005 at 04:41 PM
i have a 2001 Toytoa ECHO which gets 40-42 mpg in summer and 38-40 mpg in winter. I only drive is 6.5 miles to work and for errands. It has a 1.5 liter VVT engine which runs very nicely. A great little car!
Posted by: paul | 28 April 2006 at 07:24 PM
Hi,
I own a 2000 Matiz... which sounds less sexy than the new one... but it's a good looking car... with very good fuel economy (13-18.3km/L).
It's not a power machine... but it does fit up to 5 people... and even 4 bigger people without major problems.
It also tows surprisingly well... because all the torque is low down... and the suspension is surprisingly rigid.
Driven from Melbourne to Sydney & Adelaide in it with 2 friends. The former is 900+Kms & the latter is 700+Kms (in each direction).
Came standard with air con... which put the icing on the cake.
Depreciation on it is just over $1000/yr... which is something anyone can live with.
65,000 and no major problems encountered.
Doesn't like going up steep hills with 4 people and the air conditioning on. Have to turn the air con off till I get to the top... or go a lot more slowly. That rarely happens... and the small fuel bills make up for it anyway.
Servicing is so simple I do it myself. It's one of the simplest small cars to service:
oil, air filter (replaced with re-usable foam), spark plugs (put in l00,000km iridium plugs), oil filter (using reusable Trasko filter) and fuel filter. Occassional gear oil change also needed.
Treated it with Xcelplus... to improve economy and power. Less wear and lower temperatures too.
Very easy to park because it's very short.
I'm glad I bought it.
The new one's got more power and better economy... so you should do a lot better. They also improved the air con... so it sapped less power in the later models.
:-)
Posted by: Michael Czajka | 19 December 2006 at 06:28 AM
We bought a Matiz 1.0 SX last March to replace an 800 cc SE. Its a great little car and performs adequately on motorways with the larger engine.
Sadly the rear suspension is noisy at slow speeds over patchy road surfaces.and clonks over "silent policemen"(speed bumps). The dealership replaced the shocks with no noticable improvement; they have said it is "inherant" with the suspension redesign. Chevrolet are unable or unwilling to do anything about the problem and say the car "performs as specified by the manufacturer", is "a good example of the model year". Clearly not the sort of response on would expect for a brand new to the UK and Europe.
Posted by: Colin Shaw | 05 February 2007 at 03:38 AM
I have matiz since last five years . i am fully satisfied with this car's profomance and now i want to buy a new car again . so pl confirm me its relaunching month / date in india .
thanks .
Posted by: Navin kansal | 18 April 2007 at 06:49 PM
dear sir,
thanks for relaunch world,s most beautiful car..........
Posted by: sanjeev garg | 21 April 2007 at 06:40 AM
I HAVE MATIZ CAR AND ONWER SINCE YEAR 2000 , TOATL RUNNING 45000 KM , SIR DO YOU HAVE ANY EXCANGE FACLITY FOR THE SAME., PLEASE REPLAY I WANT TO BUY SPRAK IN LIEU OF THE SAME.
REGARDS
PREM CHAND AGARWAL
MOBILE NO: 09437048651/09937048651
Posted by: PREM CHAND AGARWAL | 05 May 2007 at 12:54 AM
I have Dewoo Matiz mini car,i have one doubt, i want give service to my car. i need address in BANGALORE. shall you mail the address. thanks
Posted by: K.RAMA KRISHNA | 20 July 2007 at 05:25 AM
Posted by: | 08 August 2007 at 11:13 PM
I own MATIZ SS 2000 MODEL. I want to know if there is any planning of GM regarding exchange of MATIZ to CHEVERLE SPARK?
Posted by: DR.N.K.PANDEY | 07 November 2007 at 11:32 AM