GM Releases Sketches of Future Compact Chevy

Last month, General Motors announced that it would be producing a small car at its once-doomed Orion Assembly Plant in Orion Township, Mich. and now the automaker has released a trio of sketches that may resemble the future small car that is to be built there. Initially, what is being called the Chevrolet Agile was designed entirely in Brazil and will be built in Argentina starting this fall, but many have begun to speculate that this is in fact the new vehicle that GM plans to produce in Michigan. If this is the new small car for Chevrolet, the big question we ask is whether or not this vehicle will eventually become the next-generation Chevy Aveo5. With Ford getting ready to introduce the Ford Fiesta worldwide (including the United States for 2011), Chevrolet could use a competitive small car with a sporty design.

Based on the sketches alone, the Agile looks to have a much more aggressive design than any current compact car from General Motors, but as we all know, sketches like these tend to be a little over the top. Comparisons immediately came to mind between the sketches of the Agile and the current Aveo hatchback from GM-Daewoo in South Korea, and the execution of the Brazilian-based design is much more palatable than GM-Daewoo’s idea for a small car. We are also taking into consideration the fact that the lead designer from the 2010 Chevy Camaro design team hailed from GM’s Brazilian design team. Even the trademark split Chevrolet grille looks much more natural on this car than on the current Aveo5, and the broad shoulders and sloped D-pillar help set this car apart from the pack.

As good as we think the exterior looks, the cabin of the Agile is where this new five-passenger hatchback really stands apart from the current Aveo5. The split instrument cluster design that Chevrolet uses on the Malibu is also rendered in the Agile sketches but offers a more angular flair. The instrument gauges will most likely offer a split design as well with a digital display screen mounted in the center, and the center stack seems to be dominated by three large HVAC controls. We’ll wait for official pictures to be released, but we like how the design of both the interior and exterior are shaping up.

If the five-door hatchback Agile looks familiar, it’s because it will most likely ride GM’s Delta II platform, which is also used on the next-generation Opel Astra (itself set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show). Unlike the ill-fated Saturn Astra, a Chevrolet version of the Astra would fit in quite well with the bowtie’s lineup. Possible engine options could include a choice of available inline-4 engines including the 105-horsepower 1.4-liter or the 129-horsepower 1.8-liter.

Inside is where this new five-passenger hatchback really stands apart from the current Aveo5. The split instrument cluster design that Chevrolet uses on the Malibu is also rendered in the Agile sketches but offers a more angular flair. The instrument gauges will most likely offer a split design as well with a digital display screen mounted in the center, and the center stack seems to be dominated by three large HVAC controls. We’ll wait for official pictures to be released, but we like how the design of both the interior and exterior are shaping up.

According to Carlos Barba, General Director of GM Design Mercosur, the Chevy Agile was deigned to meet the needs of a wide range of drivers from an urban driver who has to navigate dense, populated areas to more of the outdoorsy type just looking for a car with a lot of interior space. "The Agile goes beyond a traditional hatchback,” said Barba.