New Spark in Chevrolet’s Line-up
1 December 2004, Petaling Jaya – Chevrolet SPARK brightens Chevrolet Range.
Hicomobil Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian importers and distributors of the Chevrolet brand made it brighter for its customers today with the unveiling of its minicar, the Chevrolet Spark. With this car, Hicomobil officially moves into the very competitive minicar market, currently dominated by the Perodua models. To be priced around RM 40,000, the Chevrolet Spark is going head-on with the Kancil and Kelisa models.
Bookings are now open for the first batch of cars to be delivered in February 2005. Also present at the simple unveiling ceremony, held at the DRB-Hicom headquarters in Glenmarie, was Mr. Ali Pandir, managing director of GM Overseas Distribution Corporation. He said, “ Adding a minicar to Malaysia’s growing Chevrolet portfolio will give our customers a wider range of products from which to choose. The Spark will raise the bar in the mini segment in many aspects; from comfort, safety to fuel economy.”
Hicomobil Sdn Bhd’s Chief Executive Officer, En. Norzahid Mohd Zahudi gave the Chevrolet Spark the ‘thumbs up’ when he tried it out for size. “With its range of outstanding qualities such as a spacious interior, five-door functionality and a favourable price, the Chevrolet Spark will appeal to young professionals and young couples who are seeking a fun car that offers superb value for money,” he said.
Designed by world famous Italian designer Giorgetto Guigiaro, the Spark features Euro-Italian styling touches, including ‘button’ headlamps, and a fun personality with lines that look like a smiley face at the front. Complementing Chevrolet’s line-up that currently consists of the Aveo, Optra, Nabira and the flagship Lumina, the Spark looks set to be a volume model.
The Spark is powered by a 3-cylinder, 796 cc, SOHC (Single Overhead Camshaft) fuel injected engine that develops 52 ps at 5900 rpm, and 69 Nm of torque at 4600 rpm. Mated to this engine is a 5-speed manual gearbox with a cable operated clutch and a final drive of 4.444. Top speed is claimed at 144 kilometres per hour with the 155/65 x 13 tyres. Fuel consumption is claimed to be four litres per 100 kilometres, which works out to be 5.68 sen a kilometre in fuel costs. We will verify this when we get a test car later on.
Suspension is McPherson struts at the front, with trailing link suspension at the rear. Brakes are discs in front and drums at the rear. ABS is an optional extra. There is no mention of airbags, but there are side impact beams, front and rear crumple zones, and a 2-way collapsible steering.
In terms of creature comforts, air-conditioning is standard equipment, as are reclining and folding rear seats. Front headrests are height-adjustable, and the ever-important cup holders are in place. The seats look comfortable, and there is as much room as there can be in a minicar. Of course, the fact that the designers have planted the four wheels as close to the corners of the car as possible means that the cabin space has been maximized, and the wheelbase of 2340mm is quite respectable for this size of car. Overall height is 1485mm, overall width is 1495mm, and overall length is 3495mm.
With the introduction of the Spark, Malaysian buyers will now have a much wider choice. This is good for the consumer, because with fiercer competition, car makers will start looking for competitive advantage in product, and service backup.
