Corsa Crossovers?
Lutz says U.S., Europe could share small crossovers
By AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Updated: 04/09/07, 1:45 pm et
Maybe they'll be called Corsa-overs?
General Motors may modify its global small-car architecture for a family of small crossovers for a CO2-conscious era, GM sources say.
GM is considering whether to market the models under different brands in North America, Europe and possibly emerging markets such as Russia, India and China.
"Variants could be configured with different exteriors for Opel and Chevrolet," GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told Automotive News Europe last month.
GM's five-seat small SUVs would be built at low-cost sites in Thailand, India and Mexico. The annual production target is 200,000 units.
Lutz had hinted last spring that GM was working on a small SUV. GM sources now say a stretched version of GM's small-car architecture could be used. The architecture underpins the Opel Corsa, which will be sold in the United States as a Saturn. The Corsa is a tad smaller than the Toyota Yaris.
GM's smallest current SUVs are based on its Theta architecture. They include the Chevrolet Equinox, Saturn Vue and Pontiac Torrent.