Spy Shots: Chevy Spark spotted as Daewoo Matiz
by Chris Paukert on Jun 29th 2009 at 1:29PM 
Daewoo Matiz spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
The folks at Noticias Automotivas have scored shots of what looks to be the next-generation Daewoo Matiz, the subcompact hatch that we know better as the Chevrolet Spark.
The budget runabout is clearly very similar to General Motors' 2007 Beat concept and is in fact bang-on the Bowtie-badged production-intent model we saw displayed at this year's Geneva Motor Show, albeit with a Daewoo-specific upper and lower grilles, less stylized fog lamps and discount looking wheels.
Inside, the motorcycle-like gauge binnacle appears to have to have made the transition to production as expected, although as we were not permitted to touch the Geneva car, we can't tell if it's a tilt/telescope assembly.
Check out the gallery of images below.
Gallery: Daewoo Matiz spy shots
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Gallery: Geneva 2009: Chevy Spark
[Source: Noticias Automotivas]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
henrykrinkle 1:38PM (6/29/2009)
That guy's giving the international P.U. gesture. Good call.
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BowserUSC 2:08PM (6/29/2009)
That's exactly what I noticed as well.
chad.dawkins 1:38PM (6/29/2009)
Not this **** again. I'm not even going to try and argue back. This is a CAR WEBSITE if you want to talk about politics go on Foxnewsblog.com or go troll on MSNBCblog.com or something.
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chad.dawkins 1:38PM (6/29/2009)
The interior looks like it has some potential.
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Taglane 1:40PM (6/29/2009)
Yes. This is the color I wanted to see it in. It looks so much better in silver.
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Taglane 1:41PM (6/29/2009)
But could those wheels look any more tata nano-ish?
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Mike P. 2:57PM (6/29/2009)
The flatness of the side, as well... I wouldn't want to be caught in a strong crosswind in this (or the Nano... well, this would be preferable to the Nano).
k.w.a 1:47PM (6/29/2009)
Old GM strikes again! "New GM" better be careful with their base model Spark.. it better not look like this! As ghetto as they made the "Skids" character in Transformers, you'd think he would've turned into this
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ronEbear 1:48PM (6/29/2009)
The topic is cars, the manufacturers who produce them and the people keeping them afloat in response to their mismanagement and general incompetence . If you dislike people discussing relevant topics then that`s your problem, move along.
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adam1drift 1:52PM (6/29/2009)
yeah... I thought it was a good comment... and on point!
all we need in America is another Daewoo GM car...
if they choose an American plant to build it in thats a diffrent story...
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Suzie 1:57PM (6/29/2009)
This is why Koreans shouldn't be allowed to build cars.
Why, oh why, does GM feel the need to make this? Do they really think making another far-sub-par econo-toaster will make us all say to ourselves "OH! I GUESS GM REALLY IS COMMITED TO GOOD CARS."
This isn't the way to the future, GM. The way to the future is making solid C and D segment cars with extreme fuel economy and good performance.
I hope GM Daewoo goes under so they're forced to move engineering back to America.
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hypermiler 2:12PM (6/29/2009)
@ Suzie
> Why, oh why, does GM feel the need to make this?
The future belongs to small cars, not large gas guzzlers.
> The way to the future is making solid C and D segment cars with extreme fuel economy and good performance.
All GM car engineering is to be done by Daewoo from now on after Opel sale. You just eat what Daewoo cooks up for you.
> I hope GM Daewoo goes under so they're forced to move engineering back to America.
Korean government actually wants to let Daewoo go bankrupt so that it could resell it to Samsung, and GM is desperate to keep Daewoo.
Daewoo is a rare GM asset where there are willing buyers but GM is refusing to sell.
Suzie 2:16PM (6/29/2009)
The future doesn't belong to small cars. The vast majority of Americans don't want to drive around in toasters. The smallest segment that will ever have a chance of being widespread is the C segment.
GM still engineers cars in America. GM Daewoo engineers B segment and a small amount of the C segment Cruze platform.
Bloke 2:21PM (6/29/2009)
"The future doesn't belong to small cars. The vast majority of Americans don't want to drive around in toasters."
I hate to break this to you Suzie but if you happen to look at a globe or a world atlas, there are far more countries than just the United States. And in many countries which have dense populations and urban environments, city cars are vital to mainstream manufacturers. The USA is not the Spark's primary market or primary intended market either.
unni 2:46PM (6/29/2009)
I agree on all doesn't want to drive small cars. I am from India and immigrated to Canada 4 yrs back, I know how it feels when you drive a small car and big car. I love driving big cars.
Fuel economy is the problem because of gas prices. The difference between America and rest of America is Rest of America will try to run small cars, under powered ones and America will replace Gas with electricity and still drive big cars.
When i was in India , It was not thinkable to drive on electricity because we have daily 1 hr power cuts but in Canada its different. In last visit to India, i felt Honda CRV is too big in Indian roads and in Canada CRV is the smallest suv.
So Some part of world will drive small cars, some part will still drive big cars with different technology.
Wait for 10 years and see , 70's kind of cars are going to be back on roads with different technology in North America - all electric because there is a lot land to put another power plant to make power.
k.w.a 2:47PM (6/29/2009)
I think the point is that the future points towards small and midsize cars, not midsize and gargantuan cars. obviously, a family of four should not be trying to fit in a Spark; but they don't need a Suburban either. it makes perfect sense for someone to have a small car when theyre single, a midsize car when starting a family, and maybe a crossover/ suv if the family gets large.
MoonRover 5:50PM (6/29/2009)
Hey Suzie, I smell your cookies burning.
cdwrx 1:58PM (6/29/2009)
They really took out a lot of the dramatic surfacing from the concept's front end which makes it look cheaper and flat-nosed. I hope the Chevy version is more like the concept and I hope that wheel size is not even available.
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SubcompactCulture 2:01PM (6/29/2009)
I don't think it looks too bad. I wonder how this will fit into the "new small car being made in Lake Orion, MI" thing? Will it be GM/Daewoo architecture but built in MI? Or will the car being made in MI be something other than the Spark?
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Suzie 2:07PM (6/29/2009)
By basing it on a GM architecture that means it can supposedly be built at any GM plant in the world. I sure to go hope this is the one being built at Orion. If it isn't that means they're going to to design ANOTHER ugly thing like this.