Spy Shots: 2011 Chevrolet Viva caught at the 'Ring

If General Motors has any real hope of emerging from Chapter 11 as a newly-viable automaker, it's going to need stellar products that will allow it to compete on a level playing field in every segment of the market it plays in. Of course, that's going to include small cars, and the current Chevy Aveo doesn't stand a chance against newer, more desirable models like the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, and the upcoming Ford Fiesta (not to mention possible Fiat-based small cars from Chrysler). Execs at GM realize this fact just like the rest of us, which is what makes the automaker's recent announcement that it will build a new small car here in the U.S. so interesting.
In a speech to the Automotive Press Association in Detroit last week, Bob Lutz showed off some slides that included references to future GM products, and Todd Lassa from Motor Trend noticed a new model called the Viva. Could this perhaps be the next mainstream small car from Chevrolet? If so, the Viva probably wouldn't be built on an existing Daewoo platform (as is the case with the current Aveo and upcoming Chevy Spark hatchback), and would likely need to be a slightly larger upmarket model if it's going to make any profit being built in the States and sell anywhere near the 160,000 figure that GM bandied about last week. Stay tuned.

[Source: Motor Trend]