One thing that will definitely catch potential buyer’s eyes is the shade of blue that GM has thrown on the car. A deep shade, GM calls it electric Boracay Blue. They’ve used the color to highlight aspects of both the interior and exterior of the car. Most notably, the brake callipers are painted Boracay Blue, popping out from behind the 19-inch, five-spoke wheels. On the inside, everything is done in a matte black, with gloss black highlights. Boracay Blue accent stitching can be seen on the instrument panel, the door inserts, the steering wheel rim, gear shift, parking brake, seats and floor mats. The center console integrates the gearshift, stereo system and HVAC system. The stereo includes an USB port so MP3 players can be plugged in directly. No need for a FM transmitter here. Ice-blue back lighting on the console helps the Boracy Blue stand out.
While a good looking car will always attract attention, what most people want to know is how the vehicle performs. Since the Aveo is moving up in Chevy’s line of cars to make room for the soon to be released Spark, one would expect an improvement in the engine. Well, GM has decided to equip the Aveo with a 1.4-liter Ecotec engine that puts out a fair 138 horsepower. This is the same engine that will be in the Cobalt replacement, the Chevy Cruze. Power is transferred from the engine to the wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. There is no word yet whether an automatic model will be made available.
One bit of news that might draw buyer’s attention is the fact the new Aveo will be built in Orion Township in southeast Michigan. The plant will be refitted for the new Aveo in late 2010. GM said that 1,200 jobs will be restored with the start-up of the plant.
