Chevrolet to Bring Spark Bubble Edition, Plus New Model Year Versions to Frankfurt Show

Chevrolet will reveal the Spark Bubble edition at the Frankfurt Motor Show, as well as new features available for most of its model range.

Beginning with the Spark Bubble, it has a sportier looking bumper, side rocker moldings, 15-inch white painted alloy wheels and white or pink Bubble decals on the front fenders.

On the inside, the center console and inserts match the color pattern on the exterior, while the seats are made of leatherette. The special edition Spark city car also has a restyled instrument cluster, a new radio with Bluetooth connectivity, CD player as well as USB and aux-in jacks. It will be available in select European markets.

Chevrolet will also display new features for many of its models, including the Aveo, Cruze, Malibu, Orlando and Trax. The Aveo will be fitted with a standard rearview camera when specified with the Chevrolet MyLink connected radio.

The Cruze will be available with two different MyLink radios, while higher trims will get the Side Blind Spot Alert system. In addition, all Cruze body styles will be offered with four gasoline engines starting this autumn: a 100hp 1.4-liter, a 138hp 1.4-liter turbo, a 122hp 1.6-liter and a 139hp 1.8-liter unit. The Cruze will also gain a new 109hp version of the 1.7-liter diesel engine.

The Orlando gains the Advanced Parking Aid and Side Blind Spot Alert systems, while second row seat heating will be offered on select trim levels. The new MyLink connected radio will be a standard feature, with the MPV also getting new 16-inch wheel covers and 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels. Additionally, the 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine can be now matched with a six-speed automatic transmission.

On the Malibu sedan, the 2.0-liter diesel engine gets upgraded, with combined fuel economy dropping to 4.7 l/100 km (50 US mpg) for the manual transmission fitted with a standard Start/Stop system.

Just like its Opel Mokka sibling, the Trax crossover gains a new version, as the 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine will be available with front-wheel drive starting this autumn. In addition to all these updates, higher trims of the Aveo, Cruze and Orlando will have LED turn signals integrated in the outside mirrors.

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2014 Chevrolet Spark EV Can Be Leased from $199 per Month

Chevrolet today announced that the new 2014 Spark EV 1LT is available for low mileage lease (12,000 miles/19,300 km) for as low as $199 per month for 36 months, with $999 due at lease signing including security deposit (tax, title, license dealer fees extra). The offer makes the Spark one of the most affordable EVs currently on the market, though, it's one of the smallest in size as well.

The Spark EV’s Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starts at $19,995 (€15,580) after deducting the full federal tax credit of $7,500 (€5,840) and includes $810 destination freight charge.

Spark EV owners in California may also qualify for other state and local tax credits and incentives ranging from $0 to $2,500, which means the price could go down to $17,495 (€13,630). California residents are also eligible for High-Occupancy Vehicle, or carpool lane, access.

GM says that the Spark EV can save drivers, on average, about $150 per month in fuel costs based on EPA assessments, compared to an equivalent new gas-powered vehicle.

The Spark EV has a combined city/highway EPA estimated range of 82 miles (132 km) when fully charged and an EPA-estimated combined city/highway 119 MPGe (1.98 l/100 km) fuel economy equivalent. Chevrolet offers eight years or 100,000 miles of warranty for the 21 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

When equipped with the SAE combo charger for DC Fast Charging, the Spark EV can recharge the battery up to 80 percent of its capacity in approximately 20 minutes at DC Fast Charging stations. However, a full charge on a dedicated 240V charger takes about 7 hours.

The Spark EV will be available at select Chevrolet dealers throughout California and Oregon beginning mid-June 2013.

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New Chevrolet Spark EV EPA-Rated at 119MPGe Equivalent

The Chevrolet Spark EV, one of the more promising all-electric vehicles from a mainstream manufacturer, has just received its official range and efficiency information. According to GM, it is “the industry benchmark in retail electric vehicle efficiency,” as it has been officially rated with a combined EPA-estimated 119 MPGe equivalent and a driving range of 82 miles (131 km).

The source of all this is the Spark EV’s 21 kWh battery pack, which comes with 100,000 miles warranty, or eight years, whichever comes first. It can be charged up to 80 percent of its capacity in around 20 minutes, if a DC fast charger is used. If not, then a regular wall socket should give you a full charge in around seven hours.

However, the Spark EV’s party piece, to me at least, is the performance. It gets over 130 hpfrom its electric motor, and 60mph (100 km/h) is said to come up in "under 8 seconds" – a Toyota GT86 takes 7.6 seconds to reach the same speed, so this should be pretty brisk. Keep in mind that if you are going to use the performance on offer, you won’t get anywhere near the claimed range and efficiency figures, though.

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GM Infographic Tells the Global Tale of the New Chevy Spark

As the new Chevrolet Spark hatchback begins to arrive in showrooms across the U.S., General Motors decided to share a second infographic with us about its mini car, which was first launched in South Korea in 2009 having sold more than 600,000 units worldwide up to date.

Whereas the first information graphic concentrated on the Spark's size, this one includes some interesting and some not-so-interesting facts about the car from around the world.

For example, we learn that that in Europe, the Spark is most popular in Italy, while pink is the preferred color in South Korea and that the five-door model represents 40 percent of all General Motors vehicle sales in Lebanon.

In the States, the 2013 Spark is offered exclusively with a 1.2-liter four-cylinder gasoline unit producing 85-horsepower.

When combined with a five-speed manual, it returns a mediocre (for its size) EPA estimated fuel economy of 32 mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway. The 4-speed automatic model fares even worse at 28 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway.

Prices for the new Spark start at $12,995.

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