The all-new 2011 Chevrolet Aveo is due to go on sale later this year and though we don’t have all the technical details for it, we do have a preview of the upcoming compact in the form of the Aveo RS concept car revealed today.
The Aveo RS will be unveiled officially at next week’s 2010 Detroit Auto Show and despite being called a concept, the stylish hatchback is essentially a dressed up version of the production version that will eventually appear in showrooms.
You can expect the production version to lose the aggressive bodykit and 19-inch wheels but the general look of the car should remain the same. A four-door sedan should also be offered, giving the lineup a competitor for the coming Ford Fiesta, and an alternative to the hatchback-only Honda Fit.
Its designers claim the Aveo RS has a "European-inspired hot hatch look" that's meant to "appeal to young enthusiasts." Additionally, the Aveo RS is longer, wider, and has more interior space than the current model.
Among other strategies to capture the hearts of younger buyers, the concept takes a cue from the playbooks of Scion and Mini, showing off the many personalization options that will be available on the production Aveo. Cool features include the exposed head- and tail-lamps inspired by those on motorcycles and the electric blue paint scheme.
Under the hood sits a 1.4-liter turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder engine rated at 138-horsepower (the same unit found in the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze). Drive is sent to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission.
While there are no plans for production of the Aveo RS, the regular 2011 Chevrolet Aveo will start rolling out of GM’s Orion Township plant in Michigan later this year.
[Chevrolet]
