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By
EWAN KENNEDY
23 January 2012
One of the highlights of the recent Detroit motor
show was the launch of a pair of brilliant little concept cars.
Amidst all the ballyhoo and hype that are features of any American
car show these two Chevrolets really grabbed my attention.
Even better, if they do go into production there’s a good chance
they will be sold in Australia as Holdens.
Biggest news about the Chevrolet 130R is that it
features rear-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive setup
that’s all but universal these days. The big exception is that
BMW coupes, indeed all BMWs are driven at the rear. There’s
little doubt a Chevrolet engineering team composed of full-on car
enthusiasts would love to get their teeth into this project. And
even less doubt that’s some Holden guys would love to spend a
couple of years in the States working on it.
Chevrolet 130R uses the same 1.4-litre turbocharged engine as seen
in the Holden Cruze and features 147 kilowatts of power. It also
has a fuel saving feature in the use of an eAssist system to help
boost torque.
The other concept car that grabbed our attention was the Chevrolet
Tru 140S. Far more aggressive in its shape than the 130R, this car
has a futuristic body that looks capable of being brought to
reality. It also uses the General Motors 1.4T engine.
Though Holden products at the moment are either
locally built or sourced from South Korea, there seems to be
increased interest in our brand coming from head office in the
USA. Our recent story on the Chevrolet Volt electric car is a good
example. So here’s hoping these two brilliant Chevrolets do go
into production carrying Holden badges.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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