Chevrolet claims these two concept cars — the Tru 140S and the Code 130R — based on the eager yearnings of the youth of America and unveiled here moments ago at the Detroit Auto Show — are the future of Chevy small cars. If this is our future, somebody needs to please shoot me now.
According to U.S. Census data, there are 80 million American consumers approaching 30. They represent 40 percent of today's potential car-buying public and a combined $1 trillion in purchasing power.
The bow-tied General Motors brand tells us that over the past year they've crossed the country to converse with these young human Americans. Based on their feedback, they designed these two Chevrolet concepts to explore the styling and functionality the youngs says they are looking for in a car.
Code 130R, the first Chevrolet concept, is a four-seat coupe that seriously looks like a Camaro that made love to a Mazda RX-7 that had already made love to a 1 Series that was the illegitimate child of a Dodge Neon. We're not saying the design is derivative so much as it is a collage that when combined provides a completely underwhelming design for their perception of America's future.
But hey, it's painted in an all-new red metallic paint with matte anodized gold wheels.
The Code 130R features heritage performance-inspired styling — which in itself is indicative of performance that despite a turbocharged engine will likely be destroyed by the added weight we'll expect the eAssist system and other toys "millenials" will want.
I'm sorry, but given the design cues available to Chevy — we really expect better. Congratulations America, this is your new Chevy Citation.
Tru 140S, the second Chevrolet concept, is a front-wheel-drive, "affordable exotic" four-seat sporty coupe based off the Chevy Cruze. At least, the press release calls it an "affordable exotic." But in reality, it looks like Chevy's built an egg with three doors.
Shown in an all-new matte white with more Chevy performance-inspired touches — you know, stuff like "Chevy performance chrome wheels featuring crossflag emblems" — that do not actually provide performance, the Tru 140S is designed to look "confident, exotic, expensive and fast." I'm not sure it succeeded in accomplishing any of those tasks. Tru 140S is based off the same platform as the Chevrolet Cruze and the groundbreaking Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range.
Tru 140S designers want to demonstrate technologies typically found in more expensive cars, including direct injection and a starter-based stop-start technology, balancing internal combustion and electrification to deliver high value and improved fuel economy.