A couple of days ago, we reported that the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture started production of a Baojun 510 wearing a Chevrolet emblem (project code CN180S), sharing the first official images and general information of the small utility vehicle. However, GM Authority has discovered the official name of this impending General Motors crossover: Chevrolet Groove.
Chevrolet Groove Premier
That’s right, the all-new Chevrolet Groove is the Bow Tie brand’s next utility vehicle that starting this year, will begin to export to some 40 underdeveloped countries in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and other selected regions. In these markets, this new crossover will position itself as the smallest and most afforadable model in Chevrolet’s utility portfolio – below the new Tracker.
GM Authority anticipated in late 2019 that GM was preparing to launch a future model under the Groove nameplate, upon discovering that the company had filed a trademark application for that term in at least four countries in Latin America and Asia. Now, this leaked information regarding the Baojun 510-based Chevrolet Groove validates our research, and confirms that the vehicle will not be destined for the United States or Canada.
2007 Chevrolet Groove Concept
This name was first used in 2007 with the Chevrolet Groove Concept, a tall hatchback of compact proportions that was introduced alongside two other Chevrolet concepts: the Beat and the Trax. The Beat Concept went into production as the Spark, the Trax Concept gave its name to the Chevrolet Trax crossover, while the Groove Concept never saw production. However, it’s now giving its name to this new small crossover.
Chevrolet Groove Concept
Chevrolet Beat Concept
Chevrolet Trax Concept
In addition to the name, we also learned some trim level and feature details about the upcoming Chevrolet Groove. In the markets where it will be sold, it will be available in LT and range-topping Premier variants, as the latter will include specific 16-inch wheels, a panoramic roof, an eight-inch infotainment screen as well as a two-tone color combination that is not available on the Baojun model.
The all-new Chevrolet Groove is expected to debut officially in the coming weeks in South America, as was the case with the new Chevrolet Captiva, which is based on the Baojun 530 SUV. As we previously reported, the Groove is already in production, exports will begin in June, followed by a gradual launch in the aforementioned emerging markets.
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Comments
Bring it to the states. But that’ll never happen, especially with the manual trans. Damn shame.
Love the manual-
May as well rename GM … “China Motors”.
That includes the divisions of Toyota, Ford, VW, Tesla, Benz, FCA and other manufacturers in China, give it a break.
Good job GM. Let’s make China Great and build them into an automobile exporting powerhouse. Just slap GM names on mediocre products. Next shut down the remaining U.S. factories and bring Chinese Chevrolets, Buicks and Cadillacs to America. Wait, GM’s doing that already. Buick Encore anyone? No, that’s Korean. It’s Buick Envision. The $45,000 Chinese SUV no-one wants or needs but gives China an inroad into the U.S.
Made in China…GM should leave it there! It’s amazing how profits continue to drive cheap Chinese junk into markets around the world. Keep this crap out of the U.S. And no, I won’t “let it go, already”. The Chinese government has already shown the world what their plans are, and that includes stealing intellectual property. We don’t need to import their lousy cars while they continue to steal from us.
Did anybody actually read all of the article? No where, but no where did the article say that this vehicle is going to be imported into the USA. As a matter of fact, the story says the GM/Wuling joint venture”…will begin to export to some 40 underdeveloped countries in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and other selected regions.” The vehicle is likely not built to meet USDOT safety standards, and so could not be legally imported to the USA. In any event, the car is a subcompact, similar in size to the Chevy Trax and the Ford EcoSport,, which, at this time, are basically sitting on dealer’s lots, looking for buyers.
Look at the bigger picture here. GM is facilitating China to import vehicles into some 40 underdeveloped countries around the world under the Chevrolet nameplate. This ties in nicely with Beijing’s goal of being an automotive exporting powerhouse. GM is just the sucker doing the bidding under the guise of Chevrolet. China will kick GM to the curb when it is no longer needed.
Or Vice-versa- who owns the dealerships in those 40 underdeveloped countries-
If some here are against GM imports from China, then get tough and tell your Congresspersons to apply import taxes on all foreign brands. They sell for lesser prices (due to no Union salaries) and kill the small sedan and small crosser domestic sales. And if they build in the U.S, the profits go to their foreign banks. So I am telling you to either defend your local brands wherever they are assembled, and stop buying all imports, or just shut up!
I concur – what counts is where the bottom corporate Dollar goes. Funny nobody ever complains (or stops purchasing) Apple products!