Just last month, GM teased compact crossover fans in America with images of its Orlando concept, a small seven-seater based on the upcoming 2011 Chevy Cruze. However, even before it bowed at the Paris motor show the automaker canceled plans to bring the CUV stateside, opting for a small car from Asia instead. And now the General is introducing another soft-roader not intended for U.S. consumption -- the new Chevrolet GPiX Concept, created specifically for markets in South America.
Making its debut at this year's Sao Paulo International Auto Show, the GPiX was styled by GM's Brazilian design studio, and the automaker believes it could help create a new segment for the region. Featuring a sleek two-door body style but with high-enough ground clearance to handle unpaved roads, GM's general director of design for Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East Carlos Barba says the vehicle "offers the sporty design and versatility necessary" for countries like Brazil. Its front-end a variation on the Chevrolet design theme found on vehicles like the Traverse and upcoming Cruze, the GPiX concept sports off-road cues such as flared wheel arches and 17-in., mixed-use tires, while seating just four and including extras like a panoramic glass roof.
Its name standing for Global Image, the GPiX is designed to be built at a cost that would make it affordable in the developing world. Despite featuring extras like Bluetooth, an entertainment system, and seats that fold flat into the floor, the president of GM Brazil and Mercosur (a trade region encompassing much of South America) believes the GPiX "could result in the development of many models for Brazil and Mercosur region." That said, considering GM is focusing much of its attention on global vehicles like the Cruze and Opel Insignia (which will reach the U.S. as the next Saturn Aura), if a GPiX-based crossover becomes a runaway hit in the southern hemisphere, it's always possible the General might be convinced to bring a version stateside, too.
