Last summer, General Motors engineers triggered about the new GMC Granite concept. And this year GM gave the green light to the Granite project, which caused a storm of excitement among autopresses.
Critics claim that the GMC will go into production in suicidal style, the rear doors are spaced with passenger seats. The terms of production have not yet been approved, production is scheduled for 2013 model year or 2014.
GMC introduced Granite a concept in January 2010 at the North American International Motor Show in Detroit. The serial model will be built on the GM C-segment platform, which underlies Chevrolet Volt and Cze, Buick Vrano, Opel Cors and Chevy Orlando.
Orlando is a compact multi -purpose car that GM has rejected deliveries for the American market. It will be sold in Europe, Asia and even in Canada. Orlando will share the chassis with Granite.
It is still unknown whether the number of car units produced will be limited. It is known that GM made a hinged rear doors for a lighter loading of a large baggage. If Granite really justifies its name, then it will have to have a body, a fortified metal frame, as well as durable panels and thresholds of doors.
GMC showed Granite with a 138-horsepower 1.4-liter turbo engine associated with a six-speed manual gearbox, as in Chevy Cze. The engine can develop the maximum torque of 200 nm. GM will be one of the best options for cars for city streets, second only to CZE, which has a 177-horsepower 2.4-liter engine under the hood, with a maximum torque of 230 nm, but lower fuel consumption.
