Amidst the unveilings and concept cars of the New York Auto Show, carmakers also make other announcements.
From General Motors, we learned today that the 2013 Chevrolet Spark minicar will carry a base price of $12,995 including destination.
All Sparks are fitted with a 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine, and the standard transmission is a five-speed manual.
While Chevy calls the Spark a four-passenger car, the carmaker notes that it has more interior space than the Fiat 500, Scion iQ, or Smart ForTwo, which also compete in the minicar segment.
There will be three trim levels of the Spark five-door hatchback, designated LS, 1LT, and 2LT.
All Sparks include 15-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, power windows, rear wiper, trip computer, and a 60/40 split folding rear seat that flips forward.
They also include the Chevrolet MyLink connectivity system, with apps for Pandora internet radio and Stitcher Smart Radio, and standard OnStar.
The 1LT level, starting at $14,495, adds power locks and mirrors, keyless entry, cruise control, an audio system with a standard 7-inch color touch screen, Bluetooth pairing, audio controls on the steering wheel, and Sirius satellite radio.
2013 Chevrolet Spark shown at Los Angeles Auto Show, Nov 2011
At the top of the range, the 2LT model--with a base price of $15,795--adds a number of appearance features. Those include a different alloy wheel design, chrome accents, different front and rear fascias, silver roof rails, and inside, heated leatherette seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The only options are a four-speed automatic transmission ($925), Black Granite paint ($175), and an engine-block heater ($75).
Later in the model year, the embedded GogoLink system will be available. It will deliver navigation and real-time traffic, among other functions.
The 2013 Chevrolet Spark will reach dealers later this year, though Chevy hasn't yet said when.
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