Chevrolet Sonic Gets Sporty With Z-Spec Accessories

- Exterior accessories include ground effects, exhaust tip, spoiler, mirror caps, grille surrounds, graphics and 16- or 17-inch painted alloy wheels

- Interior accessories include aluminum sport pedals and sill plates

- On sale by the end of 2011

DETROIT – Chevrolet today introduced the first production Z-Spec accessories for the 2012 Sonic, an all-new small car hitting the streets this fall. The Sonic Z-Spec portfolio – which will be showcased at the New York International Auto Show – includes 'Color Out' accent packages with contrasting-color exterior parts and graphics that express the car's performance characteristics.

The Sonic combines a youthful, aggressive design with turbocharged performance and agile ride and handling. When equipped with an available, efficient 1.4L turbo, it is expected to achieve an estimated 40 mpg highway.

'The new Z-Spec accessories reinforce Sonic's fun, youthful spirit,' said Rick Scheidt, vice president, Chevrolet marketing. 'Customization is particularly important with the customers we believe will gravitate toward the Sonic, and we want to help them make their vehicle look exactly the way they want as easily as possible.'

The Z-Spec accessories will initially include body-color ground effects (with a silver exhaust tip), contrasting mirror caps and roof spoiler, contrasting upper and lower grille surrounds and a body graphics package, along with 16- and 17-inch painted alloy wheels. The ground effects kit features a front fascia extension, rocker panel extensions, rear fascia extension and silver exhaust tip.

Interior upgrades include aluminum sport pedals and sill plates.

Z-Spec also includes color accent packages in 'Black Out' or 'White Out.' These 'Color Out' packages, displayed on vehicles at the New York Auto Show, feature black accents on a Summit White Sonic and Summit White accents on an Inferno Orange Sonic.

'Sonic is a great canvas for customization, and Z-Spec offers a cohesive design with a family of factory-engineered accessories and graphics,' said Scheidt.

Z-Spec parts can be purchased individually, to suit customer tastes and budgets, or can be purchased as a complete package. When the parts are purchased with the Sonic and installed by the dealer, customers can roll the cost into their monthly payments.

Additional accessories will be available for the Sonic, ranging from the fashionable to the functional, such as chrome mirror caps and door handles to cargo nets and trunk trays. Additional graphics packages also will be available in the future.

The accessorized Sonics on display in New York share traits with the Z-Spec concept versions of the Cruze, Spark and Volt shown at the 2010 SEMA show. For example, each wore ground effects kits, rear spoilers and Z-Spec-specific grilles, as well as Z-Spec graphics.

Sonic at a glance

The Sonic is offered in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a sporty five-door. Each delivers class-leading rear-seat roominess and cargo space. A variety of connectivity features enhance the driving experience.

Sonic is offered with an efficient Ecotec 1.4L turbo engine rated at an estimated 138 horsepower (103 kW) – 18 horsepower (14 kW) more than Ford Fiesta – and 148 lb.-ft. of torque (200 Nm), between 1,850 rpm and 4,900 rpm. It is expected to deliver 40 mpg on the highway (EPA estimates pending).

A standard Ecotec 1.8L engine is paired with a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, delivering an estimated at 135 horsepower (101 kW) and 123 lb.-ft. of torque (167 Nm) at 3,800 rpm.

The Sonic will be built at the Orion Assembly Center in Orion Township, Mich., making it the only subcompact to be built in the United States.

by Chevrolet