It may be known for its SUVs, but General Motors has had a continuous presence in the U.S. subcompact market longer than any other major automaker, including Toyota, Honda and Nissan. However, its Chevrolet Aveo has been outclassed lately by cars like the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa.
In 2011, GM will hit back with the Chevrolet Spark, a car based on the Chevrolet Beat concept unveiled at the New York Auto Show two years ago.
Officially, this version is only a concept car, but GM expects to unveil a final production version at the Geneva Auto Show in March. European sales of the Spark will begin a year earlier than U.S. sales.
NEXT: 2010 Buick LaCrosse
Last updated January 13 2009: 3:59 PM ET