GM Daewoo to sell Chevrolet Spark mini-car in U.S. in 2011

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS executive's quote in para 3)
SEOUL, Jan. 12 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean unit of General Motors Corp. said
Monday it will begin selling the Chevrolet Spark mini-car in the United States in
2011 as part of the U.S. parent's push to focus on smaller, more fuel-efficient
models.

The four-door hatchback was manufactured by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. and
will hit showrooms in South Korea in the second-half of this year ahead of the
U.S. launch, GM Daewoo said in a statement.
"The decision to add the Spark to Chevrolet's portfolio reflects the brand's
commitment to being a fuel efficiency leader in the industry," Troy Clarke,
president of GM North America, was quoted as saying in the statement.
GM showed off the new model at the North American International Auto Show in
Detroit, the statement said.
The U.S automaker, which was recently aided by a government bailout, has been
shifting its focus towards fuel-efficient cars in an attempt to ride out a global
economic downturn.
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