Small Cars Make a Big Statement at the Detroit Auto Show

Are Americans finally ready to downsize their rides for good? With up to a year long wait for the pint-size Smart car and the continued sales growth of the fashionable Mini brand, downsizing could be more than a fad. The switch to smaller, more fuel-efficient cars is something the US automakers are also working on.

At the Detroit Auto Show, General Motors bid for a piece of the growing segment by announcing production of the Chevrolet Spark. The all-new four-door mini-car, coming in at 11.5 feet in length, will be the company's smallest car to date. And with the unveiling of the new Ford Ka at the Paris Auto Show, Ford is considering manufacturing an American version of the popular European mini-car.

The Spark was originally shown as a concept at the 2007 New York Auto Show and GM's website was flooded with over 2 million votes to make it a real car. Sales will begin in Europe in the first quarter of 2010, followed by the US in 2011.

Produced for General Motors