GM to Unveil Volt-Based MPV in Detroit

As the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) is drawing near, manufacturers are scrambling to finish their concepts, design studies or production-ready vehicles, that will impress their future customers and point out future trends in the automotive industry. General Motors is rumored to bring something special to Detroit. According to Car and Driver, the company will take the veil off the next vehicle to use the extended-range hybrid drivetrain from the Chevrolet Volt. The new vehicle will come with a five-door MPV body configuration and should sport another electrical-inspired name: the Amp. Though the car doesn’t officially exist yet, it’s a well known fact that GM has been flirting for a long time with the idea of a five-door Volt MPV. The auto giant even showed the Volt MPV5 Concept at the Beijing Auto Show back in April. The introduction of another Volt-based vehicle makes a lot of sense from an economic standpoint, as the shared platform means the two cars will share development costs in the future. The car should be similar to the concept that previews it, offering the sale closed-off grille and the lower front fascia. The name for the new vehicle also seems to be clear, as GM registered the trademark for it this month, together with the Chevrolet Strobe, and the recently launched Sonic and Aveo. The automaker has also registered the domain names ChevyAmp.com, ChevroletAmp.com, ChevroletAmp.net, and ChevyAmp.net, the last two being purchased just this past October. autoevolution will be attending the 2011 NAIAS, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.