Chevrolet at the British Motor Show 2008

With the Camaro and Beat concepts, Chevrolet is bringing not just one, but two showstoppers to the British International Motor Show on July 23-August 3.

The two prototypes are more than just styling studies, as they hint at what’s to come from Chevrolet over the next few years.

But while it’s the concept models that will undoubtedly hog the limelight, it’s the rest of the model range that has contributed to Chevrolet’s continued growth over the past three-and-a-half years, since the brand debuted in the UK at the start of 2005. A growth that saw sales reach an all-time record in 2007, and has seen further year-on-year improvements for 2008.

And in London, two models will be taking a bow in public for the first time.

The newest addition to the Chevrolet stable is the Aveo supermini, which went on sale at the end of May. Powered by a choice of 1.2 or 1.4-litre engines, the Aveo benefits from improvements of up to 17 per cent in fuel efficiency over the outgoing Kalos, as well as a host of new styling features that bring Chevrolet’s supermini offering bang up to date.

The Aveo’s bold frontal styling, now displaying Chevrolet’s new family face, is complemented by vast improvements to the car’s cabin, which now features soft-touch materials and stereo and ventilation controls integrated into the centre console.

Available initially as a five-door and in three trim levels, the three-door version of the Aveo arrived in Chevrolet showrooms in late June. Prices for the Aveo line-up range from £7,695 to £10,645 and all models benefit from Chevrolet’s incredible value and comprehensive standard equipment lists.

At the other end of the scale, the second show debutant is the Epica. Priced from just £13,595 to £17,695, the new model offers executive car dimensions and equipment levels for the price of a compact family hatchback.

Introduced to the UK in April 2008, Epica is available with two engines and two transmissions. The entry-level LS is offered with a unique 2.0-litre transversely-mounted six-cylinder unit, which offers the smoothness and refinement of a larger-engined car, but without the associated running costs. The other engine option is a 2.0-litre common-rail diesel, offered in LS and range-topping LT specification, the latter of which is available with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

All Epicas are tremendously well-equipped, with even the entry-level £13,595 car featuring an astonishing level of standard kit. Highlights include air conditioning, cruise control, 16’’ alloy wheels, six airbags and part-leather trim.

Joining the Aveo and Epica on the London Show stand will be other key models in the Chevrolet line-up, including the incredibly successful Captiva SUV. Launched to the British market last year, Captiva has been instrumental in building the Chevrolet brand into markets where it has never previously been represented. 2008 sees the addition of a new entry-level diesel model to the line-up. The £18,295 2.0 VCDi LS is a five-seat version of Captiva featuring front-wheel drive, thus making it more economical to buy and run for those who don’t need seven seats or on-demand all-wheel-drive, both of which are key features of other high value Captiva models. The Captiva range costs from £16,995 for the entry-level 2.4 LS petrol, rising to £25,245 for the 2.0 VCDi LTX automatic.

Making its first public appearance as part of Chevrolet’s compact family car line-up, the new-look Lacetti Sport is even more reasonably priced than ever before. The latest £12,495 five-door variant, launched in spring 2008, features a smart factory-fitted body kit, 15-inch alloy wheels and standard lowered suspension among its comprehensive levels of equipment. The Lacetti range incorporates a five-door hatch, five-door station wagon and four-door saloon, priced from £9,995 to £12,995.

Also shown in public for the first time, and sure to appeal to London-based showgoers, is the latest derivative of the popular Matiz city car. The latest 0.8 S variant, updated in April, now qualifies for low-rate road tax thanks to a reduced CO2 emissions rating of 119g/km. Costing just £35 a year in VED it really is the Chevy without the levy.