CHICAGO — General Motors is using the stage of the 2009 Chicago Auto Show to show off five Chevrolet cars that will play key roles in the summer film release Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Among the stars are the 2011 Chevy Volt, the upcoming 2010 Chevrolet Camaro and a retro Corvette concept.
The Corvette Stingray Concept will play the role of an Autobot known as Sideswipe. The concept is inspired by the original 1959 Stingray racing car and draws styling cues from several generations of Corvettes. GM says the Stingray Concept is simply a design exercise and isn't indicative of a future model.
The Volt, on the other hand, is nearly identical in appearance to the 2011 production model, though it's a current-generation Malibu beneath the skin. The name "Jolt" suggests that the Autobot will play off the Volt's electric powertrain to fight the Decepticons. The production Volt is claimed to run up to 40 miles on batteries charged from an electrical outlet before using a gasoline generator for power.
The other two new Chevrolet Autobots are the subcompact Beat and Trax concepts from the 2007 New York Auto Show. With film monikers Skids and Mudflap, respectively, the concepts wear new paint and exterior accessories for the film. The Beat concept is the basis for the 2011 Chevrolet Spark.
Bumblebee, a yellow Chevrolet Camaro, will return from the first Transformers. In the new film, the Camaro will wear new wheels and cues from the performance SS model. The Camaro is due to hit showrooms this spring as a 2010 model. A 17-foot tall Autobot model of Bumblebee is also on display on GM's stand at the Chicago auto show.
GM has launched a Transformers Web site to promote the Chevy vehicles in the film. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will hit screens on June 26.
Inside Line says: Chevrolet's lineup of Transformers stars offers a preview of some of the automaker's most important upcoming cars. — Eric Tingwall, Correspondent
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