Matiz gets Simcoe look

LATE next year will see the debut of a substantially new Matiz baby car that been stylistically tweaked by Holden and Daewoo design chief Mike Simcoe.

Codenamed M200 and still under wraps, the new Matiz is expected to be released in Australia some time during 2005.

All exterior and interior panels will be new, although GM Daewoo says much of the "cute" and "fun" visual characteristics of the current car will be carried over into the new series.

So will the basic drivetrain, although Daewoo chief executive officer Nick Reilly promises that the below class-average steering and handling traits of the existing M100 model will be exorcised with a thorough redevelopment of its suspension and underpinnings.

Engine choices are likely to be lengthened. Today’s 38kW 0.8-litre three-cylinder engine will probably make way for a new 1.0 unit in Aussie bound cars, while the 53kW 1.2-litre four-cylinder powerplant from the European Kalos range is also a possibility.

The high degree of carryover parts are due to critical cost pressures during the dire pre-GM days when the M200 was going though its development period.