GM do Brasil
brought an unexpected and pleasant surprise to Detroit. The Sabia concept,
named after a Brazilian bird, was designed completely south of the border
as a an exercise in creating a globally appealing crossover vehicle. The
four passenger Sabia is based on GM's gamma platform used in the Opel
brand of Corsa cars sold in Europe.
David
Rand, the Sabia's designer, told PUTC that the Sabia is perfect for
daily commuter use during the week but its bed adds extra utility
for taking
care
of the chores and leisure time activities on the weekends.
Rumors of
a Saturn pickup (see illustration above) have been swirling around for
quite some time as that GM brand seeks to broaden its appeal to buyers.
We think the Sabia fits the bill. It's small 1.8L, four cylinder engine
makes it the perfect choice for budget conscious buyers looking for lots
of versatility in their vehicles. Front wheel drive adds to the Sabia's
efficiency.
The Sabia
is compact at only 174-inches long, 6" shorter than the Chevrolet
Cavalier, and stands 60-inches tall but its 20-inch wheels make it appear
much larger in scale.
The cab is
configured to the coupe side of the spectrum rather than the increasingly
popular crew cab but the Sabia still easily accommodates four people.
The steeply raked C pillar provides more head room for rear passengers
and also allows the rear seats to recline - an issue in most four door
crew cab pickups.
Lacking in
the Sabia is a midgate-style means of access to the bed to provide even
more functionality but Rand told us a midgate could be easily added if
the Sabia reaches production.
