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To: jerry anchin who wrote (7962)	2/9/2000 6:35:00 PM
From: Challo Jeregy	Respond to of 10081

Wednesday February 9, 5:10 pm Eastern Time GM shows off Piranha and Traverse concept cars CHICAGO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM - news) on Wednesday displayed concept versions of a four-wheel-drive coupe and mid-size truck-sedan hybrid in a continuing effort to show that it has left bland design behind. The world's largest automaker showed two of the 10 concept vehicles it plans to unveil this year at the various auto shows around the world. GM is considering making six of the vehicles. At the Chicago Auto Show, GM showed the Pontiac Piranha sport coupe and Chevrolet Traverse truck-sedan combination. GM has already said it plans to make the SSR concept rear- wheel-drive roadster with a pickup truck bed. Automakers show concept vehicles to gauge public interest and sometimes bring them to production if the response is overwhelmingly positive. ''These are not just dream vehicles,'' GM's design chief, Wayne Cherry told reporters. ''They are based in reality.'' Analysts have criticized GM in the past for its bland styling, one reason for the U.S. automaker's declining U.S. market share. GM has moved in recent years to revive the image of its various brands with new models and fresh designs. The entry-level Piranha, with a design influenced by extreme sports equipment, is aimed squarely at the youth market, said John Mack, the car's lead designer. ''It offers the youth market a new alternative,'' he said. GM hopes the coupe appeals to 18 to 26-year-old, urban, hip consumers. The car has attributes such as a changeable instrument panel, fabric trim panels that can be changed according to tastes and a ragtop roof that opens partway like a curtain. The car takes its design cues from extreme sports, Mark said. Its angular exterior is inspired by the tension seen in stretching fabric over the wire frame of a camping tent, the steering wheel styling is mountain bike-inspired, the aluminum instrument panel is covered with the same spandex material used in exercise wear and the glove box is made of the same compressed impact foam used in bike helmets. All four of Piranha's seats are designed to be foldable and can be removed to double as beach chairs, GM said. The car also has a removable cargo tub on rubber wheels that, when taken out, creates a mini-pickup complete with a fold-up tailgate. A supercharged 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder engine provides the Piranha with 212 horsepower. The all-wheel-drive Traverse is meant to turn the mid-sized sedan on its ear, the vehicle's lead designer, Joel Piaskowski said. ''This is a car-like vehicle with truck-like functions,'' he said. It boasts GM's OnStar satellite navigation system, an integrated, removable Compaq laptop computer with Internet access and seating and agility of a sedan, while boasting the 5,600 pound towing capacity, command-view seating and utility of a Chevrolet truck, he said. The rear seats can move nine inches fore and aft and also can fold down to provide a flat load floor that can hold a four-by-eight-foot piece of building material, GM said. The backs of the front seats have tray tables with integrated cup holders that unfold for the rear passengers. The vehicle is powered by a 4.5-liter V-6 engine with 255 horsepower.