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HHR: Not yet launched, but causing a stir
03:53 PM CDT on Monday, June 6, 2005
Chevrolet's new HHR crossover vehicle isn't even available yet, but Unique Performance in Farmers Branch already knows every screw and bolt in it - and removed many of them.
Unique is one of four specialty car shops nationwide that was invited by General Motors to participate in a televised "build-off" of the new HHR — with each putting its own special custom touches and modifications to the HHR. The company is best known for its high-profile Eleanor Mustangs — heavily modified 1967-68 cars inspired by the movie Gone in 60 Seconds.
All four HHRs will be unveiled to GM engineers and designers in California on June 22 and will be part of the August national launch of the HHR, which resembles a shrunken early '50s Chevy Suburban.
The work — and this month's reveal in California — is being videotaped by the Discovery Channel's Rides cable-TV show, which will ask its viewers to determine which of the four is the best.
"It's been crazy," said Doug Hasty, president and chief executive officer of Unique Performance. "We hit every aspect of this vehicle, stripped it down to the bare bones. I had no idea they had so much content in a little vehicle like that."
With two weeks left, the Unique Performance HHR awaits wiring and an interior, he said.
General Motors came up with the idea for the "build-off" to create some buzz about the HHR, a four-cylinder, five-door crossover built on the new compact Chevy Cobalt platform. A well-equipped HHR - which stands for "heritage high roof" -- is expected to cost less than $20,000 and may draw lots of young buyers eager to customize it, company officials say. GM hopes to sell 100,000 of the vehicles a year.
"They delivered a new HHR to us last month," Mr. Hasty said. "At the end, when it's over, they will throw us the keys to a 2005 Chevy SSR, which ought to make a pretty nice shop truck."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/060605dnbushhr.2eadbddc5.html
03:53 PM CDT on Monday, June 6, 2005
Chevrolet's new HHR crossover vehicle isn't even available yet, but Unique Performance in Farmers Branch already knows every screw and bolt in it - and removed many of them.
Unique is one of four specialty car shops nationwide that was invited by General Motors to participate in a televised "build-off" of the new HHR — with each putting its own special custom touches and modifications to the HHR. The company is best known for its high-profile Eleanor Mustangs — heavily modified 1967-68 cars inspired by the movie Gone in 60 Seconds.
All four HHRs will be unveiled to GM engineers and designers in California on June 22 and will be part of the August national launch of the HHR, which resembles a shrunken early '50s Chevy Suburban.
The work — and this month's reveal in California — is being videotaped by the Discovery Channel's Rides cable-TV show, which will ask its viewers to determine which of the four is the best.
"It's been crazy," said Doug Hasty, president and chief executive officer of Unique Performance. "We hit every aspect of this vehicle, stripped it down to the bare bones. I had no idea they had so much content in a little vehicle like that."
With two weeks left, the Unique Performance HHR awaits wiring and an interior, he said.
General Motors came up with the idea for the "build-off" to create some buzz about the HHR, a four-cylinder, five-door crossover built on the new compact Chevy Cobalt platform. A well-equipped HHR - which stands for "heritage high roof" -- is expected to cost less than $20,000 and may draw lots of young buyers eager to customize it, company officials say. GM hopes to sell 100,000 of the vehicles a year.
"They delivered a new HHR to us last month," Mr. Hasty said. "At the end, when it's over, they will throw us the keys to a 2005 Chevy SSR, which ought to make a pretty nice shop truck."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/060605dnbushhr.2eadbddc5.html
