Chevrolet Ponders Affordable Rear-Wheel Drive Coupe

When the Chevrolet Code 130R concept appeared at the Detroit International Auto Show in 2012, enthusiasts the world over where engaged by its baby muscle car styling and its rear-wheel drive chassis.  A compact, rear-wheel drive sports car was something that General Motors hadn't built in ages - outside of the larger Camaro - and there were rumours that there was a strong chance the 130R would inspire an actual production vehicle.

An article published in the Automotive News quotes Mark Reus, president of GM North America, as stating that the company is seriously investigating the possibility of producing a compact, rear-wheel drive coupe that could go head to head with models like the Subaru BRZ and the BMW 1 Series.  Priced at far less than the German coupe (roughly $20,000 on the US market), the Chevrolet would aim to attract young buyers interested in traditional performance, wrapped in a modern package.

• Also: How GM came to make a conceptual Datsun 510: the Code 130R

Unfortunately for those enamoured of its looks, any future compact coupe from Chevrolet won't bear the same styling as the Code 130R, which Reus laments as 'dated.'  The car would come to showrooms on a fresh platform that could conceivably also be used by a family of small vehicles.