Chevrolet Montana

Two years ago, GM Brazil unveiled the Chevrolet GPiX concept, designed locally under the direction of Carlos Barba. The concept defined the DNA of the Viva family, formed by the Agile, which has been sold in Latin America since 2009.

Now, General Motors is launching a new small size pickup truck called the Montana at the 2010 Sao Paulo Auto Show. The pickup will battle in a niche market that is not strictly focused on utility, but also caters to users that want a leisure vehicle. Indeed, this versatility has already inspired, initially, the Strada Adventure – produced by rival market-leader Fiat – and more recently the Peugeot Hoggar.


The Viva family presented a major change in direction for GM's Brazilian branch, which used the Chevrolet
nameplate to sell heavy duty vehicles for four decades before starting to produce passenger cars. From that point on GM Brazil based its portfolio on Opel cars. Following new GM policies, this profile is now changing. According to Carlos Barba, the most important reference for his design center currently is the North American Chevrolet Malibu, from which designers took inspiration for the front-end of the Agile and Montana.

At 4510mm long, the small Montana pickup truck is the largest offering in its category. Its bodyside is intentionally sectioned in two, using vertical lines that suggest a side step trunk, but without a wider rear axle. The overall language intends to demonstrate strength and a heavy duty vocation – a counterpoint to the rival from VW also unveiled at the show – that Barba sees more as a 'city car'.