Daewoo Kalos

The Daewoo Kalos is a subcompact automobile manufactured by GM Daewoo (the South Korean subsidiary of General Motors) introduced in 2002 and marketed globally in 120 countries — prominently as the Chevrolet Aveo (ah-VAY-o).

Marketed under five GM brands and eleven different nameplates, the Kalos vehicles have evolved through two styling generations. The nomenclature of the two generations, T200 and T250, derive from the internal coding used by first Daewoo and then GM Daewoo, during the car's development, and both generations have been built on a dedicated platform sharing three body styles and five engine configurations — and shared with no other vehicles.

The nameplate "Kalos" derives from the Greek word kalos (καλός) for "beautiful".

First generation

T200

The original Daewoo Kalos is based on a GM Daewoo T200 platform, which replaced the T100 platform of the Daewoo Lanos. Models constructed on this platform debuted in 2002 to South Korea, North America, Europe and most other markets. They were available in all three body styles. Pre-production prototypes were shown at the Geneva Auto Show in April 2002. Manufacture of the Kalos began in early March of 2002 .

Under development before Daewoo's bankruptcy, the Kalos was the company's first new model introduction following its bankruptcy and subsequent takeover by GM.

Originally designed by Italdesign Giugiaro, the Kalos derives directly from the Kalos Dream concept vehicle presented first at the 2000 Paris Motor Show and then as a further developed concept at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show, 2002 Geneva Auto Show, and 2003 at the Geneva Show. (Kalos Dream photos)

During this three-year gestation, Daewoo struggled financially, the ultimate fate of the company and the well-named concept vehicle remaining uncertain. Upon introduction, the initial European models carried an emblem reading "Design Giugiaro."

Referring to his firm's design of the Kalos, Giorgetto Giugiaro said: