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2016 Chevrolet Spark gleams in green in New York

Take one look at the 2016 Chevrolet Spark that's debuting at the 2015 New York Auto Show, and you can immediately see that the little hatchback is growing up. The previous long headlights and tall greenhouse are gone in favor of a slightly more conventional look that suits the enlarged overall size well. To address complaints about a lack of power from the current Spark's 1.2-liter engine, the latest model gets a larger 1.4-liter unit making 98 horsepower. It can be paired with a five-speed manual transmission, but for those looking to maximize fuel economy, a CVT offers an estimated 40 miles per gallon highway fuel economy. Beyond the new engine, there's an upgraded platform underneath with a longer wheelbase. The underpinnings are also more rigid, as well, to help improve handling and lower interior noise. Inside, the Spark now gets some physical controls to go along with the seven-inch MyLink infotainment system. A rearview camera is standard, which seems almost unnecessary is such compact model, and buyers can further enhance safety with tech like a Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning and Side Blind Spot Alert. Check out the gallery above to see the Spark in its nuclear green paint at the New York show before the little hatch arrives at dealers in the fourth quarter of 2015.

China's rise, global restructuring wither GM's Korea division

An article in the Daily Kanban suggests the sun is setting on GM Korea, and it could already be well into dusk. GM Korea came about when General Motors, along with co-investors SAIC and Suzuki, bought Daewoo Motors from parent company Daewoo Group in 2001; it had a previous tie-up with GM, a joint venture that ended in 1992, although Daewoo cars were based on GM cars until 1996. Over the decade following the purchase, it became such an important part of operations that it was renamed GM Korea in 2011, "to reflect its heightened status in [the] global operations of GM." Just two years later, the printed rumors were that the subsidiary responsible for a fifth of Chevrolet's global production could be shutting down. The division's sales were down almost 21 percent through November of last year, counting domestic South Korean sales, exports, and CKD – Complete Knock Down – products. That makes the labor strife, already an issue for four years, even more acute, reports say the subsidiary will lose $36 million a year if it can't get the job and wage cuts it wants, and government concessions can't make up for the losses. And it gets worse, so head over to Daily Kanban to read the rest of the story.

McLaren and Alonso will use Chevy engines at Indy 500

Fernando Alonso will have a Chevrolet engine in his McLaren when the double Formula One champion attempts to win next year's Indianapolis 500 in his second attempt, the British team announced on Tuesday. The 37-year-old Spaniard led 27 laps last year on his debut at The Brickyard in a Honda-powered Andretti Autosport car before retiring with an engine problem with 21 laps to go. The 2018 Indy 500 winner, Australian Will Power, won with Chevrolet-powered Team Penske last May. "Having Chevrolet power behind me means we're putting ourselves in the best possible position to compete at the front," said Alonso in a McLaren statement. The double Monaco Grand Prix winner, who won the Le Mans 24 Hours with Toyota this year, left Formula One at the end of the season last month and is targeting Indianapolis as the final part of the "Triple Crown of Motorsport": winning the Formula One championship (or Monaco), Le Mans and the Indy 500. The late Briton Graham Hill, also a two-times Formula One champion who died in 1975, is the only one to have done it, completing the triple in 1972.Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: Motorsports Chevrolet McLaren Racing Vehicles IndyCar