Chevrolet Beretta

Chevrolet Beretta
1989 Chevrolet Beretta GT
Overview
Manufacturer	Chevrolet (General Motors)
Production	1987–1996
Assembly	Wilmington, Delaware, United States Linden, New Jersey, United States
Designer	Jerry Palmer
Body and chassis
Class	Compact car
Body style	2-door coupé
Layout	Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive
Platform	L-body
Related	Chevrolet Corsica Pontiac Tempest Buick Skylark Oldsmobile Achieva Pontiac Grand Am Chevrolet Cavalier Pontiac Sunbird
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 L LL8 I4 (gasoline) 2.2 L LM3 I4 (gasoline) 2.2 L LN2 I4 (gasoline) 2.3 L LG0 I4 (gasoline) 2.8 L LB6 V6 (gasoline) 3.1 L LH0 V6 (gasoline) 3.1L L82 V6 (gasoline)
Transmission	3-speed 3T40 automatic 4-speed 4T60-E automatic 5-speed Getrag 282 manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	103.4 in (2,626 mm)
Length	187.2 in (4,755 mm)
Width	1988–1990: 68.2 in (1,732 mm) 1991–96: 67.9 in (1,725 mm)
Height	1988–1990: 55.3 in (1,405 mm) 1991–96: 53.2 in (1,351 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	Chevrolet Citation coupe Chevrolet Celebrity coupe
Successor	Chevrolet Malibu

The Chevrolet Beretta is a front-wheel-drive coupé produced by Chevrolet from 1987 to 1996. The Beretta was designed in the same design studio as the Camaro and the Corvette, Chevrolet Exterior Studio 3, and was built at the Wilmington, Delaware and Linden, New Jersey assembly plants with other GM L platform models, the Chevrolet Corsica which came shortly after the Beretta, and the Canada-only Pontiac Tempest four-door sedans. The Beretta was produced in base, CL, GT, GTU, Indy, GTZ and Z26 models. A convertible was the pace car for the 1990 Indianapolis 500, and GM initially announced a production convertible replica, but a coupe version was offered instead.

Base model Berettas were equipped with the same powertrain as the Chevrolet Cavalier, the 2.2L OHV four-cylinder engine and the three-speed automatic transmission by default, or the 60-degree V6. A five-speed manual was available only by special order if paired with the 2.2L OHV, however very few special orders ever took place, and the three-speed automatic was the default option.

The GT included a 125 hp 2.8-liter V6, which grew to a 3.1L in 1991, and the Z51 suspension package with 15-inch styled steel wheels and Goodyear Eagle GT tires. Also included was a sport cloth interior and sport steering wheel. The GTU was available from 1988–1990. Beretta GTUs (with the FE7 suspension package) were shipped to Cars and Concepts where they were equipped with 16x7-inch aluminum alloy wheels, custom body kits, a rear spoiler, mirrors, custom trim, and decals. With the FE7 suspension the GTU was capable of 0.92 G on the skidpad, well above most cars in its class. GTUs were only available in black, red and white.

The GTZ, which replaced the GTU, was the high-performance version of the Beretta. It was produced from 1990 to 1993. It came standard with Oldsmobile's 2.3 L high output Quad 4 I4, which produced 180 hp (134 kW) and 160 lb·ft (217 N·m) of torque. Also standard was a Getrag five-speed manual transmission and GM's FE7 performance suspension.