DRIVE TIME: CHEVROLET HHR PANEL CHEVY'S NEWEST OFFERING DECORATIVELY WRAPPED UP.

Byline: GREGORY J. WILCOX

Staff Writer

Chevrolet executives spotted a nifty marketing opportunity in the HHR Panel and wrapped it up.

The results are obvious.

The HHR Panel is not the fastest nor prettiest vehicle I've road-tested so far. But it certainly is one of the most eye-catching.

And that's by design. The eye appeal for this HHR came after it rolled off the assembly line in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico.

The model that arrived for a few days testing came festooned with a distinctive wrap advertising the 2007 Major League Baseball game last month at San Francisco's AT&T Park.

It sported a predominantly black and orange color scheme. (The water in McCovey Cove was black, which is how it sometimes looks on TV.) And the fact that Chevrolet is the official sponsor of MLB was duly noted. The logos of the National and American leagues were also prominent.

The car was pretty much wrapped up from bumper to roof.

Chevrolet has cars in various wraps in various sections of the country, said spokeswoman Wendy Clark.

Got a small business? Then you can turn the HHR Panel into a rolling billboard similar to those Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses we see all over the city.

"We wanted to show that's what they could be used for," Clark said. "The fleet manager calls me pretty much weekly."

Some of Circuit City's Firedog home theater installation and computer service technicians travel about in wrapped HHR Panels, Clark noted. Others are being used to advertise beverage companies.

This is not an expensive or time-consuming process, either.

This model, which just has a front seat and metal panes where the rear side windows used to be, was introduced in April at the Miami auto show.

There are 57.7 cubic feet of space in the cargo area and it jumps to more that 60 feet when you pull back the rear floor mats to gain access to some storage bins.

Clark said business owners can spend as little as $500 to $600 on wrapping or as much as $3,000 for a complete detail job.

The one we tested cost about $2,000 and took just one afternoon, Clark said. She noted that the wrap can be heated with a blow dryer and either touched up or peeled off.

Driving the All-Star mobile did take some getting used to. The Panel does have rear doors. But no handles.

They open buy pressing two two small buttons on the driver's side of the dash or one on the passenger side. The rear door is a hatch that swings up but there is plenty of clearance to stow stuff.

From the inside, this is a dark ride, even on sunny days. That's got a lot to do with the wrap, which covered the rear window, and the big CHEVROLET across the top of the windshield.

And since there are no side windows you have to make good and frequent use of the side mirrors, both of which featured a wide-angle device that came in handy.

The HHR Panel is not a speed-burner, but the LT model I drove had a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder Ecotec engine coupled with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Premium fuel is recommended, but not required, which is a nice economic option. It also got a five-star government rating for both driver and passenger in case of a frontal crash and four stars for rollover safety.

"The 2007 HHR Panel, designed for a myriad commercial and private uses, adds a new dimension of functionality to the popular HHR's lineup of stylish, efficient vehicles," said the Web site auto-power-girl.com.

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2007 Chevrolet HHR Panel

ENGINE: 2.2-liter Ecotec 4-cylinder

HORSEPOWER: 175

TRANSMISSION: 4-speed automatic

FUEL ECONOMY: 23 city/30 highway

THE MANUAL SAYS: Do not park over papers, leaves, dry grass or things that can burn.

THE WIFE SAYS: "This looks so cool," upon seeing the HHR for the first time.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) A wrap job commemorating Major League Baseball's 2007 All-Star Game is featured on this Chevrolet HHR.

(2 -- color) Covered storage bins are built into the floor of this Chevrolet HHR, which can double as a rolling advertisement.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

Box:

2007 Chevrolet HHR Panel (see text)