General Motors Corp. may bring the next-generation Chevrolet Beat minicar to the United States in an effort to inject more fuel-efficient cars into its lineup, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said.

GM plans to manufacture the first-generation Chevrolet Beat minicar in South Korea for sale outside of North America beginning in mid-2009. Automakers typically take three to five years to release a next-generation vehicle.

GM showed the Beat along with two other minicar concepts — collectively referred to as the triplets — at the New York Auto Show last year.

Lutz said the company may bring the next-generation Beat to the United States, but “we think it’s too late for this one.”