THE SPARROW STORY
Generation 2 Production Sparrows, 1999 to 2003
With the Sparrow adventure underway, the period from 1999 to 2003 brought a significant redesign. A larger trunk and a move to traditional wheels produced the Generation 2 Sparrow, which drivers affectionately dubbed the Pizza Butt.
From the Sparrow archive. Product plans, events and availability described here belong to the original historical period.
Answering owner needs
The nickname came from the rear of the car, which grew to accommodate more cargo. For a commuter vehicle, room for a briefcase and groceries matters, and the added space addressed feedback from early owners.
These cars used the DC motors that powered all of the original Sparrows, a setup the company later described as very reliable and long lived. Production ended when Corbin Motors closed in 2003 after investor funding dried up. Many of these Sparrows remained on the road for years afterward, kept going by an active owners' community.