GM is saying that they are going to make it a high priority to decide if they are going to bring the Chevrolet Beat mini car to the market in the U.S. by 2012. This car came in first place in an online voting poll by 1.8 million consumers around the world on three of GMs mini-car concepts.

GM is altering the product plans that they had planned for the next decade, reacting to the lack of demand for vehicles that use a lot of gas. The upcoming generation of GMs mini cars, which the Beat is based on, will debut in years to come and will have the capability to get 40mpg.

In the first part of this year U.S. sales for GM declined 16%, and the carmaker is scrambling to meet the demand for its small, fuel-efficient vehicles.

GM is just one of the automakers planning to enter a mini-car into their lineup. Smart cars are the only minis on the market that are serious at this point, but their sales far exceeded their expectations.

With fuel prices exceeding $4 per gallon, consumers are protecting their wallets by demanding fuel-efficient cars and purchasing new car warranties. People are feeling the pinch in all aspects of their lives.