Aaaah! The whiff of chilli chicken (dry, of course...) and chowmein. All hail the new new, Chinese-developed Chevrolet Sail, which should go on sale in India by end-2011
To boost its sagging fortunes in the entry-level sedan segment, General Motors India will soon replace the current Aveo with the all-new Sail, which has been jointly developed by GM’s Chinese arm and its Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center. Priced at about Rs five lakh in China, the Chevrolet Sail, if priced similarly in the Indian market, could provide some stiff competition to cars like the Maruti Dzire, Tata Indigo Manza, Toyota Etios and Mahindra Verito etc.
Car buyers in India seem to have a thing for low-priced saloons, since owning a saloon/sedan is supposed to be more ‘prestigious’ than owning a hatchback. And the Chevy Sail should be just about perfect for people who want a reasonably-priced saloon. And, yes, in order to avail of excise duty benefits, the Sail is likely to be offered with 1.2-litre petrol and, later, 1.2- or 1.3-litre diesel engines.
Engineered for developing markets, the Sail has been designed to allow seating for up to five people and the India-spec car will certainly have suspension optimised for poor roads, so that ride quality remains plush even on broken tarmac. The car’s selling points will be a low purchase price, fuel efficiency, slick interiors and a spacious cabin. Engine performance isn’t likely to be scintillating, but the majority of Indian consumers don’t care for that anyway – it’s the ‘average’ that counts and GMI will make sure the Sail delivers on that front. Expect the car in GM showrooms by the end of this year.
