General Motors Co., Monday introduced its smallest diesel engine in the world to drive the Chevrolet Beat small car in India, a US-based car maker in the competition for small diesel cars in the fast-growing auto market.
The 1.0-liter diesel engine developed by GM engineers in Europe and modified to suit the Indian driving conditions, the company's technical center in Bangalore, Karl Slyme, president and CEO of GM India Pvt. Ltd. told a news conference.
GM India also sells a 2.1-liter gasoline engine car beat.
Introducing the GM diesel combined is likely to contribute to increased sales in Asia's third-largest auto market, where more people prefer to buy diesel cars because of lower fuel prices.
Diesel costs 41.29 rupees ($ 0.93) per liter in New Delhi, compared with 63.70 rupees per liter on gasoline, according to the website to fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp, the state-controlled prices of diesel, but fuel-marketing companies can set prices for gasoline.
India's used car market consists of the remaining 30% of diesel cars and petrol run out, said Mr Slyme. "Of course, what has changed, all thanks to fuel prices."
Most other car makers in India, including market leader Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., Tata Motors Ltd and the local unit of Ford Motor Co., which is already selling diesel-powered small cars.
Ford's maiden small car, Figo, Michigan-based automaker has helped to improve the overall sales in India, and nearly two-thirds of its sales are diesel variant of Figo. Maruti sells diesel Swift hatchback, and the Ritz, but the new flagship of the Tata Motors' Indica car segment is the cheapest with prices starting at 395,453 rupees a showroom in New Delhi.
The base model of diesel is priced at 429,000 rupees to turn on the showrooms in New Delhi, while top-end model costs 545,000 rupees.
Mr. Slyme said GM India plans to sell a diesel car, 4,000 to 5,000 units each month. The company now sells gasoline Beats 2,700 to 3,000 per month.
GM India also manufactures other vehicles under the Chevrolet brand, including Spark and Aveo U-VA hatchback, Aveo and Optra and Tavera multi-utility vehicle.
He sold a record 110,804 cars in India in 2010, which aims to increase to about 150 000 cars this year and 200,000 next year.
Mr. Slyme said GM India is the only producer of the new diesel engine and is planning to export to Europe.
He also said GM India plans to introduce five new cars in the next 18 months, including a hatchback. He refused to work.
1 comments: on "GM India Launches Chevrolet Beat Diesel Car"
This car is a bang for the buck for me not only that this car has many advanced features that not only are comfortable but many of them are safety features to give you a very safe ride with smooth performance for any kind of journey.Thanks for sharing this review. Chevrolet Beat
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