Chevrolet Sales India Private Limited (CSIPL), a subdivision of General Motors India Private Limited (GMIPL) which in turn is a Joint Venture of American auto maker General Motors, is all geared up for the launch of its Sail hatchback in the Indian market any time now. Recently, Lowell Paddock, President and Managing Director (MD), GMIPL declared that the company is expecting the upcoming Sail hatchback to become its fortune changer in the country and if the MD believes so then there must be some genuine arguments under his belt.
The Chevy Sail has been developed on the similar lines of the popular car Etios from the stables of Toyota, which the Japanese auto maker markets in both the hatchback and sedan guises in India. CSIPL has revealed that it will introduce the hatchback Sail first in the Indian passenger car market and the sedan variant will be launched by the end of 2012. The company has found limited success and is believed to be desperate towards consolidating a decent stand in the country's auto market.
The company's most successful current is its Beat hatchback in the small car segment and with the yet-to-be launched Sail will help the CSIPL in expanding its product portfolio in the country. Reportedly, the American automotive firm will localise the production of Sail to a large extent in the country at more than 50 per cent with an additional 15 per cent within two years. It has been revealed that the company will import the transmission system of the upcoming Sail hatchback from Austria. Commenting on the possibility of the export of Indian made Sail cars to the international markets, Paddock said, “Our focus is domestic market with Sail. But there is no reason why we can't export it to right hand drive market, mainly petrol version.”
The upcoming 2012 Chevrolet Sail is anticipated to come with a 1.2 litre petrol engine, under its hood, which could deliver a decent peak power output of around 80 bhp. Reportedly, the American car maker has developed the Sail hatchback to cash in on the cutback in excise duty levied on small compact cars with a sub 1,200 cc petrol engine by the Indian government. Industry experts believe that CSIPL will also launch the Sail in a diesel avatar in the Indian car market; besides the diesel motor will be the company's version of the Fiat 1.3 litre Multi-jet engine.
The yet-to-be launched Sail is expected to fill in the shoes of Chevrolet Aveo UV-A hatch and was showcased at the New Delhi Auto Expo held in January 2012. The Sail received mostly positive response from the Indian audience at the expo and since then, CSIPL has pinned great hopes with its new offering.
