General Motors (GM) India has started the production of its new Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) from Chevrolet, known as the Enjoy. The vehicle is being manufactured at the company's production facility in Halol and it is expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2013. Industry experts believe that the model would be introduced in both petrol and diesel guises, in order to cash on a large section of society. The petrol model is expected to feature a 1.4 litre engine with 94.6 bhp of power, whereas the diesel guise is anticipated to come equipped with a 1.3 Fiat Multijet power house. Further, the diesel engine would get a Fixed Geometry Turbocharger (FGT), which will assist it to boost the power output. Mechanically, it is the same motor used in Chevrolet Sail U-VA, but without an FGT for more power.
Post launch, Enjoy will deliver a stiff competition to the recently introduced Nissan Evalia. The Nissan MPV gets a 1.5 litre diesel engine with 84 bhp of power output. In terms of space, the Enjoy is similar to Evalia. The second and third row of seats can either be folded or removed completely in the Enjoy, which can also be done in the Evalia. Chevrolet's MPV can be purchased in either 7-seater or 8-seater versions. Another similarity between the two vehicles is that both come with straight lines of design, which allows them to maximise the interior space. However, the Enjoy seems to look more aesthetically pleasing than the Nissan Evalia. With all these aspects, American auto maker’s Enjoy is expected to be priced between Rs. 8-9 lakhs.
In order to ensure a smooth sales process, GM is expanding its dealership and service network in the country. At present, the company has 285 sales points, 278 service outlets and 75 used car shops, all of which are spread across 55 cities. Chevrolet's Enjoy is actually a result of collaboration between GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). Expressing his views at the sidelines of Sail sedan's launch in Chennai during February, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, P. Balendran was quoted as saying, “GM India is quite upbeat about the product. I have seen the competition product, and our product, and the Enjoy stands out, and that’s how it’s also going to be priced.”
