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Remake time! Not only in cinema but in automotives too. GM will launch its compact car Chevy (Chevrolet) spark in India in April.

To reduce the risk, manufacturers tend to remake the cars under the old badge and to be cost competitive they prefer identical configuration (Zen estilo borrows its engine from WagonR).Now, GM will bring the old Daewoo matiz as Chevrolet Spark in April quarter of 2007. GM already sells the Spark in China, South Africa and Singapore as Chevrolet spark and in Europe under the badge Chevrolet matiz. The proposed compact car would take on the market at present dominated by Maruti Alto, Zen Estilo and Wagon R (the trio shares the same platform) and Hyundai Santro and Tata Indica Xeta .

Engine:

There will be two versions of petrol engine-0.8L and 1L for Chevy spark (there are speculations about launch of diesel engine, but I believe at least in the short term first the diesel will be introduced in Chevrolet aveo U-VA to match diesel swift).
795cc, 6valve-Smaller engine (to take on Maruti 800) will pump out 38KW and torque of 68.6 Nm@4600 rpm. The three-cylinder design is said to provide a very flat torque curve, which means a much less peaky power delivery than would be expected from an engine of this size, and ensures that the Spark exceeds most performance expectations. . According to Chevrolet, with its five-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels, the three-cylinder unit claims to give a mileage of 19.2kpl with a top speed of 142 km/hr.

The 995cc, 8valve engine which will compete with Maruti Zen estilo and Hyundai Santro, pumps out 48.5KW and gives a maximum torque of 87.3Nm. With the refined engine the spark provides you greater power for a more relaxing drive at sustained higher speeds for longer journeys. With the completely new pedal box design with durable plastic moulded pedals and a noise-insulating mat between the engine compartment and the dashboard improves the sound insulating effect. Chevrolet claims fuel figure as 17.85kpl with a top speed of 156Km/hr

Design and comfort:

Exteriors:

As for the design the GM plays safe it preserves the old design – large round head lamps brings back the memory of old Daewoo matiz.
The Chevrolet spark is a classic example of the Monoform design, as is the Zen estilo and Honda Civic. Monoform design reduces the front and rear overhang which means easy parking in metros and it also maximizes the wheelbase, which in turn improves cabin space. Thanks to the selection of materials, generous use of high strength steel not only gives you the required stability but it also makes the car weigh less. It weighs about 795 kg against 875kg Zen estilo. To improve the handling of the Spark, a completely new torsion beam rear axle was used, coupled to angled shock absorbers and semi trailing arms. This will provide you much greater precision wheel control than the trailing link axle used in Zen estilo. Gas pressure shock absorbers together with softer mounting rubbers in the suspension links will improve the ride comfort. Chevrolet claims spark gives you greater visibility from the high driving position with low waistline and slim pillars for tight reversing occasions.

Interiors:

The main feature of the Spark interior is the cockpit, which is divided into two main sections. In the driver’s direct line of view, there is a semi-circular set of displays incorporating the control and warning lights. Then, in the center of the dashboard and slightly raised, is the instrument panel with classic-style analogue displays, easily visible to all Spark occupants. They provide information on rpm, speed and fuel level. The odometer reading and time are displayed in digital form which means they are easy to pick out at a glance and the clever ergonomics mean you don’t have to peer through the steering wheel and take your eyes off the road. More cars should have this set-up. For average sized people the Spark’s interior will pose no problems in the legroom department and headroom will fit for most sizes too. The seats are supportive and good for distance work. The rear seat’s backrest can be divided in the ratio 60:40 against the not folding type offered by Zen estilo, enabling longer objects to be transported without problem. If the complete bench is flipped up, the capacity rises to an impressive 845 litres whereas the raw boot space (luggage space) is 170litres.

Safety and special features:

ABS (anti lock braking system) and driver-passenger airbags may not be offered in 0.8L spark and may be offered in 1Lspark as an optional one. Precisely defined load paths with an energy absorbing hexagonal profile protect the passengers in the event of a head-on or rear collision. Optimised links between the B-pillar and the sills provide additional protection in the event of a side impact. The range of safety equipment is completed by an energy-absorbing steering column, knee padding and a plastic fuel tank with a safety valve that immediately halts the fuel supply if the car turns over, thereby virtually eliminating any fire risk. Certainly it may not be the safest car but 0.8L spark will certainly score over the Maruti 800 when comes to safety. Air conditioning, power windows, power steering, remote fuel lid opener and remote tail gate opener will be offered as standard in 1L spark.

Price and Service:

Chevrolet spark occupies the top position in both the APEAL and IQS study by JD power in china

Definitely a superior package from the world leader, especially 0.8L spark is much much superior to Maruti 800 in terms of design, safety, engine and comfort( u can avail the estilo type comfort at Maruti 800 price).1L spark will also give sleepless nights to Maruti alto, zen estilo and Hyundai Santro. But can general motors match the well established Maruti in fuel efficiency and very importantly price?
In china the basic model is sold close to a price of 2,75,000 rupees even after the intense competition from chery QQ( it is reported that Chinese manufacturer chery QQ has copycat the chevy spark design ). In India Maruti 800 A/c is priced at Rs2,20,000 hence to be competitive GM has to bring down the price. I believe that lot of trimming will take place before the launch in India. Spark requires service for every 15000km/1year.
Considering the Maruti’s reliability, customer satisfaction and mileage it will be tough for General Motors to penetrate the well established Maruti’s market.

Further Launches:

Optra diesel is likely to be launched soon. GM will roll out two new models Epica and Captiva. The Captiva will take on the likes of the Honda CR-V, the Hyundai Tuscon and possibly the Toyota Fortuner if it does make its way to India by then. The GM SUV will be available with a 2.0-litre common rail diesel and a 2.4-litre petrol engine. As for the Epica, the car will compete for market share with the Honda Accord and Hyundai’s Sonata. It will share its diesel engine with the Captiva, though in a different state of tune. For Cadillac and Hummer, “those cars are in the horizon but not in the short to medium term,” said GM India president and MD Rajeev Chaba.

Useful links:
http://www.aas.com.sg

For Chevrolet spark colours http://www.chevroletsingapore.com/content_data/AP/SG/en/GBPSG/001/flash/

For Chevrolet spark copycat
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_06/b3919010_mz001.htm

catch the photos of chevrolet spark

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.vicky.in/temp/SPARK.swf" width="480" height="360" wmode="transparent" /]

Skoda is going to launch Fabia – a compact car in India by the end of 2007.

The first generation fabia has sold about 15lakh in Europe and other countries. The world premiere of the new generation of the Skoda Fabia will take place at the Geneva Auto Show in March 2007 subsequently it will be launched in India. From the looks of it, the 2007 Fabia seems to have a lot in common in terms of design with the new Suzuki Swift. Here are the few scoops about the car and its video

Czech site “Auto” has got THE on tscoop he second generation Fabia model. They managed to catch on tape, a semi-camouflaged prototype performing test runs.

In Europe the fabia is well known for its attractive design,the large amount of space, and above all, the generous amount of comfort ans is offered in various segments as Fabia sedan, Fabia combi and Fabia RS.

Engine:

A total of seven engines for the new Fabia,Four petrol and three diesel engines will be available in Europe. But only two variants of diesel and petrol are likely to be offered in india (since only engines under 1500cc for diesel and 1200cc for petrol falls under the tax band of 16%). These engines are already available in Romania and Czech market.. Engines will be borrowed from Skoda roomster-another successful model from Skoda, for Fabia.

Mileage figure in Czech by similar vehicles powered by these engines (though fuel consumption varies for vehicles I believe these figures will help you to evaluate the engine).

Diesel engines:
1.4TDI PD/51 KW —-18.4kpl
1.4TDI PD/59KW —-19.1kpl

Petrol engines:
1.2 HTP/44KW —– N.A
1.2 HTP/51 KW —–14.7kpl

abbrevation:HTP-high torque performance TDI-Turbo Direct Injection PD-pumpe duse(unit injector)

Very important for India (and for Skoda) will be the smallest of these engines offered. The three-cylinder 1198cc 12-valve petrol engine puts out 60bhp but this engine’s 11.4kgm of torque at a low 3000rpm

The 1422cc turbo-diesel will be Skoda trump card though. A three-cylinder version of the Laura’s PD motor, it puts out an impressive 79bhp and an even more impressive 19kgm@ 2000rpmof torque which can be matched only by Maruti swift. So it will go head-on with the Swift diesel, Tata indica and the soon-to-be-launched Getz diesel. To be competitive apart from the performance and pricing, Skoda has to improve its customer satisfaction (it occupies 9th rank in JD power CSI study) before this launches.

Design:

According to Skoda, new Skoda Fabia will be of 3992 mm in length (well under 4000mm to enjoy tax sops) 1642 mm in breadth and 1498 mm in height Fabia is largest in its class. The effectively usable space offers the occupants more space both in the front seats and in the rear. The boot has a basic capacity of 300 litres as against 232 litres in Maruti swift and, when the rear seats of Fabia are folded down, it will increase to 1163 litres.

The world car got the opportunity to ride the new generation Fabia has come up with following facts.

“The design of the new Fabia expresses clearly emotional characteristics. The fresh design with its strongly accentuated radiator grille, the integrated headlights which are both dynamic and harmonious, and the sideline which expresses both agility and value combine to make the new Skoda stand out clearly from its competitors. This is achieved by means of the white roof, available on request, and the four different wheel designs in the programme. The space is exceptionally generous in spite of its compact measurements and, in the rear; the amount of headspace provided is impressive. The ergonomic seat position for the driver is a matter of course in the new Fabia, while the higher position of the seats affords a better view of the bonnet and also makes entering and leaving more comfortable. The new Fabia offers more space for knee and foot space for all occupants, setting new standards in travelling comfort. Numerous functional improvements have been realised in the interior. The operating elements for the ventilation and the audio unit have been set high up in the centre console. This makes it possible to operate them without being distracted from what is happening in traffic”.

The following facilities will be offered in new Skoda Fabia, but in India these facilities may not be available for the sake of low cost or it may be offered as an optional one.

The highlights of the new Skoda Fabia :
• Large boot with a capacity of from 300 to 1163 litres
• Above-average legroom for all passengers
• The best headroom for rear passengers in the small car class
• Choice of different engines
• Audio/mobile phone operation via new remote control module on the steering wheel (option)
• Large tilting sun roof (option)
• Electronically regulated “Climatronic” air conditioning (option)
• Integrated six-CD autochanger (option)
• Two-tier boot cover-which can be installed at two different heights increasing the flexibility and functionality of the boot.
• Curve halogen projector headlights (option)
• Cornering front fog-lights (option)
• Seven different wheel designs, four steel and three alloy
• Diesel particle filter for the 1.4 TDI PD/59 kW and 1.9 TDI PD/77 kW diesel engines
• Attractive rear lights in Skoda’s trademark C-shape
• Higher seat positions for driver and front passenger that afford a better view and more comfortable access

In the rear, a child’s seat can be affixed with a top-tether belt which limits the forward movement of the upper part of the child’s seat in the event of a head-on collision.

Price:

Fabia may be priced at around in the price band of 4.5-6lakhs (10-15 percent more than the Getz). What you will get for the premium will be quality levels previously unheard of in this segment, plenty of interior space and solid European build and safety. The Fabia is sure to give Hyundai getz and Maruti swift a few sleepless nights at the very least. It is certainly ahead of the game when it comes to interior space, quality and choice of engines

Further launches:

Volkswagen will invest $ 530 million in pune for a new plant, that will work in conjunction with sister company Skoda India’s existing facility at Aurangabad and the plant will be operational by 2009. Pune plant will have a production capacity of 1,10,000 units and the group will bring other locally produced VW brand. Skoda will bring india the Fabia RS which is expected to have 150-plus bhp in addition to Volkswagen launch of Polo – which will compete with Maruti swift, Hyundai getz and Chevrolet spark (soon to be launched) and Passat sedan- costs about 30 lakh which will compete with Mercedes and BMW  in India in coming years.

useful links:
http://www.auto.cz
http://www.skoda-auto.com

It must be a ridiculous question! Astounding success of swift petrol version i.e. it has already sold over 60000 units since its launch making Maruti an invincible player in compact car segment. Even though Maruti is holding over 50% market share in Indian car industry it does not lose its appetite. Maruti has decided to roll out at least one new model per year that’s why it launched Maruti zen estilo even in December (not an auspicious time to roll out new model-many will not have money since it is next month to festive time in India).Maruti has launched two variants of swift – LDI and VDI- priced at 4.71 and 5 lakh respectively J.D. Power estimates diesel’s share of India’s passenger vehicle market will grow to 35 percent by 2010 from 30 percent now. Maruti decided to throw a stone in tata’s well established diesel market. Maruti knows well that Indica has become synonymous for diesel, so it offers a complete package that can challenge any car of its class.

Generally petrol fonder are frustrated of diesel because of its higher maintenance cost, it is expensive relative to petrol version and because of its noise and poor resale value. Common rail direct injection (CRDi) claims to resolve some of the problems, swift diesel is using that technology. So the specifications are here and we will decrypt it and find what we can expect from it. The vehicle is already being offered as Suzuki Swift in markets such as Poland, Hungary and the UK at a price tag of £9,799 on the road. Maruti play safe it is evident as it preserves the same chassis and the only difference from the swift petrol version is the engine, hence I wish go in detail.

Now comes the most important part, what we can expect from the Engine

The technology behind swift diesel (CRDi)

DDiS

The car is heaviest in its class but don’t worry it is provided with powerful engine. The engine’s technology used here is similar to the one used in Mahindra Scorpio i.e. CRDi. Thanks to Maruti for making it available in compact car itself. Fiat, Opel and Suzuki co developed the DDiS(Diesel Direct injection System yet another term coined not from R&D but by marketing dept) engine, which will be the country’s first super compact common rail diesel engine. It will also be the lightest diesel engine, and hence higher the power-to-weight ratio. With a total displacement of 1,248cc, the DDiS engine puts out a peak power of 75bhp (5bhp more than the European version) at 4,000 rpm. With a 16-valve cylinder head, this DOHC engine is also aided by a fixed geometry turbocharger, an intercooler and a cooled EGR system (exhaust gas re-circulation) which results in flatter torque curve which makes it most powerful, fuel-efficient and low emission engine in its class. The engine meets the current Bharat Stage III emission norms, but is capable of meeting the Euro IV level emission standards. The transmission is 5 speed synchromesh. Maruti is well known for its mileage here too we can expect the same with its advanced engine.The car is said to offer an impressive mileage of 61.4mpg(21.8kmpl)in UK and NDTV estimates mileage as 22kmpl as against TATA indica turbo which offers an average mileage of 16kmpl

What we can expect from the numbers:

For drivers:

The steering system is analogous to indica v2 and has a turning radius of about 4.7m. The product comes with P-EPS electronic power steering i.e. steering is assisted by electronic system hence demands lesser effort to negotiate a turn. The swift petrol version has some problems with its steering i.e. you have to pull it suddenly as it is loose in straight ahead position while taking a turn. Hope this will be fixed in this version (check it wile you test drive). The lack of a driver’s switch for the nearside electric window was unforgivable. The swift has slightly shorter wheelbase (the centre distance between the front and rear tyre) than its rival getz but it has widest track(distance between two front/rear tyres) in its class making it more stable and offers better handling. Ground clearance (the distance between ground and lowest part of the vehicle) is 170mm which is good for Indian roads. You no longer have to adjust the rear view mirrors often, the oversized outside rear view mirrors (in fact more than most sedans) offers greater view. Front brakes are ventilated disc type and rear one is drum.

For pillions:

Luggage space is 232 litre as against 290 litre offered by getz and santro. You can get more space by folding the rear seat 368 litre. But notice that volume do not alone matter when comes to luggage space you have to concentrate on effective (usable) space depends on dimension of your luggage. The windscreen and the rear glass are smaller than other cars in the segment and hence reduce the visibility. It cannot match getz when comes to space (leg room and shoulder space offered by getz is best in its class).The rear seat offers generous space for two but the car remains frugal when comes to three. The Swift’s adjustable headrests at the rear are a good addition (available only in VDi model). However, the front seats are comfortable and generously wide. The electronic climate control gives you accurate control of the cooling. McPherson strut in front, torsion beam and coil spring set-up in the rear and 165/80-R14 tyres provides you softer ride in the city. Coming to colour the Maruti offers swift 8 colours (but check the availability in your nearby showroom!).

Safety and special features:

Sadly,front airbags(protects the driver from collision with steering during accident) is not offered in both versions. ABS (antilock braking system) with EBD (electronic brake distribution) comes as optional and it helps you when you travel on a wet surface. Intelligent computerized theft system, Cabin light, cup holders (two at the front and one at the rear) and removable ashtray are the added features. Child lock is offered in both versions. Though alarm when key is not removed is useful it has other side too (you can’t sit with door open and radio on for example), the seatbelt alarm is annoying while maneuvering.It is important to mention Maruti customer support(enjoys the first place in JD survey)which is very important for a maintenance oriented diesel car.

Verdict:

Though you have to pay an additional premium (40000-50000 rupees) for diesel version the car seems to be promising. But Indica remains price competitive and also there is word from Maruti that this is an introductory price, there will be revaluation.

The Swift diesel car also qualifies for a lower 16 percent excise duty versus 24 percent for its petrol variant. GM is going to launch UVA diesel version and much awaited chevrolet spark (nothing but dawoo matiz).Hyundai is also planned to rollout many diesel models this year-santro,getz diesel version and with tata’s indica CRDi customers (wait for some time unless you are a die hard Maruti fan). Maruti had already experimented Zen and esteem diesel but it failed hence all its diesel future lies in swift and it hopes for the best. Also there is a fear that it will eat swift petrol sales. We will wait to see whether swift will do another swift for Maruti

[SWF]http://vicky.in/temp/swift.swf, 400,400[/SWF]

P.S: This post is written by my brother Karthick, who is in his final year of automobile engineering. I hope he will write more articles related with Automobiles and other his fav. fields in the forthcoming days. — Vicky