General Motors India Private Limited (GMIPL), the country's fifth largest automobile manufacturer, is working on the media build up of its brand new Sail hatchback, as it gets closer towards its launch somewhere around Diwali.
Top industry experts have pinned the upcoming Sail to fill-in the shoes of Chevrolet Aveo UV-A hatchback and thus, the domestic audience is eagerly anticipating the launch of Sail. The car has already been declared a hit on the Chinese turf and GMIPL will be looking to repeat a similar success story in the Indian passenger car market as well.
The new Chevrolet Sail is anticipated to come fitted with a 1.3 litre engine assembly with an option of both petrol and diesel guises. The American auto major is also expected to introduce a sedan version of Sail, much on the similar lines of Toyota Etios. The high plus of the upcoming hatch is its fuel economy and the company claims that the petrol Sail could run more than 18 km per litre on a single litre, while the diesel could deliver an impressive mileage of over 22 km per litre.
According to General Motors, the Sail will come trimmed with a number of safety attributes along with a new state-of-the-art multimedia entertainment system. Considering the comfort and safety requirements of the Indian car enthusiasts, the company is anticipated to include a collapsible steering wheel, lumbar support in seats and a refined transmission system in the overall package of Sail. Further, it has been revealed that the upcoming car was developed over a period of more than two years at the American auto giants' facilities and thus, is expected to come pre-equipped to cater to all the needs of driving on Indian roads.
With the yet-to-be launched Sail, GMIPL will be targeting the average Indian middle class buyers and accordingly, some stiff competition could be expected soon in the domestic passenger car market. Upon its launch, the Chevrolet Sail will get involved in a direct tussle against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki Ritz, Ford Figo and Fiat Grande Punto for the market leadership.
GMIPL will be hoping to boost its domestic sales with the Sail hatchback and considering the gloomy September 2012 (26.8% drop in YOY sales); Indian buyers can expect some aggressive pricing from the company. The launch of Sail hatch at the cusp of Indian festivities could spell wonders for the American automotive giant towards recuperating its lost sales, as the car will be looking towards capitalising on being a fresh addition to the market. Already in the third week of October 2012, several top car makers have introduced their new vehicles to cash-in on the festival fervour and accordingly GMIPL, which has had a silent run so far, could make a sound comeback with the fresh new Sail.
