Chevrolet Enjoy, the Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) being developed by American car maker General Motors (GM) for the Indian market, was recently seen testing on roads in Bangalore. The site was located in the vicinity of the manufacturer's Research & Development (R&D) facility. The company is working with its Chinese partner Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) to develop the new model. This vehicle is crucial to the company's plans of capturing at least 8 to 10 per cent of share of the domestic automotive market.
After seeing the test mule, it can be said that the company will integrate 3 air conditioning vents on the dash, thus doing away with rear air conditioning vents, which will enable it to reduce overall costs. On the other hand, the exteriors of the car featured no changes as compared to the model shown at the 2012 New Delhi Auto Expo in January 2012.
Enjoy is part of GM's endeavours to improve its portfolio in the country and joins the likes of the all new Tavera Neo3, refurbished Captiva Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and the upcoming Sail hatchback. These new vehicles were displayed by the car maker at the Auto Expo held in New Delhi earlier this year and will be launched within the next one year. Apart from these, the company also sells models like Chevrolet Beat, Spark, Aveo, Aveo UV-A, Cruze and Optra in the domestic market. The manufacturer has lined up these new cars so that it can compete against market leaders Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, along with Japanese car makers like Honda, Toyota and Nissan.
American car maker Chevrolet has developed a brand new diesel engine for the Indian market, which will be used in the Enjoy as well as Sail hatchback. The company is likely to use its Talegaon plant to produce the diesel motor and may even choose to export it to other emerging markets. Equipped with this 1.4 L unit, Enjoy will probably be positioned below Tavera Neo3 in India and have a price tag of Rs. 7 to 10 lacs at the time of its launch.
Pricing of Chevrolet Enjoy will be critical for its success in India, since competition in the MPV segment is rising rapidly. The segment was dominated by Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo till now, though the dynamics have changed radically with the launch of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. The latest model in India's largest car maker's line-up met with a resounding response, with more than 11,000 bookings in just 5 days. Sales of MPVs are increasing in India as these offer more space and extra seating capacity as compared to similar-priced sedans.
