Spy Shot- Chevrolet Spark...!

[veyron1]

Now, we've all been awaiting eagerly for the next worthy Chevy after the Tavera and the Optra. The Chevy Spark has been touted as the next big thing after the Swift.
Whether the actual product lives upto the hype, we'll have to wait and watch. But for now, feast your eyes on this.




Although the pic isn't very clear, you can see the side profile of the lightly camouflaged Spark. Since I've seen it in flesh, allow me to elaborate. The car is definitely bigger than the Matiz (maybe by a few cm, but still), and perhaps somewhere in between the Santro and Getz. The Headlamps and tail-lamps are clean, and look quite attractive. A different cry from the cutie-pie, puppy-eyed matiz. The shutlines look tight, and although I could only sample the engine from a distance, the engine note is sportier than some similar segment hatches. Let's hope Chevy gets it right this time.

[Mpower]

Good find Veyron.

This is the one that will be built at the Pune plant. I doubt if its actually bigger...could be a visual thing....but you can look up the specs...the car is sold in Europe.

[speedzak]

WOW Veyron1!!
This car if launched with a nice price tag, will give other hatchbacks some serous competition. And the NEW ZEN maruti is talking about will make the whole small car scene happening in addition.

[veyron1]

Well, not to get hopes up, but...a few days ago, I managed to squeeze some info out- it seems that the Spark would be priced somewhere around the same as Santro. So we can safely expect the pricing to be in the 3.2-4.0 region. And from the looks of it, if the Spark has the F.E. (I've got no doubts about the handling or ride; both will surely be sorted out) to match, then....

[prasadee]

I wonder how different the pricing would be when compared to the Checy Aveo UVA hatch back, that is featured in the upcoming car section on chevrolet.co.in - check this out.
http://www.chevrolet.co.in/content_d.../aveo_uva.html

Chevy will have 3 hatchbacks then - Spark, UVA, and SRV.
-Prasadee

[scorp 1]

Spark should be priced near Alto, else it would cannibalize Aveo hatcback.
Moreover Spark (Matiz) isn't worth 3.5-4 L bracket. More desirable at 3 odd.
GMI has always adopted wrong pricing strategies, atleast it should learn now.

[GTO]

GREAT find, Veyron!

There are a couple of things that the Sparks success depends upon:

1. Its a good product, but not that much superior to the Hyundai Santro. The Santro has evolved well with time and is today a far better car than the original Santro.

2. GMs ability to manage the service aspect with expected volumes that they havent seen before. Hyundai scores very well on the service front.

3. Pricing. And I seriously hope GM does not do a guffaw on this. Realistic pricing would be bang alongside the Santro. Anymore will be a huge error.

Also remember that the next generation Santro will be launched in the coming 18 months. And Hyundai is planning to offer a diesel option.

[himanshugoswami]

I feel GM should undercut the santro by a small margin- Indians have a long memory and they will initially equate teh spark with the Matiz and may be apprehensive buying a daewoo product. It will take some time for confidence to be built up.

I know the optra is also a daewoo, but it was never launched in India as a daewoo, so there was no association in the minds of most people with daewoo.

Lets wait and watch though.....the matiz was a brilliant car (I used to own one and loved the damn thing) and if the spark has built on the core strengths of the Matiz, then this car is definitely on my shopping list next year.

[maxbhp]

A years back , Spark would have been a great launch but right now I dont think so , with the launch of new Zen (based on Wagor R platform) , and 1.1 litr Crdi coming soon in Santro market its really stiff , on top of that as GTO had already mentioned ... GM's capablity in Marketing and Servicing serious numbers and to make it all the worse if 1.3multijet is launched sooner than expected it IS GOING TO be all the more touger not to mention the new palio to be launched with the Multi jet too....... Its going to be a really tough market and it will take a lot of GM to prove competetive in today's market . All I have to say is " Good luck " . I wont say its going to be Mission Impossible - IV , but its going to be a really tough battle .

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by jathinrao

I am very sure that SPARK will be a huge success beating SANTRO in areas like ride, handling, fe, quality etc. SANTRO days r now numbered.

Poor, Poor, Santro. They must have started a countdown board in the Hyundai plant Make sure you send some flowers - call Jenny Flowers in Dubai for delivery to India.

[Mpower]

What Chevy can do is adopt a 2 engine strategy. Price the 1.0 4 banger head to head with the Santro and bring in the 800 cc 3 pot at the Alto's price bracket. Other things like AC, PW etc can be lopped off too.

[DCEite]

Dont think Spark can match the success of Santro and WagonR.
Reasons are very obvious. GM is nowhere close to A.S.S. of Hyundai and Maruti. Nor they have any experience with small cars which tend to sell in large numbers. And, they never seem to get their pricing right, example being SRV. Also with New Santro coming next year so, and the now upgraded WagonR, new Zen, things wont be easy going for Spark.

Given everything equal (power, space, FE etc.), most people would still go for a Hyundai or Maruti.

[rahul_intlad]

I hear the aveo hatch will have a 1.2 litre engine to benefit of the 8% excise duty for small cars, the aveo hatch would most probably be priced in the swift category.
So Gm india will mostly be forced to price The spark in the santro-wagon r category.

Ps:
But hey isn't the spark expected by mid next year[2007] or 2008 only when the plant at Pune is commisioned fully,or do they plan to launch the spark ahead of the aveo hatch.

[veyron1]

The Spark could turn GM's fortunes around in India. Agreed, it might not be able to match Maruti's volumes, but it can try to compete with Hyundai, given the right marketing. Although the advent of Santro CRDi could change a lot of things.

@rahul: The duty structure will be revised soon. Engine capacities will no longer be a cap. Just dimensions. Which will allow a lot of flexibility and options for petrol and diesel hatches.

[SRK]

WOW!!
Matiz is back!!

I too saw a chevrolet badged hatch sometime ago..Think it was the aveo hatch..
I think this time Chevy guys are coming with 2 hatches...