As per the earlier statement by General Motors India, the new Chevrolet Beat Diesel was going to launch in the month of June this year. But, now according to some sources the Beat Diesel India launch will take place in July 2011. According sources, the car will be ready for launch in the first week of July and could very well become one of the cheapest diesel cars on sale in the country. Some automobile experts feel that the delay is due to the recent strike at GM India’s manufacturing facility.
The launch of the Chevrolet Beat Diesel could also begin a new era of value priced diesel cars in India with fuel economy as the main selling point. This, as the petrol prices risen to Rs. 70 per litre mark has forced many car manufacturers to do a major rethink on their car development plans as diesel engined cars are set to become the volume pullers in the near future. It is worth mentioning that Chevrolet Beat diesel is expected to deliver a mileage of 26 kmpl which is 1 km more than Tata Indica eV2 which is offering mileage of 25kmpl.
The Beat will be powered by a three-cylinder version of the 1.3-litre Multijet that was originally co-developed by Fiat and GM when GM owned a significant stake in the Italian manufacturer nearly 10 years ago. After parting, GM retained its right to the engine and this is, possibly, the first significant use of the engine on a GM-developed product. The engine displaces roughly 950cc and is good for about 55-57 bhp and about 15 plus kgm of torque. It may not be the most powerful diesel engine on a hatchback on sale in India, but it is expected to be one of the most fuel efficient.
According to some sources, the Beat Diesel could be priced well under Rs 5 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi, making it ultra competitive in a market where the Ford Figo diesel starts at Rs 4.6 lakh, the Tata Indica eV2 at Rs 3.95 lakh and the Maruti Suzuki Ritz LDi at Rs 4.85 lakh.
