General Motors India Launches New Chevrolet SAIL Sedan & Hatchback

General Motors India today launched the new Chevrolet SAIL hatchback and sedan. The SAIL hatchback is priced between Rs 4.41 and Rs 6.81 lakh and the SAIL sedan is priced between Rs 5.19 and Rs 7.64 lakh (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

 

“The new SAIL hatchback and sedan reinforce GM’s commitment to provide offerings that offer value for money at the heart of the market,” said Arvind Saxena, President and Managing Director, General Motors India. “The SAIL family has gained a reputation for class-leading quality and spirited performance, while providing a spacious interior and sporty styling to meet the needs of our esteemed customers.”

 

Originally introduced in 2012, the SAIL is built on a global passenger car platform that was created especially for India and other fast-growing emerging markets. The platform has crossed the 1 million sales figure in July 2014.

 

All New Premium Interiors

The new SAIL’s all-new premium interiors combine comfort and ergonomic convenience with an upmarket touch and feel. The Chevrolet Corvette-inspired dual cockpit design incorporates well-supported seats with new leatherette upholstery.

 

The new soothing icy blue illumination complements the new luxuriously blended black and beige dual-tone interior with highlights in silver and chrome.

 

The smart and spacious design philosophy was adopted to ensure the space of a family car, giving both the SAIL hatchback and sedan room for up to five people in comfort. Short front and rear overhangs along with the fuel tank’s position in the middle of the car maximise interior space and provide ample legroom for passengers in back. Meanwhile, the high roof design offers pleasing headroom even for taller passengers. Smart and well-thought-out storage spaces as well as a spacious boot provide room for passengers to stow their belongings for daily commutes or weekend trips.

 

The new 2 – DIN music system has Bluetooth^® functionality. It supports up to five phone pairings and music streaming. New chrome surrounds for the AC vent bezel and HVAC control knobs along with silver surrounds for door handles and the gear shifter lend a classy appeal to the interior. Chevrolet’s signature golden bowtie on the new black steering wheel lends a sporty touch.

 

Dynamic and Sporty Exterior

The SAIL’s exterior exudes sporty styling. Its aggressive front end is based on the dynamic sculptural design philosophy, while its muscular physique is enhanced by wide-angled jewel-effect taillamps and wrap-around headlamps.

 

The front view features Chevrolet’s signature design cues, including a dual-port grille adorned with a golden bowtie that gives it a bold look. “Hawk wing” style headlamps and “shooting star” style front fog lamps with chrome garnish surrounds enhance the vehicle’s elegance.

 

The unique character lines of the SAIL hatchback and sedan accentuates the models’ widened, dynamic stance. The bold contours give both a classic three-dimensional look, which set them apart in the segment. The streamlined shape provides the added benefit of reduced drag, for lower fuel consumption. Large panoramic side windows with blackened-out effect and wide-opening rear doors give the SAIL the feel of a much larger car. In addition, the SAIL sedan is equipped with a chrome strip on the boot-lid for added visual appeal from the rear.

 

The SAIL is available in six exterior colours: Velvet Red (Sedan only), Super Red (Hatchback only), Switchblade Silver, Summit White, Caviar Black, Linen Beige and Sandrift Grey.

 

Revolutionary Diesel Engine

The 1.3 -litre SDE SMARTECH turbo-charged common rail diesel engine in the new SAIL is a revolution in small diesel engine technology. It was developed by the GM Diesel Engine Technical Centre in Turin, Italy, with the support of engineers in Pune and Bangalore.

 

The state-of-the-art four-cylinder engine offers a balance between cost, performance and fuel efficiency specifically for local car buyers. It delivers power of 75 PS @ 4,000 rpm and torque of 190 Nm @ 1,750 rpm along with fuel economy of 22.1 km/l.

 

Among its cutting-edge technical features are a lightweight aluminum alloy DOHC cylinder head, lightweight pistons with graphite-coated skirts and anti-friction properties, and low-tension piston rings that decrease weight and increase fuel economy. The engine’s short-skirt compact cast iron cylinder block with an aluminum bedplate enhances stiffness.

 

Torsional vibration dampers improve noise, vibration and harshness performance. In addition, the engine has a low-inertia valve-train with hydraulic lash adjusters and a lifetime maintenance-free timing chain.

 

The engine’s advanced common rail fuel injection system, close-coupled diesel oxidation catalyst and electrically operated, water-cooled external EGR with pneumatically controlled EGR bypass effectively limit emissions. A fixed-geometry turbocharger with a vacuum-operated waste gate for smooth and efficient operation delivers superior torque from very low engine rpms. An electronic accelerator control further enhances the engine’s smooth operation.

The SAIL diesels are matched with a premium F17 transmission, which is popular in Europe and other parts of the world. It features a high-efficiency two-shaft single housing gearbox with slick shifting for sporty and spirited performance. The gear ratios have been customised to handle demanding traffic conditions in India, which mandate low-end torque delivery. This ensures hassle-free driving in the city and enables quick overtaking on highways.

 

Locally Developed Petrol Engine

The 1.2 -litre SMARTECH petrol engine was created by the GM Technical Centre-India in cooperation with GM India’s powertrain plant in Talegaon, Pune. The engine features aluminum cylinder heads, a deep skirt cylinder block and lightweight pistons with low-tension rings, which decrease weight and maximise fuel economy.

 

The engine also features a DOHC valve-train with direct-acting valve actuation to further improve efficiency, as well as a long-runner plastic intake manifold for good low-end torque and a lightweight counterbalanced crankshaft that limits noise, vibration and harshness. The engine’s maintenance-free inverted tooth timing chain drive system has chain links that engage at a lower impact speed for quiet operation.

 

The engine delivers uncompromised power and durability in a small package. It delivers power of 83.6 PS @ 6000 rpm and torque of 108.5 NM @ 5000 rpm along with a fuel economy of 18.2 kmpl. The application of an epoxy coating on the cylinder block and anti-corrosion coating on the cam cover goes along with the use of stainless steel core plugs and bay-to-bay ventilation ensuring a long life.

 

Extensive testing and validation of the engines were carried out in India to guarantee top-of-the-line performance. Both engines are being built at GM’s world-class flexible engine plant in Pune.

Taut Ride and Handling Suited for Indian Roads

The SAIL’s steering, suspension and braking systems have been finely tuned to deliver taut, tight handling, which enhances road feedback and connectivity with the driver.

 

Significant attention was given to short as well as long commutes by reducing fatigue-inducing road vibration. Gas-filled front and rear shock absorbers optimise damping to isolate road undulations on rough to coarse terrain. McPherson struts in front and a torsion beam axle rear suspension with gas-charged dampers along with a rigid chassis work together to maximise ride quality. Large 14-inch tires enable the SAIL to negotiate speed bumps and potholes with ease.

 

Extensive Array of Active and Passive Safety Features

In line with Chevrolet’s global focus on safety, the SAIL comes with an extensive array of active and passive safety features. It includes safety cage body construction, which is supported by the extensive use of high-strength steel. The three-point structure is capable of dispersing 80 per cent of the force in a front impact. It also prevents intrusion into the cabin. The fuel tank is protected by steel beam-rolling ribs.

 

An engine immobilizer, central door locking, speed-sensitive automatic door locks and remote keyless entry enhance active safety. In addition, the SAIL is equipped with dual air bags, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD).

 

The SAIL has been put through more than 6.3 million km of testing on different terrains and in extreme climate conditions across India and other countries. To further meet the highest quality expectations of customers, 1,567 parts and components underwent the same stringent global testing that GM applies to its luxury cars. GM’s global quality management processes and standards were also applied in R&D, procurement, quality control and manufacturing.

 

Complete Care Programme for Complete Peace of Mind

The SAIL hatchback and sedan come with the unique Chevrolet Complete Care programme. It includes the industry-first Chevrolet Promise, which offers assured low cost of maintenance, exclusive warranty packages, Chevrolet U-First customer centric programs and apps, and the round-the-clock 24x7 Roadside Assistance Program, which is free for three years with all new car purchases. The Roadside Assistance Program is also available for existing customers at a nominal cost, provided the vehicle is not more than five years old.

 

GM India has also developed digital applications such as the Chevrolet Service Estimator Online tool, which is available on Chevrolet India’s website and helps calculate periodic service costs, and the MyChevroletIndia mobile application, which helps users locate and contact the nearest authorized Chevrolet service station.

 

About Chevrolet:

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.9 million cars and trucks a year. The Chevrolet brand was introduced in India in 2003 and is now one of the fastest-growing automotive nameplates in the country. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. The Chevrolet portfolio in India includes the Spark, Beat, Chevrolet SAIL sedan, SAIL hatchback, Cruze, Tavera, Chevrolet Enjoy and Captiva. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.co.in.

 

CONTACTS:

 

Saahil Anant

GM India Communications

0124-3080285

saahil.anant@gm.com

 

Sudha Chandran

GM India Communications

0124-3080112

sudha.chandran@gm.com