Captiva to captivate SUV market in India

Following the launch of the Aveo U-VA and the Spark, General Motors India seems to be on a high.

General Motors India, which had been closely watching the success of SUVs in the Rs 15-20 lakh segment in the country, now plans to bring to India a model that is a rage in Europe. The Captiva, as it is called, is a beauty powered internationally by petrol as well as diesel engines. Captiva has also the potential to be the only SUV in its segment to offer two differently fuelled powertrains, said a report. In India, the SUV would bear the common brandname as the Chevrolet Captiva.

The Chevrolet Captiva offers seating for five or seven occupants and comes with 2,400cc petrol and 2,000cc diesel engines. The vehicle would boast of a high-end audio system, and 16-inch tyres. The Captiva, according to expert reviews, would be the vehicle that will entice the SUV market. The price tag would be around Rs 18 lakh, which in comparison would be well under the Honda CR-V's Rs 20 lakh.

Meanwhile, there is also talk that for the first time since the Opel Astra 1.7 turbodiesel, GM India will offer an oil-burner in a sedan. The Chevrolet Optra will come with a 2000 cc diesel CRDi engine. The Optra has seen declining sales over the past two years. It will receive another shot in the arm with a new headlamp and grille treatment, a new tail-lamp cluster and revised interiors. The facelift is expected to help Optra share a lot of parts with the Chevrolet SR-V hatchback.

It is also expected to allow GM to challenge the Skoda Octavia, which has been dominating the diesel sedan segment for years now. The Optra diesel is expected to be launched as early as the first week of June with a price tag of around Rs 9 to 10 lakh.