With the reveal of both the Chevrolet Beat Activ and Essentia sedan, Chevrolet, and parent automaker General Motors, is coming out swinging in the Indian market. Described by GM as the last great automotive frontier, GM wants to win, and it wants to win big.
“GM’s transformation in India is clearly reflected in the development of the Chevrolet Essentia and Chevrolet Beat Activ. We are heading into a new era with new-generation products that will catapult the Chevrolet brand in India, giving consumers vehicles that have never been seen in the market. Our aim is to ensure that our models are more relevant, better connected, more exciting and safer than ever before, for complete customer satisfaction,” GM India President and Managing Director Kaher Kazem said.
The Essentia sedan is meant to tackle the ever-growing A-segment head-on, and increase the bowtie brand’s presence on Indian roads. Its notchback design retains storage solutions in the cargo area, but the package highlights modern amenities for the maturing Indian automotive consumer. Chevrolet said the Essentia strikes the right chord between luxury, value and design for its target market.
In the meantime, the Chevrolet Beat Activ concept is ready to get the youngins talking about Chevy. The youthful design is meant to reflect the younger generation’s personality, while providing basic off-road elements to tackle the challenging Indian landscape at times.
“The two show cars are further proof that GM is committed to revitalizing the Chevrolet brand in India by strengthening the customer experience, and enhancing the dealer and service network,” Kazem added.
Chevrolet is already building momentum in the country, and expects to increase its export numbers from 21,000 last year, to 50,000 vehicles this year, notably, with the Beat heading to Mexico and Chile. GM is eying an 85-percent localization rate for Indian vehicles within five years.
“Our transformation in India not only supports multiple product launches but also strengthens our manufacturing operations and network to meet the needs of Indian consumers and make GM a strong player in this important market,” Stefan Jacoby, GM Executive Vice President and President of GM International, concluded.
