Chevrolet Spark LPG: First Look

GM makes good cars. That may be quite a statement coming from us at testing times for the General, but it remains a fact. They may not be in the best of health in the United States but GM India is all hale and hearty - a point stated and re-stated time and again by GM India President and Managing Director Karl Slym. Testament to that has been the company sticking to launch schedules for their new products - first, the Chevrolet Captiva SUV with AWD and an autobox and now the latest from the Chevrolet stables - the Spark LPG.

The cute little Spark has always been a great value for money proposition in its segment - attractive design, sporty interiors and a peppy engine make for a brilliant small car. Then General Motors also had some ultra-awesome warranty and service schemes for all their vehicles adding even more value. As if that was not enough, GM has gone ahead and played the LPG move with their tiny tot. The concept of offering a factory-fitted LPG kit isn't exactly new - even in the small car segment. Maruti has already done it with the Wagon R Duo and Hyundai with the Santro LPG. But what really sets the Spark apart is that the integration of the LPG is an extremely well executed affair.

The kit itself is Europe-based and after extensive testing has been certified by both the DOE and ARAI. The system uses modern sequential injection technology instead of the venture-type injection that most other kits use. This should translate into better fuel economy as well as seamless power delivery. But, as General Motors claims, this also ensures no backfire or loss in power while switching from petrol to LPG operation. ARAI figures place the Spark LPG's mileage at 13.72 kmpl, which, coupled with the large 26.2 litre tank capacity translates into a pretty huge operating range on LPG.

The Chevrolet Spark LPG has also successfully undergone European ECE R32 rear crash tests to ensure safety even during mishaps. The toroidal LPG tank fits snugly in the spare wheel well in the car's boot while the spare wheel itself has to make do with hanging around in the boot - though it doesn't eat up too much space there. Access for refilling the LPG tank is on the rear right just under the tail lamp.

Along with the LPG kit, Chevrolet has also revamped the interiors of the Spark - which now comes with beige trim as a result of increased customer feedback. GM India will be offering the Spark LPG in two variants - LS and PS, with a whopping 3 year/1,00,000km warranty - the same as on the petrol version. Priced at Rs 3,69,338 (ex-showroom, Thane), GM has just injected a huge dose of value for money into the already potent Spark. Mind sets and psychological blocks aside, the Chevrolet Spark LPG is on its way to making the small car an even bigger success for the General!