Chevrolet Beat Diesel

The Chevrolet Beat, when it was launched a couple of years back, certainly kick-started the concept that affordable small cars need not be plain-jane, but can in fact be quite funky in their styling. Now with more than two years of its penetration in the Indian small car market, the car has grown considerably in status and demand, giving GM a great business proposition in introducing a diesel variant of the smart looking hatch in the country.

At the inauguration of its Talegaon plant last year, GM announced its plans to launch a new diesel engine for the Chevrolet Beat, which would be designed and manufactured at the very same Flexi-engine plant. The engine pumps out 58.5 PS of power @ 4000 rpm with a torque of 150 Nm @ 1750 rpm. This India-specific engine will be mass produced in the country for now and would not be available elsewhere.

With its kerb weight at 1027 kilograms and an engine displacement of 936cc, the Chevrolet Beat Diesel gives an ARAI claimed fuel efficiency of 24 kilometers to a liter.

As for the competition, the Beat will stack up mainly against the Ford Figo and the Nissan Micra and a few others depending on the price band it lands in. Having said that, with the cut-throat pricing that GM is known for, this new Beat might just offer an exceptional bang-for-buck modern diesel proposition which could even give larger rivals a good run for their money. (Read:Beat Diesel test drive available)

CHEVROLET BEAT DIESEL