Chevrolet Sail U-VA undergoing final rounds of testing

The Chevrolet Sail U-VA is no stranger to us. We have had a couple of posts on the car when it was caught testing extensively in and around Pune. In fact, spy-shots of the Sail U-VA has featured so regularly in various automotive websites and forums over the last two years, that it could possibly be the "most spied" car ever in the Indian market.

With the date of launch getting nearer and most of the automotive media having already driven the Sail U-VA, these could most probably be the final set of spy-shots of the car before it is officially launched. Yes, for a change, we are bragging about what could be the last ever spy-shots of a particular car.

Set to replace the Aveo U-VA that failed miserably in the Indian market, the Sail U-VA will compete with Maruti-Suzuki Swift, Ford Figo, Toyota Etios Liva and the likes. Armed with conservative design inside and out, the Sail U-VA will be available with a 1.2-liter, 4-cylinder petrol engine with 85 bhp of power and a 1.3-liter, 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine with 77 bhp of power. If the latter's specification sounds familiar, you are not wrong. It is the same 'Multijet' diesel engine that currently powers a host of cars in India and was jointly developed by General Motors and Fiat. Having heard from folks who have experienced the Sail first-hand in China where it is one of the largest selling cars, we know that the car has class-leading passenger and boot space and that will obviously be its trump card.

With the Sail twins, General Motors probably has the best shot to crack the mass market segment in India. At last, it seems that GM has awaken from its slumber as it gets ready for a spate of launches in the Indian market. Starting with the Sail U-VA hatchback, the company has lined up Spark Facelift, Sail sedan and Enjoy MPV for launch in quick succession, all possibly before end of this year.

Will the GM India ship 'sail' steady once the Sail twins set foot? Let's wait and watch.