Showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo in February this year, Chevrolet India has commenced testing the upcoming Beat Activ (New Generation Spark globally) in the country and the hatchback was recently caught under camouflage for the first time in Bengaluru, South India, where GM’s R&D center is located. The Beat Activ concept is essentially a rugged version based on the new Beat with additional black body cladding, revised bumper and roof rails. The hatchback was appreciated for its design at the expo and has the potential to revive GM India's fortunes in the hatchback segment.
Expected to go on sale next year, the new generation Chevrolet Beat Activ gets a more premium and sobered up design language, quite contrary to the outgoing model that is funky and radical. The hatchback gets elongated headlamps, wide two-part grille, mildly accentuated wheel arches and faux skid plates for a rugged look. The model continues to keep the modern elements into play, but will appeal to a wider audience this time.
The camouflaged test mule shows little of the front and rear, which are expected to get subtle changes on the production version over the concept. The mule was also missing the black cladding on the sides while running on regular tires. Chevrolet has retained the pillar mounted rear door handle on the new Beat as well, a feature that is distinctive to the Beat.
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| Images Credit: Motor.Vikatan.Com |
Talking about the interiors, the new Chevrolet Beat will most likely get the motorcycle-inspired instrument cluster, complete with flashy fabrics and color options. A touchscreen infotainment system is likely to be offered on the model, complete with Bluetooth, USB and AUX connectivity. Expect features like smartphone pairing and navigation to be part of the package.
Power is expected to come from the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.0-litre diesel engine options seen on the current Chevrolet Beat. In its current state of tune, the petrol motor produces 79bhp at 6200rpm and 108Nm of torque at 4400rpm; whereas the three-cylinder diesel makes 57bhp at 4000rpm and 150Nm at 1750rpm. Both engines come paired to a 5-speed manual transmission.
Chevrolet India has significantly lost ground in the domestic market and the new Beat Activ will help the manufacturer establish itself once again in the highly competitive hatchback segment. Having launched the TrailBlazer last year and announcing a $1 billion investment in India, the American automaker will now introduce a range of products which include the Spin MPV, Beat Activ and Beat Essentia subcompact sedan. Source
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