Chevrolet a brand of US based General Motors has its presence in India with big product portfolio. Last one or two years has passed by focusing on small cars like Spark and Beat in order to cater demands of volume pulling bread butter segment. But it was felt that Chevrolet has forgotten about their UVs, until they finally upgraded their MUV the new Tavera NEO3 and SUV the new Captiva 2.2AT.

It has been four years since the Captiva was launched in India at AutoExpo’08. It created its own fan base and followers who liked its character and road presence. But in the current competitive scenario Captiva was somewhat left behind.  So comes the new and refreshed newt generation Captiva 2.2 AT. As name suggests it has 2.2 liter engine under its hood which is slightly bigger than its 2 liter predecessor. It has been mated with six speed automatic transmission. Exteriors are looking like they have just visited the gym and undergone some serious workouts. Especially the front receives complete makeover with split grill and dual headlamps and overall shape turning squarish. Rear gets newly colored tail lamps. Now sun also can be found on new Captiva. Following footsteps of Chevrolet Cruze, Captiva also get jet black interiors. Among the new comfort and convenience amenities are cruise control; a dual-row heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system; an electric parking brake; rain-sensing wipers and host of other small features.

Moving on to Tavera, it enjoyed a respectful space in Indian MUV market below Toyota Innova and besides Tata Sumo/Grande. But just because Chevrolet forgot to give it a reviving treatment it lost its ground to competition. Also BS4 norms has limited Tavera’s sale in area of Metros. But after listening to the ultimate users and to take the lost ground, Chevrolet has returned with all new Chevrolet Tavera NEO3.

Changeover includes twin-port grille and a bigger Chevrolet bowtie emblem in front as well as in back. Larger shimmering crystal-effect clear lens headlamps with integrated indicator lamps enhance the bold and stylish front look while increasing visibility. The highest variant of the Chevrolet Tavera is offered with a dual-tone body color combination. Selective exterior color finishes are combined with contrasting gold bumpers and side trim. Extra chrome finish has been applied to the grille and fog lamp housings to boost the model’s premium appeal. All-new 2.0-liter common rail direct injection diesel engine is (sourced from ICML) BS4 emission compliant which produces 105 BHP of power and 263 Nm of torque. These engine operate quietly and have excellent low-end torque, making them excellent in heavy traffic, along with excellent pick up.

General Motors will be launching the new Captiva at the 2012 Auto Expo. The Captiva facelift is a mid-life minor change to the model, which has led to drastic improvements in the car. The front looks different thanks to a wider grille, while the rear is almost untouched. The 2012 Chevrolet Captiva gets an all new 2.2-liter diesel engine, which now produces 184 BHP of power (34 BHP more than the outgoing model). The car also has an all new instrument cluster (with separate speedometer and tachometer), GPS, 6-airbags, new audio system, hill start assist and electronically operated hand brake. To be available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive versions, the new Captiva will be available with a 6-Speed manual and 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Other than the changes made to the car, the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva boasts of a quieter engine, with excellent NVH levels. The ride and handling has improved too and the soft-roader is now more predictable, thanks to the sharper steering. The gearbox is the only fly in the ointment and is very notchy and the heavy clutch (just like the Hyundai Santa Fe) does not help matters. What does help matters is that General Motors is now locally assembling the Captiva through the CKD route (the old Captiva was a CBU), thereby saving on crucial duties. Although the new Captiva won’t be cheaper, it shouldn’t see a significant price hike either.

Chevrolet India has suddenly increased its sales thanks to the Cruze, Beat and the Captiva to an extent. Talking about the Captiva the SUV has been around for a long time though it may not be a hot seller like that Toyota Fortuner but it does decent numbers. The Captiva till now has not undergone any makeover, the company had recently launched the Xtreme version which had some add-ons like the sunroof etc. It was about time Chevrolet made some changes in the car, and the changes are major. Spied being tested in Manali, the new Chevrolet Captiva surely looks very captivating. The front face is now based on the lines of the Cruze and Beat which has a big grille and an aggressive look which makes the car look very commanding on the road.

The big grille on the Captiva will not only make all the three cars of Chevrolet which are the Cruze, Beat and Captiva speak the same design language but also the Captiva can be successful in breaking into the Fortuner territory. The Fortuner which is sold for it’s sheer size and aggressive looks the new Captiva can tamper it if Chevrolet markets and prices it well. The SUV will be powered by 2.2 lit VCDi engine which now will churn out 184 bhp. Chevrolet will plan to launch this car next year in January, in all probability we may see the launch of this car at the Auto Expo.

Source : Autocar India

The new Chevrolet Captiva is coming to India at the 2012 Auto Expo and was recently spotted by Parag Raheja (a Car and Bike show viewer). General Motors plans to upgrade the Chevrolet Captiva with a new 2.2-liter diesel engine which produces 183 hp of power at 3800 RPM and 400 Nm of torque at 2000 RPM. The spied Chevrolet Captiva was heavy camouflaged at the front as the most evident changes are at the front. However the styling will on the lines of the international model, pictures of which can be seen at the end of this post.

The interiors get massive revision with the dashboard drawing heavy inspiration from the Cruze. GMI have also improved the quality of the interior significantly and added a host of safety features on the new Captiva. These include 6 airbags, electronics stability control, traction control, brake assist, hill assist and a better audio system with more functionality. The new Captiva will be available in both manual and automatic versions and will reach 100 kmph in 9.4 seconds. The top speed of the new Captiva is 200 kmph, making it one of the quickest SUVs in the segment.

Source – Facebook

General Motors will launch the new Chevrolet Captiva in India after the launch of the Beat Diesel. The American automaker will offer the new Captiva with more features along with a new design. Power of the 2012 Chevrolet Captiva is expected to get a slight boost as well with torque levels also being increased. Just like the current version, there will be no petrol engine on offer and the Captiva will get a new 2.2 liter common rail motor which will also debut in the Cruze later.

The Chevrolet Captiva facelift will be an essential move for GM India to boost its market share in the SUV segment. With the launch of the Beat Diesel, the company will be expecting serious volume. However they don’t want to be limited to small cars only and want to expand in all the segment. The Cruze is doing very well with decent numbers every month, beating the Honda Civic fare and square. The new Captiva has the responsibility to uproar the Toyota Fortuner from the top, which still commands a three month waiting period.

The new Chevrolet Captiva will be seen for the first time at the Paris Motor Show, sporting a new front end design, a range of enhancements to the interior and new engines and transmissions. Captiva will be one of four Chevrolet world premieres. The 2011 Captiva will be launched in Europe next year, with the Indian launch following soon after. A slight price hike is expected when the new Captiva is launched in India.

A number of features are immediately noticeable when viewing the new Captiva from the front including the re-shaped and sharply sculptured hood, a new larger grille with its dual-opening and the Chevrolet ‘bow-tie’ sited proudly in the middle, and the prism style headlamps and integrated LED turn signals on the outside rearview mirrors. Moving round to the front fenders, the side air-vents now take on a more angular shape to emphasize the new Captiva’s sporting intent, while from the A pillars back the Captiva retains its handsome profile, characterized by a sleek, rising shoulder line. Setting the new Captiva’s body off perfectly are the new exterior color palette and the accentuated wheel arches which will accommodate wheel sizes of 17 to 19 inches.

It’s under the Captiva’s new hood that many changes are also taking place, with no less than four new powerful engines that will come standard with a new manual or automatic six-speed transmission for a powerful, smooth ride. The new 2.2 liter common rail turbo-charged diesel unit will be available with either 163 or 184 hp outputs. The new Captiva’s chassis has been re-tuned to further enhance vehicle dynamics, improving cornering, roll characteristics and ride feel. With Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS) and Braking Assist System (BAS) standard, as well as front-, side- and curtain airbags, the Captiva provides a high level of safety.

The Captiva’s upgraded interior now features an array of new finishes and textures including all-new seat fabrics and interior décor appointments to give the car a more up-market feel and look. Designers have put to good use some of the elements featured on other new Chevrolet models, such as the ice-blue back lighting and the ‘wrap-round’ design of the front fascia which flows into the front driver’s and passenger doors creating the dual-cockpit look.

The new Captiva features Hill Start Assist, eliminating “roll-back” on hills and an electric park brake that opens up space for further storage in the center console, including two 1-liter cup holders. The new Captiva’s audio system includes Aux-in, USB-port and Bluetooth connectivity. Passengers will enjoy their audio experience all the more thanks to improved acoustic engineering resulting in reduced road, wind and engine noise. Captiva can be ordered with a touch-screen navigation system with rear view camera for parking assistance.

Chevrolet Captiva was launched in India at the 2008 Auto Expo. Since its launch, the Captiva has established a niche for itself and has emerged as a top contender in the premium SUV space. GM India is now launching a limited edition of Captiva called the Xtreme at the 2010 Auto Expo. The vehicle sports the limited edition logo “XTREME” at the rear to identify the SUV. The other vehicles showcased in the ‘Chevrolet Performance’ theme are the existing Optra Magnum and the recently launched Cruze.

The highlights of Captiva Xtreme are as follows : -

1. A New Front Bumper
2. Electric Sunroof
3. Sporty Red & Black two tone interior trim
4. Black Bezel Headlamps
5. Smoked Lens Tail Lamps
6. Based on the 2.0 VCDi LT variant offering Front Wheel Drive and Manual Transmission.

GM India has cut prices of the Chevrolet Captiva in order to make the SUV more value for money. The price reduction for the manual transmission variant of the Captiva is Rs 2.16lakh which now costs Rs 18.37lakh whereas the automatic variant is now cheaper by Rs 2.32lakh taking the price to Rs 20.18lakh (all prices ex-showroom, Mumbai). This sudden price reduction surely has something to do with a car which has changed the fortune of this segment.

As posted earlier about the Chevrolet Captiva AWD, General Motors India has launched the automatic version of its Chevrolet Captiva SUV. The Chevrolet Captiva Automatic+ is priced at Rs 20.3 lac (ex-showroom Delhi). The car features an automatic all-wheel drive (AWD) that GM claims is able to adjust between four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive automatically according to the terrain.

“The new Chevrolet Captiva Automatic+ brings superlative comfort and ease of driving combined with unbeatable value, safety, security and luxury to our customers,” GM president and managing director Karl Slym said.

General Motors India is planning to launch a All Wheel Drive (AWD) version of the Captiva. The AWD Captiva is expected to be launched in February and will come with automatic transmission. There is nothing different in the AWD Captiva except the auto tranny. The AWD Captiva will cost Rs. 1 lac more than the manual front wheel drive Captiva.