Chevrolet Sail Sedan spy photos

The Chevrolet Sail sedan was caught testing by CarToq reader Binu Sooryachandran in Karnataka. The spy photos reveal the camouflaged front and rear of the Sail sedan.

The Sail sedan resembles the Sail hatchback which was showcased at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. We can safely assume that the Sail sedan will share the body of the Sail hatchback up to the C-pillar, after which the sedan ends with a handsome boot.

Looks, space and comfort

The camouflaged front of the test mile hides the bow tie grille, which is now familiar and common among Chevrolet cars such as the Beat and Cruze. The fog lamps however are tiny when compared to the bold headlamp design.

The rear of the car has a bland boot but a stylish side swept tail lamp cluster that slightly resembles that of the Fiat Linea. Also read: Can the upcoming Chevrolet Sail take on the Volkswagen Polo?

The side profile of the Sail has mild crease lines starting from the middle of the front wheel fender and goes all the way to meet the tail lamp cluster. Though there are no clear interior spy shots available, we expect a modern dashboard with attractive central console layout and contemporary instrument cluster design in the Sail sedan. The interiors are expected to be comfortable for five adults. The luggage space too, can be expected to be matching with some of its chief competitors such as the Toyota Etios and the Tata Manza.

Expected Performance

Power to the Sail sedan is expected to come in the form of a 1.2-litre petrol motor that already powers the Beat petrol version. This power mill puts out 79.5 bhp of power and 108 Nm of torque. The diesel version of the Sail sedan may get the 1.3-litre diesel motor jointly developed by GM and Fiat. This diesel engine may churn out 75 bhp of power and 140 Nm of torque. The diesel Sail will likely be the volume driver for Chevrolet in its segment because demand for diesel sedans is quite high thanks to the frequent petrol price hikes.

Expected Features

To be launched among highly competitive hatchback segment, we expect GM to load the Sail with adequate list of features. Hence, the Sail may get comfort features such as AC, power steering, electric mirrors, music system, power windows, remote tailgate opener and remote fuel lid opener. Safety features may include dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, central locking, fog lamps and speed-sensitive auto latch.

Expected Price

The Sail sedan will squarely aim at the Maruti Suzuki Dzire’s market and will hence be priced in the range of Rs. 5 lakh – 7 lakh. The Sail sedan will also have to battle it out with other entry-level sedans such as the Toyota Etios and the Tata Manza.

Summary

It is quite surprising that the Sail sedan has been more frequently spotted testing while actually GM is gearing up to launch the Sail hatchback in July 2012, prior to the Sail sedan launch. The Sail siblings will be a key factor in determining volume growth for Chevrolet India, which though has been in the market for more than 7 years, has yet to achieve a significant share.

(Photos Courtesy: Binu Sooryachandran)