Hyderabad: General Motors India launched the LPG version of its popular Chevrolet Beat compact car with the new locally developed, state-of-the-art SMARTECH engine at a ceremony today presided over by its Vice-President, Mr. P. Balendran.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. P. Balendran said, “India is a key market for General Motors and our Chevrolet brand. We are focused on leveraging our unmatched resources to create value for our local customers in all areas, including price, fuel efficiency, performance, safety, styling, reliability and other product attributes. The Beat LPG and the SMARTECH engine hold the promise.”

CHEVROLET BEAT LPG

The environmentally friendly Chevrolet Beat LPG features next-generation / advanced LPG technology with multi-point sequential injection that provides a smooth transition between petrol and LPG with no loss in power, jerking or backfire. It is the first vehicle in India to use High Pressure LPG Pipes made of High Strength Nylon material which has less weight, no chance of inside/outside corrosion throughout its life with better routing control and no kinking effects at bends. It generates impressive power of 80.04 PS @ 6400 rpm and torque of 103.8 Nm @ 4400 rpm in LPG mode for spirited driving and best-in-class performance of 13.29 km/l. The Beat has a range of 349 kilometres on LPG alone and 1000 kilometres on LPG and gasoline combined.

Keeping in mind customers’ safety as of paramount importance, the LPG kit parts are designed, installed and validated to meet the crash requirement in the case of any collision. The kit installation meets the stringent safety norms beyond the statutory requirements. The LPG kit fits snugly in the engine compartment, with no compromises on interior space. A sensor-based button allows users to conveniently go from LPG to petrol and back. The Beat automatically shifts to petrol when the LPG is depleted.

Two versions of the LPG Beat – the LS and LT – are offered. Both come with the same industry-first three-year/100,000-kilometre warranty as the petrol version and offer the lowest service/maintenance/parts cost for three years/45,000 kilometres.

With its best-in-class design and performance, the Chevrolet Beat has received an overwhelming response from consumers.  Despite being in the market for lesser than a year, the Beat finished second in the Premium Compact Car segment against stiff competition in the prestigious India Automotive Initial Quality Study by J.D. Power Asia Pacific in December.

SMARTECH ENGINE

The new 1.2-litre SMARTECH engine was developed by the GM Technical Centre-India in Bangalore in cooperation with GM’s new powertrain facility in Talegaon for Indian driving and climatic conditions. It will power a range of new models offered by GM in India.

Aluminum alloy cylinder heads, an optimized cylinder block and lightweight pistons decrease weight and maximize fuel economy. An innovative rocker-less DOHC cam shaft, long runner plastic intake manifold and lightweight crank shaft with eight balancer weights and low tension rings further improve the engine’s efficiency.

The use of the maintenance-free silent IT timing chain drive system reduces noise, vibration and harshness. Durability is ensured through the application of an epoxy coating on the cylinder block and anti-corrosion coating on cam cover baffles, and the use of stainless steel core plugs and bay to bay ventilation. Extensive testing and validation in India were carried out to ensure top-of-the-line performance.

“Our two new products reiterate GM India’s commitment to becoming a leader in the introduction of environmentally friendly and technologically efficient vehicles and engines,” said Mr. Sumit Sawhney, Vice-President, Marketing, Sales and After Sales, GM India. “Our vehicles also demonstrate our commitment to fully leverage our resources in India to offer customers nationwide new products that meet their unique needs” Mr. Sawhney added.