2016 Chevrolet Spark ruled out for India; New Beat to be based on current model - Report

25/06/2015 - 11:20 | Chevrolet Beat, Chevrolet | Anjan Ravi

The new Spark's M2 platform is not targeted at emerging markets like India.

A report on Autocar India confirms earlier media reports that the next generation 2016 Chevrolet Spark, which had its global premiere at the Seoul Motor Show in April this year, will not make it to the Indian market.

2016 Chevrolet Spark front at the Seoul Motor Show 2015 — However, the new Beat for India would draw styling inferences from the 2016 Spark.

The publication cites a company official as saying that the new Spark, which is primarily for developed markets, will prove to be too expensive for the cost-competitive Indian market. Instead, GM India is likely to develop the new Beat from the current model's M300 platform. While the underpinnings would be carried over from the current Beat, the exterior and interior would be made to look like the new 2016 Spark, a source told the publication.

Coming to the powertrain, the new Beat will get a new 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol engine (a downsized version of the 1.4-liter EcoTec engine offered on the 2016 Spark) while the 1.0-liter three-cylinder SDE diesel engine will continue, albeit with slight modifications.

2016 Chevrolet Spark rear quarter at the Seoul Motor Show 2015 — The M300-based new Beat could also be exported to other emerging markets similar to India.

Also read: 2016 Chevrolet Trailblazer (facelift) spotted for the first time

While details remain sketchy, the next generation M300-based Beat will spawn a range of compact cars possibly including a compact sedan and compact SUV, which should provide incremental volumes for the American car maker.

GM India is expected to launch the new Beat in the country sometime in 2017.