Western brand unveils new compact for China
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Your support makes all the difference.General Motors has unveiled the Chevrolet Sail, the first passenger car ever developed in China by a Chinese-foreign joint firm.
The compact Sail is aimed squarely at low-end buyers and is expected to retail at RMB 60,000 (€6,227/$8,800), directly competing with established Chinese brands in the under-RMB 70,000 (€7,265/$10,300) segment. GM also plans to export the car to other emerging markets. It was developed in collaboration with the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC), one of the largest manufacturers in China.
Available in 1.2L or 1.4L variants, the Sail offers a fuel economy of 5.7 L/100 or 5.9 L/100 respectively, meaning that they meet both current Chinese emissions regulations and tougher European standards. China's emissions regulations currently lag behind Europe, which has now introduced the Euro V standard, capping carbon dioxide output at 0.5g/kilometer. The current Chinese regulations are equivalent to the older Euro III standard; mandating a limit of 0.64g/kilometer. The New Sail is also expected to achieve four stars in China New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP) crash testing.
GM's venture could mark the start of a new generation of vehicles developed in China by Western firms. China overtook the US as the world's largest car market at the end of 2009, and is expected to grow tenfold by 2030; according to McKinsey & Co. Currently, Chinese firms account for all of the top ten bestselling brands in the territory, with SAIC, FAW and Chang'an in first second and third place respectively in figures from the Chinese Car Times. However, India and China have become critical grounds for developing new products for global firms - Ford unveiled its Figo model, developed in India and aimed at the Indian market, earlier in January.
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