Car Inclined.
Share
Revisiting cars from the past.
In 2002, Opel introduced a highly innovative marketing campaign by taking its cars directly to customers through a travelling “caravan” showroom, aimed at reaching semi-urban markets without dealership access. A massive 43-foot trailer carried and displayed models like the Opel Astra Club and Opel Corsa, converting into a full-fledged 3D stage using a hydraulic setup when stationary. This allowed potential buyers to experience the cars up close, creating strong brand awareness and buzz in regions that were otherwise untapped. Blending mobility with experiential marketing, the campaign stood out as a bold move that brought Opel’s premium offerings closer to customers in a way few brands had attempted at the time.
Footage courtesy : rcmindia @ YouTube
The XUV500 created massive hype in 2011 by bringing a futuristic, feature-packed SUV experience to a price point Indian buyers had never seen before. As the country’s first indigenously developed monocoque SUV with a transverse engine layout, it offered a more refined, car-like drive, powered by a 2.2-litre mHawk engine paired with a 6-speed manual and optional AWD. Its bold “cheetah-inspired” design, premium-feeling cabin, and segment-first features like cruise control, automatic lights, BlueSense system, and six airbags made it feel years ahead of its time, redefining what buyers expected from a Mahindra SUV.
23/10/2022
𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗩𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗢 - 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗗𝗜𝗗 𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗟?
Chevrolet Aveo is a sad story in the Indian car scene. The sedan was launched with much hype in early-2006, but it turned out to be a market flop and died a slow, painful death. Aveo was doing reasonably good just after the launch, but then the excitement was not enough to call it as a success. Aveo, Optra and SRV are silently going extinct these days.
The Aveo had a dream launch. GM India had roped in Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherjee to endorse the brand. But I wonder if they have even driven it? It was available in two engine options : a 1.4-litre petrol and a 1.6-litre petrol. Both DOHC, four valvers with variable geometry induction system. The 1.4 was neither silky smooth nor sporty, the engine delivered power in a linear manner.
1.6 was same as the one used on Optra, but remapped for the Aveo and mated to a gearbox with different ratios. Again, not much 'brilliant!' to be frank. Despite the hydraulic mounts and extensive insulation this one felt rough and unrefined. It was set up for drivability with a flattish torque curve, not really exciting. Simply put, engines were not as quick or responsive as the Fiesta’s.
Speaking about the gearbox, it didn't even communicate with the engine. Soggy gearshift was a GM trademark. Ride was somewhat mushy and handling wasn't sharp. The Aveo disappointed with its chassis, with it uttering a slight but distinct creak over bad roads. City and Fiesta definitely had an edge over the Aveo as far as the chassis was concerned.
Aveo was more expensive than both Fiesta and Verna at one point of time, but with the extra money came more equipment. It offered dual airbags as standard safety equipment, which none of its competitors offered at that time. High-speed stability was great and the braking was impressive too, especially with ABS.
The Ford Fiesta 1.4, at the end of the day, was a better car in all aspects. Aveo wasn't the best car to choose from the C-Segment, it actually had no USPs compared to the competition. Perception of high maintenance cost, GM's poor service network and the not-so-exciting engine-gearbox combination did more harm than good.
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
