Beat diesel coming next month

GM India expects the Beat Diesel to be a game-changer for the company and the Indian market when it goes on sale this month. The baby Chevy will be the first diesel in its class, which could give it a first-mover advantage in the A-segment which forms the bulk of the market.

In fact, the Beat Diesel is all set to notch up a series of ‘firsts.’ It is the first three-cylinder diesel engine in India, the first diesel under one litre and, according to company sources, has the best ‘torque-per-litre’ and ‘bhp-per-litre’ figures in the industry.

It produces a respectable 58.5bhp and 150NM (15.29kgm) of torque at 1750rpm from its 936cc engine which in a compact hatch promises sprightly performance. However, the key question that’s yet to be answered is: how fuel efficient the Beat Diesel really is? According to the official Indian Driving Cycle figure, the Beat Diesel gives 23.99kpl which is about one kpl behind the lndica eV2. However, in real-world conditions, which involves slower average speeds and more stop-go driving, the Beat diesel could have an edge. Also not known is the price but it’s likely that GM India will peg it at a Rs 80,000 premium over the 1.2 petrol Beat.