GM to roll out SUV Panther

Mumbai: General Motors India is getting ready to launch the sports utility vehicle (SUV) Panther under the umbrella brand Chevrolet in India. The Panther will mainly compete with the Toyota Qualis and the Mahindra & Mahindra Scorpio as it is priced in a similar range.

But, according to the company, its main competition lies in the Qualis, the market leader in the SUV segment in India, as GMI is targeting for the lead spot. The Qualis is priced in the range of Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakh and the Panther is likely to be priced lower than the Toyota vehicle.

This is much the same strategy GMI had adopted for its recently lunched Chevrolet Optra, pitted against the Toyota Corolla. The Optra, priced between Rs 8 and Rs 10 lakh, comes equipped with a 16-valve D-TEC engine, which generates 115 PS of power at 5,800 rpm. And the Toyota Corolla, priced between Rs 9 and Rs 11 lakh, comes with a 16-valve DOHC, VVT-1 and 1.8-litre engine producing 125 bhp @ 6300 rpm.

After witnessing the success of sub-compact cars like the Santro and the Indica, GMI seems to have decided to use the price strategy to gain market share in India.

GMI recently launched the Corsa Sail, a hatchback priced marginally above the Santro and the Indica, but with tech specs that place it in the mid-size car segment, and the Chevrolet Optra priced slightly lower than the Toyota Corolla.

The company says it has received an enthusiastic response for the Corsa Sail and the Chevrolet Optra. It is now planning to expand its dealer and authorised service support network in India. Consequently, the number of dealers will go up to 60 by next year, which will be matched by an equal number of service centres.

The company says the Opel Corsa and the Corsa Sail have been able to generate a sales volume of about 1,000 units a month. The recently-launched Optra is also expected to add about 900 units a month.