General Motors has lifted the wraps off its Chevrolet Spin compact MPV in Brazil. Available in five- and seven-seater body styles, the Spin is being touted as a budget-friendly but well-equipped family vehicle that is currently under consideration for the South African market.
The Spin’s styling features such signature Chevrolet styling cues as the raised bonnet with central spine, twin-port grille and upswept headlamps. Both body styles (five-seater LT and seven-seater LTZ) sit on a 2 620 mm wheelbase, offer theatre-style seating with up to 23 seating/load configurations and up to 1 668 dm3 of utility space. Other family-friendly features include 32 accessory pockets as well as a glovebox and front door bins that are capable of holding a two-litre drinks bottle. According the GM, the Spin’s developers paid particular attention to sound-proofing the interior in a bid to improve refinement.
Power is provided by an Econo.Flex 1,8-litre engine capable of running on both petrol and ethanol. This unit produces 80 kW and 168 N.m when running on ethanol and 79 kW and 160 N.m when fuelled with petrol. This engine can be mated with either a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission.
LT specification includes power steering, air-conditioning, electric windows, central locking and 15-inch steel wheels. The LTZ model adds a third row of seats, parking sensor and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls. Among the options are automatic transmission with cruise control, seven-inch DVD screen for the rear seats and an MP3/CD audio system with Bluetooth.
The Spin will initially be produced at GM’s São Caetano do Sul plant in Brazil for South American markets, before production spreads to GM’s Bekasi manufacturing facility in Indonesia.
Speaking with GMSA product communications manager, Caroline Thomas, while the Spin is poised to make its way onto a number of global markets it is still under consideration for South Africa. When asked about the possibility of potential product conflict with the Opel Meriva, Thomas pointed out that the Opel (and much of the Opel line-up) is pitched at the more premium/niche end of the market and would not potentially cannibalise sales from the mass-volume, and therefore more likely lower-priced, Spin should it come to our market.
