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GM India unveils Opel Swing, keeps price tag below competitors

BS Corporate Bureau

General Motors India on Tuesday launched 'Opel Swing', a station wagon based on the platform of its mid-sized salon, Corsa. The 1.4 litre petrol version has been priced at Rs 6,21,264 (ex-show room Delhi), while the 1.6 litre petrol variant comes with a tag of Rs 6,66,512.

The two Swing variants are priced lower than the existing station wagons in the domestic market - Fiat Siena Weekend 1.6 (Rs 7,14,744) and Maruti Udyog's Baleno Altura (Rs 8,01,866). Besides, the five-door Corsa variants will also compete directly against lower mid-sized cars such as Ikon 1.6 zxi (Rs 6,21,957) and the Accent 1.5 GLS (Rs 6,04,219), company executives said.

GMI plans to sell 200 Opel Swings every month. The company currently sells around 200 Astras and 450 Corsas every month, on an average. GMI is also readying three new cars for launch "in the near future", GMI president and managing director Aditya Vij said at a press conference. He also said the launch of its Vectra range has been postponed because of the increase in import duties on CBUs, but the project has not been shelved.

Swing is the third car launched from the GM stables this year, after Corsa Royale and the Astra Club 2001. With the two new models, the total number of variants available in the Corsa, Astra and Swing range will be 11, Rajeev Chaba, vice president (marketing), GMI, said.

"Opel Swing is targeted at owners of hatchbacks and those upgrading to the regular notchback vehicles," Chaba said. An advertisement campaign for the car is expected to hit national television channels on July 10. The car will be positioned as a 'bindaas' (carefree) car for 'bindaas' people, Chaba added.

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