Chevrolet Epica

[Poverty]

Attractively styled sedan featuring new six-cylinder engines

The new Chevrolet Epica is the company’s first mid-size model to be launched in Europe with two refined, transversally mounted in-line six cylinder engines. It will celebrate its world premiere at the Geneva motor show (March 2-12, 2006) and will be launched on the European market from June 2006. Epica will offer a comprehensive range of comfort and safety equipment as standard and exceptional value for money.

Dimensionally (length/width/height: 4,805/1,810/1,450 mm), this front-wheel drive mid-size saloon has grown significantly compared to its predecessor, the Evanda. It has a wheelbase of 2,700 mm. The most striking design features of the four-door Epica are its rising, wedge-shaped side contours with a character line that runs on the upper half of the door, the grab-type door handles, the chrome grille with a substantial cross strut carrying the bold Chevrolet bow-tie emblem, large wrap-around headlamps and equally striking rear lamps. Standard safety features of the new Epica are ABS, driver and passenger airbags, and side and head airbags.

Buyers will initially have a choice of two engine types: Extremely smooth straight-six gasoline units with a capacity of either 2.0 or 2.5 litres (142 and 155 hp) will be available at launch with a version of Chevrolet’s all-new family of common rail turbo diesel engines coming later. The six cylinder gasoline engine is probably the shortest six cylinder available in the world. This enables the whole power unit to be neatly packaged in a lightweight transverse configuration. Both engine types are available with a five-speed manual or a sophisticated new five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission.

 

[Amemiya]

I just died.

 

[niky]

I wonder if that's going to replace our Chinese made FWD Luminas here? Transverse Inline Sixes? That's pretty cool.

Is this one a Daewoo development or Opel?

 

[Ev0]

It should be a Daewoo developed car, since all Chevys in the UK are just rebadged Daewoos.... no wonder GM wanted to make Corvette its own brand overseas...

 

[YSSMAN]

Hmmm, interesting. Wouldnt it have been more cost effective to redo the Malibu for Europe? Ohh wait, they allready have that car like five times over...

I like the idea of the new straight sixes, but being that they arent American-designed and built, it doesnt follow the long tradition of great Chevrolet I6 engines.

 

[xcsti]

THey stole the headlamps off a bmw five series.

 

[niky]

You'd think they would redo the Malibu or Cobalt for overseas, huh? But all we get are the Optra, Aveo and some older stuff. But still, if this is a brand new platform (I'm really itching to know whose it is), it'd be interesting to see how well it compares to others. The thought of small displacement transverse I-6's is very appealing to the techie in me.

THey stole the headlamps off a bmw five series.

So does everyone else, nowadays. Thanks a lot, BMW...

 

[Jay]

with two refined, transversally mounted in-line six cylinder engines.

[zip]

Extremely smooth straight-six gasoline units with a capacity of either 2.0 or 2.5 litres (142 and 155 hp)
he six cylinder gasoline engine is probably the shortest six cylinder available in the world. This enables the whole power unit to be neatly packaged in a lightweight transverse configuration

Transverse mounted I6's, interesting, I quite like I6's.

with a version of Chevrolet’s all-new family of common rail turbo diesel engines coming later

Common rail turbo diesel, also very interesting.

 

[VIPFREAK]

Hey, GM shooting themselves in the foot again! It's always good to go down in a firey blaze anyway.

 

[Jay]

Hey, GM shooting themselves in the foot again! It's always good to go down in a firey blaze anyway.

Why do you think they are shooting themselves in the foot?

 

[VIPFREAK]

Do they really need ANOTHER cookie cutter car that will only sell to previous GM buyers?

 

[Freddie]

Hmmm, interesting. Wouldnt it have been more cost effective to redo the Malibu for Europe? Ohh wait, they allready have that car like five times over...

I like the idea of the new straight sixes, but being that they arent American-designed and built, it doesnt follow the long tradition of great Chevrolet I6 engines.

You mean the Cadillac BLS, Opel Vectra and Saab 9-3? Not when they're targeting the lower price ranges.

As for the engines, Chevrolet doesn't have much tradition in Europe besides the V8s offered in the larger vehicles. With that in mind, it might be better to start with a blank paper and come up with something more suited to Europeans' tastes. And it's still an I6, so it's not a full break of tradition either.

I'm not impressed with the five-speed transmissions, though. Six-speeders, both auto and manual, should at least be offered optionally. Sure, it's down to budget, but a new five-speed auto?

 

[TheCracker]

Can't see it selling well in Europe - if europeans buy big, they tend to go premium, Mercs, BMW's, Audis etc. The four largest markets, Germany, France, the UK and Italy usually, if they don't buy premium will buy domestic (French will buy big Citroens or Peugeots, Italians big Lancias etc) - I can't see who would go for a big Chevy - especially when we all know its no more than a re-badged Daewoo.

It's very bland looking as well.

 

[JohnBM01]

The front is pretty nice, though the rear looks Saturn-ish. Maybe I didn't graduate from Nit-Pick University, but I think if people want something like this, they'd probably want an Audi or something more. It's probably a proven fact that if I think a car looks nice, it doesn't sell. But if it's a design I hate, it's praised. It is obviously a disadvantage to being different. The car seems to be styled nice, and this speaking from someone used to more American designs (latest Monte Carlo, latest Impala, latest Tahoe, latest Focus, etc.) I'm not really used to European designs, but from the majority I've seen, there are some clean designs. Someone mentioned Malibu. Hell, this looks better than that Malibu Maxx a few years ago. If they brought this to America to be the next Malibu, 7 out of 10 will likely call it bland-looking. But then, the edgy lines of the Maxx would all be softened and have some classy European lines. But then again, ugly (at least to me) sells seemingly.

Out of 100% approval (and I may start doing this for each Auto News topic on a certain car), I'll give this auto 84% at best. I'd only change the taillights. They look to Saturn-ish, even though Saturn is a GM brand.

 

[Blackbird.]

Excuse me while I go run to the toilet.

^pretty much self-explanatory^

 

[niky]

I think some of you are aiming too high... Chevy is probably aiming for the Mondeo market rather than the Audi market. And trust me, that thing will sell in Asia.

 

[Poverty]

I think some of you are aiming too high... Chevy is probably aiming for the Mondeo market rather than the Audi market. And trust me, that thing will sell in Asia.

This thing cant hold a candle next to the mondeo. Its competing against kia over here in my eyes.

 

[niky]

Ah... but the Mondeo sells in limited quantities over here. (not all markets get it).

And, as a shocker... Chevy's Optra outsells a lot of better cars (Protege/Laser, Sentra/Sunny, Civic) here because it offers good value for money.

Ford is trying to move upmarket in the Asian region with their Focus being spec'd up and riding up-price of other compacts. GM's going the budget route with their cars, particularly as they're trying very hard to penetrate the Chinese market.

 

[Omnis]

That thing looks dope. A HUGE improvement over the crap at the showroom today.

 

[a6m5]

Looks pretty nice, I do like the headlights. I would make the emblem a little smaller though. That thing is huge!

 

[Wolfe]

Quirky-lookin' little car, there. I wonder what's underneath that Saturn-crossed-with-a-BMW skin...is it a Daewoo, or not?

 

[frestkd]

It's a rebadged Suzuki Verona ..... Oh joy!

http://www.suzukiauto.com/sr_06/verona/

Kristof

 

[Wolfe]

Close, but not quite.

THIS is the second time Carscoop is showing GM-Daewoo’s new medium sedan Tosca as the car was officially presented in Korea and I updated the photo album with new pictures. This car will be sold in Europe as Chevrolet Epica while in the US it will come as a 2007 Suzuki Verona. In all countries it is aimed to compete mainly against Korean models as the Hyundai Sonata.