THE SPECS

ENGINE SIZE: 1,799-cc Petrol MAX POWER: 115 bhp KERB WEIGHT: 1,265 kg 0-60 KPH: 4.7 seconds* 0-100 KPH: 11.11 seconds* TOP SPEED: 191 kph* 80-0 KPH (braking): 27.09m* *Autocar India test figures

When general motors (GM) acquired Daewoo, it unearthed a few jewels from the shambles of the bankrupt company. Ripe for the picking was a range of world-class cars, which Daewoo had been quietly developing before its financial collapse. The Nubira is one of those new Daewoo models and GM, sensing its phenomenal potential, is wasting no time introducing it in various markets around the world. In India and the rest of Asia, the Daewoo Nubira will be sold under the Chevrolet brand, badged the Optra.

The Chevrolet Optra, which goes on sale by mid-July, is GM India's most significant model yet. It is substantially larger and better than the Opel Astra, which it replaces and, in fact, promises to give the seemingly invincible Toyota Corolla a serious run for its money. GM India plans to initially launch the 1.8 litre manual and there are plans to launch an automatic and 1.6 litre version as well.

The Optra's styling, with its alluring lines and super detailing, makes it stand out from the crowd. Take a good long look at the car and you think the Daewoo designers have outdone themselves. Right? Wrong! If you want a great suit you go to the best tailor. And in this case, it's Pininfarina, the same legendary Italian design house, that's styled most Ferraris.

The design flair is there for all to see; the V-shaped bonnet, prominent three-part grille and stunning-looking lights. The fit and finish, even on this early production model, is impeccable, with tight panel gaps and flawless paint job. There's a lot of engineering that's gone under the skin, essentially to improve refinement and reduce noise.

It's hard to fault the interiors of the Optra, which is possibly its biggest strength. Superbly finished and well-designed, the Optra's interiors will impress even those intent on buying a larger D-segment car. The LT version comes with all the bells and whistles, including leather seats, a five CD-changer with steering remote, a sun-roof and a remote boot release (the first for a car in this class). But apart from looking great, the interiors are functional and abound with storage space. There are neat touches like a slot for a mobile phone holder in the rear doors and lots of cubby holes in the central armrests. The shallow boot, however, could have been more spacious.

At a starting price of Rs 8-9 lakh, the Optra should be more than a lakh cheaper than the Corolla

In terms of rear seat comfort, the Optra is the easily the class leader, distinctly more spacious than both the Corolla and the Octavia. GM India spent a great deal of time perfecting the rear seat. There's loads of under-thigh support and generous amounts of legroom, even when the front seats have been pushed back all the way.

The Optra's 1.8 litre engine is courtesy Holden, GM's Australian subsidiary. This twin-cam, 16-valve unit puts out a healthy 115 bhp but is no high-tech motor. It is based on GM's venerable 'Family-Two' line-up. But fire the engine and you would never know. It idles with uncanny smoothness and silence. In fact, so silent is the idle that I cranked the engine by mistake, thinking it was off!

Initial impressions are that the Optra lacks the urgency and punch of the Corolla. This is true at low rpm where the engine does feel relatively lethargic. You really need to use the gears to wring the most out of the Holden engine and that's not something to look forward to.

The gearshift is heavy and slow and selecting reverse requires a fair amount of effort. Wind the Optra past 3,500 rpm on the smart looking tachometer and there's a sudden step up in the Optra's tempo. The engine pulls strongly to its 6,500 rpm redline without much fuss. Close to max revs, the engine is a touch boomy but the noise is only intensified because of the low levels of wind and road noise. The overall refinement levels are very impressive and at cruising speeds the hushed interiors lead you to believe you are travelling in a much more expensive car.

Performance is impressive as well, with the dash to 100 kph from rest arriving in a scant 11 seconds. In third gear, it will slog from 20-80 kph, the all important urban passing band in an even more impressive 11.8 seconds. However, bring the Corolla into the equation and the Optra can't keep up with its Japanese rival, which is in a different performance league.

The Faster, The Better

GM India has worked hard to get the Optra's suspension spot on, and its efforts have largely been rewarded. The Optra feels firm at low speeds and the ride is a bit jiggly but it's not obtrusively so. Build-up speed and there's a remarkable transformation in the Optra's road behaviour. The faster you go the better the ride gets. I was amazed at the Optra's high-speed poise on bad roads and the incredible sense of stability it imparts. It's not responsive to direction changes like the lighter and sharper-handling Honda City, but remains much more composed when the road surface deteriorates.

Fuel consumption is average for a car of this size and weight and the Optra will return around 9 KPL in the city and 11-13 KPL on the highway depending on your driving style. That makes it more efficient than the petrol Octavia but a notch below the Corolla.

There's little doubt that the Optra is a credible car that can compete with the Corolla on even terms. It's modern, stylish and comfortable with no serious vices. But however good the Optra may be, it will still have its work cut out. It will have to compete against the most powerful brands Honda (City) and Toyota (Corolla) in the market and that is reason enough to worry.

But the knock-out punch, GM India has up its sleeve is the price. Expected at a starting price between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 9 lakh, the Optra should be more than a lakh cheaper than the Corolla and you can't argue with that. At this price, the Optra is simply outstanding value for money. Just what the GM wants the Chevrolet brand to stand for.