Why Chevrolet doesn't have enough trump cards for the Teana class in Thailand
Opel Insignia
This is the all-new Vectra replacement for markets selling the Opel badge, as well as in the UK where the Vauxhall brand is used instead.
The Insignia has been designed as a stylish, high-quality saloon to rival the Citroen C5, Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 407 and Volkswagen Passat, and at the same time it also hopes to lure premium wallets more inclined towards an Audi A4 or BMW 3-series.
Engines include 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel, as well as a V6 petrol variant with all-wheel-drive. Front-wheel-drive is used for the lower versions like most rivals.
The D-segment in Europe is slightly different from that in Thailand, where the Honda Accord, Nissan Teana and Toyota Camry have raised the bar with E-segment packages.
Europeans prefer agile cars rather than spacious ones. And since the D-sector is now tough, such players must offer good looks and quality to prevent buyers shifting to SUVs and MPVs.
Chevrolet won't stand a chance of getting a rebadged Insignia - the car will be too expensive and therefore not in line with Chevrolet's attitude to sell cars at bargain prices. And even if it did, the Insignia won't match the space hungry Thais.
Chevrolet Epica
In terms of platform engineering, the Epica is behind the Insignia and is designed to be a value-for-money saloon priced fractionally lower than D-segment players like the Insignia.
Although the Epica could have some selling points in Thailand such as Volvo-style transversely mounted 2.0- and 2.5-litre inline-six petrol engines and six-speed auto 'box, the overall package could be a little too bland.
Chevrolet could also boost its sales prospects with the diesel version, or even a CNG-capable variant like the smaller Optra. All three Japanese models don't have an oil-burner or CNG system in Thailand to choose from - and they won't get one soon.
Hyundai is set to become the first to put a diesel in the Sonata, a Korean alternative that is struggling to steal sales from the Japanese despite the competitive prices of its 2.0- and 2.4-litre petrol versions.
The Epica would face an uphill task in Thailand, although its availability in the future is possible.
Chevrolet Lumina
This is the proper package to rival the big bodies of the Japanese. It is based on a rear-wheel-drive platform engineered at Holden, GM's Australian offshoot.
The Lumina is known as Commodore Down Under and it also lends its credentials to the US-specific Pontiac G8.
The Lumina hasn't been a true success in Thailand due to its gas-guzzling 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine. Even if Holden decides to make smaller engines available, it can't come to Thailand using free trade benefits as it is doing now - engines must exceed 3,000cc to enjoy 0-5% tax rate.
A small capacity unit for the Lumina is anyway ruled out because it would side-step the Epica that is rebadged as Holden in Australia.
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