• Available with five or seven seats
• Features active-on-demand, all-wheel drive system

GM has issued the first details of its all-new compact SUV, the Chevrolet Captiva, which makes its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. With Captiva, the first diesel powered Chevrolet SUV specifically designed for Europe, the company takes its product offensive to a new level.

This Daewoo designed vehicle will be arriving in Australia later this year. The Chevrolet/Holden S3X concept car, which is the basis for this new model, was shown at Sydney's Motor Show in October, 2005. Holden has not yet announced the name of it's version of the new Daewoo built product. Holden will import the new car from South Korea, along with the new Barina and Viva. models

The vehicle will be available with an all-new two-litre common-rail direct-injection diesel. Like the petrol engined version (2.4-litre, 16-valve four-cylinder), the turbodiesel offers an optimised combination of performance with excellent economy. Captiva will also be the first model in Chevrolet’s European range available with an electronic stability programme (ESP). It will be available in European showrooms in August.

The design of Captiva closely follows the S3X concept that was received with great acclaim at the Paris Motor Show in 2004. It’s spacious, with convenient interior features and high quality fabrics and materials and is the first in a line of new Chevrolet products for Europe featuring the company’s new-look interior. Captiva measures 4.6m/1.8m/1.7m (length/width/height) with a wheelbase of 2.7m. Important for growing families, it will be available in a choice of five or seven seat configurations.

European customers will also have the choice between front-wheel drive and an active-on-demand all-wheel drive system. As driving conditions require, the rear axle is instantly selected via an electromagnetic coupling to give maximum traction through all four wheels.

The system also seamlessly interacts with the ESP and ABS systems, enhancing driver control of the vehicle and safety margins. The ESP itself has additional functions like HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist), HDC (Hill Descent Control) and ARP (Active Rollover Protection).

Two transversely mounted engines will be available in Captiva. They include the brand new, state-of-the-art common rail diesel engine jointly developed by GM Powertrain and VM Motori. In this application, the 16-valve unit offers 150 hp at 4,000 rpm and maximum torque of 310 Nm at 2,000 rpm. Automatic transmission will be available with the diesel engine. This is the first application of a family of diesel powertrains that will become available in other Chevrolet products this year.

The petrol engine is a 2.4 litre in-line 16-valve four-cylinder, delivering 142 hp at 5,200 rpm and a torque maximum of 220 Nm at 4,000 rpm.

Suspension layout consists of a MacPherson strut configuration in front and an independent four-link design in the rear. Ventilated disc brakes are standard on all four wheels. The standard wheel/tyre combination is 215/70 R 16 tyres on 6.5J x 16 inch wheels but larger variants will be available.

Full specification will be announced at the global launch in Geneva on 1st March 2006.

Other news:

S3X From Daewoo For Holden
16th October, 2005
Holden is showing the striking S3X concept SUV at Sydney's Australian International Motor Show, as the preview for a Daewoo-sourced seven-seater Holden destined for Australia next year ..... more