New Delhi: General Motors India today launched a Special Design Edition of Chevrolet Optra, the celebrated luxury sedan that has won the hearts of Indian customers and auto pundits alike winning five prestigious auto awards in just one year, to mark the first anniversary of its entry into the Indian market.

Based on the Optra 1.8 LT category, the artistically crafted Optra Design Edition is made for the discerning buyers looking for exclusivity combined with lavish luxury. Packed with a host of new features, the new car will be available in two exclusive colour shades -- Shimmering Black and Meadow Gold -- at an ex showroom price of is Rs. 10,49,566/- in Delhi. The new edition is priced in line with GM India's straddle pricing strategy to take on the competition through efficient benchmarking to increase appeal for all its models of cars.

Up for grabs are only 150 of these cars with exclusive features like chrome-finished front grille; Xenon effect headlamps and wood finish embellishments on the center panel of dashboard and inserts on the steering wheel. It also has two in-car entertainment systems- a DVD player with 7 inch roof mounted screen, remote control and two cordless headphones and a 5 CD changer on the dashboard - that can be operated independently and simultaneously making it indeed a unique experience. The 15" alloy wheels with wider 195/55 R15 tyres complement the sporty and stylish design.

"The launch of Chevrolet Optra Design edition on the first anniversary of its entry into the Indian market is a demonstration of our sustained commitment to bring in excitement to market and making Chevrolet the most admired and preferred vehicle brand in this country, just like it is in market after market around the globe," said GM India President and Managing Director Aditya Vij.

The Chevrolet brand has had a long association with the movies, with its vehicles having enjoyed a substantial presence in Hollywood as well as Bollywood fare. And the all-new Optra Design Edition is a salutation to this association. "Chevy has been in the movies for a long time, and now we are putting the movies into a Chevy. The Optra Design Edition with a DVD player will enable customers to enjoy the magic of their favourite movies while on the move," Mr. Vij added.

"We expect an immensely enthusiastic response for this car from our discerning customers. The new variant will not only enthuse the prospective buyers but also enhance our market share in the in Entry "D" Luxury sedan segment. The launch of Optra Design edition combing luxury with exclusivity is in tune with the Chevrolet philosophy of designing cars 'For A Special Journey Called Life'," Mr. Vij added

Another landmark creation from the house of Italian designer specialist, Pininfarina, Optra has been time and again rated highly on styling, performance and luxury by Indian and international media. Outperforming all other cars in its segment on the extreme city cycle fuel consumption tests conducted by Autocar India in June 2004, Optra 1.8 has emerged as the most fuel-efficient car in its segment.

Optra in fact is the only car in the segment to be honoured with 5 prestigious awards including the 'BBC Wheels Car Of The Year' and 'CNBC Viewers Choice' as well as 'Value for Money Car' award by CNBC - Autocar in a short span of just one year.

The launch of Optra Design Edition comes close on the heels of the Corsa Elite Special Edition which was completely sold in just over two weeks and follows the grand success of the new-generation premium multi-utility vehicle (MUV) Chevrolet Tavera, branded as the Comfortable Family Car that has created waves in the market. The overwhelming response of Tavera has generated a huge waiting list forcing the company to go for a third shift to meet the committed delivery schedule. Over 1700 units of Tavera have been delivered so far.

Thanks to the tremendous response to its Chevrolet Optra and Opel Corsa models, General Motors India recorded about 80 per cent growth in 2004 selling over 13,000 cars between January and July including 5677 Chevy Optras. In July 2004 alone, GM India sold 2311 cars as against 1935 cars in the same month last year registering a growth of about 20%. These included 733 units of Chevrolet Optra, 900 units of Chevrolet Tavera and 665 units of Opel Corsa.

GM India is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. Besides the Chevrolet Tavera and Optra, GM India manufactures the Opel Corsa, Corsa Sail and Swing at its facility in Halol, Gujarat. GM India also sells the imported Opel Vectra in addition to the Chevrolet Forester.