Chevrolet Optra Magnum For?

Motoring journos are a mad bunch of people. Whenever a car gets launched, no matter how good it is said to be, they always have some skepticism governing their mind regarding the machine. But then, this quality is one of the factors which help them generate unprejudiced, evenhanded reports.

But we journos are also only human, and there sure are days and products which evoke some special sentiments inside us. The Chevy Optra Magnum is one such product. Even before I took it out for a spin, I knew it was special. Somehow, just somehow, but I knew it. You look at it and notice no change. That's untill you move to the front. The nose has undergone a major plastic-surgery. The headlamps, first seen on the SRV, give the car an intimidating look. The cat-eye stance is made pronounced by the restyled front bumper and an 'in-yer-face' grille. The large Chevy bow-tie takes the place of conceit. I like.

The moment you gather yourself after seeing such belligerence, you notice the ORVMs. What's so special about them? Well, they house the smart looking turn indicators. Special enough, ain't it? The 195 section Goodyears shod on 15 inch alloys inhabit the pronounced and muscular wheel arches. The rest of the car remains unchanged from the original Optra, which is no bad thing. The Optra was always a good looking car, and the Magnum continues the trend.

The moment you step inside, I assure you, the sound of "Sweet, this looks nice" from your mouth will fill the airy cabin. The perfectly ergonomic cabin has a lovely feel to it. Plastics inside feel as though they could stand Tyson's punch (or the 'biting' if he pleases!). New vents look good but the basic layout of the dash remains unchanged. The only thing while sitting on the driver's chair that dejected me was the steering wheel. Large and slightly thin, it could have been smaller and grippier in nature. I noticed one more glitch - the door pockets are not wide enough. But that's about it.

Leather upholstery, ABS, airbags, tilt steering, adjustable seats... it is all there. Oh and that 2-DIN MP3 audio system sounds magnificent. And hey, while at it, I have to tell you this. The bumpers have been designed to resist impacts upto 8kmph. Agreed this is an insignificant number, but a step in the right direction. But such sumptuousness is only available in the top of the line LT variant.