Chevrolet Epica

New Chevy's Big Impression

Bosses at Chevrolet hope to capture some of the ‘big car for less money’ market by launching the large Epica saloon at the end of this year

Auto Express Car Reviews

Replacing Daewoo Leganza, Epica has choice of petrol or diesel power

26th June 2007

The Korean-built four-door aims to fill the gap left by the disappearance of the Ford Scorpio and Vauxhall Omega. It will take its power from a choice of 2.0-litre six-cylinder engines, with the petrol car delivering 140bhp and the diesel 150bhp. These will be mated to six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes.

Costing from around £15,000, the front-wheel-drive Epica is similar in size to the new Ford Mondeo. It will rival non-premium big cars such as the Peugeot 607. “Our original forecast suggested there would not be enough sales to justify production of a right-hand-drive Epica,” a Chevrolet source told Auto Express. “But with its high specification and great value price tag, it will be able to fill a mainstream niche below German premium cars.” The Epica’s unusual compact petrol powerplant is the result of a development programme started by Dr Ulrich Bez – now boss of Aston Martin. Successor to the Leganza – which wore a Daewoo badge before the Chevrolet brand name was adopted in 2005 – the Epica is called Magnus in Korea.