Chevrolet Beretta: Which Version Should You Buy?
The Chevrolet Beretta was offered as a Coupe in one generation from 1987 to 1996, with seven listed versions. Choosing among them comes down to three main trade-offs: four-cylinder economy-oriented specifications versus V-shaped six-cylinder performance, Manual versus Automatic transmission, and lower kerb weight versus stronger output.
The Chevrolet Beretta was offered as a Coupe in one generation from 1987 to 1996, with seven listed versions. Choosing among them comes down to three main trade-offs: four-cylinder economy-oriented specifications versus V-shaped six-cylinder performance, Manual versus Automatic transmission, and lower kerb weight versus stronger output. The quickest listed choice is the 3.1 AT with 162 hp, which reaches 100 km/h in 9.4 seconds and has a top speed of 214 km/h. The lightest version with a measured weight is the 2.2 MT at 1,245 kg, while buyers wanting a Manual six-cylinder alternative can choose the 2.8 MT.
Chevrolet Beretta generations and versions
The Chevrolet Beretta has one generation in the supplied catalogue, so there is no between-generation mechanical change to compare. The 1 generation was produced from 1987 to 1996 as a Coupe and contains seven versions. All seven use Gasoline engines, have no boost, and send power through FWD. The meaningful differences are engine displacement, output, transmission, acceleration, top speed and, where measured, weight.
The catalogue contains three versions named 3.1 AT. They must be distinguished by output: 3.1 AT with 139 hp, 3.1 AT with 162 hp, and 3.1 AT with 150 hp.
Chevrolet Beretta engine and specs comparison
| Version | Power | Torque | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders and layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 AT | 122 hp | 176 Nm | 2,190 cc | 92 | 4, Inline | No | 3-speed Automatic | FWD |
| 2.2 MT | 122 hp | 176 Nm | 2,190 cc | 92 | 4, Inline | No | 5-speed Manual | FWD |
| 2.8 MT | 129 hp | 217 Nm | 2,835 cc | 92 | 6, V-shaped | No | 5-speed Manual | FWD |
| 2.8 AT | 129 hp | 217 Nm | 2,835 cc | 92 | 6, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | FWD |
| 3.1 AT, 139 hp | 139 hp | 234 Nm | 3,135 cc | 80 | 6, V-shaped | No | 3-speed Automatic | FWD |
| 3.1 AT, 162 hp | 162 hp | 251 Nm | 3,135 cc | 92 | 6, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Automatic | FWD |
| 3.1 AT, 150 hp | 150 hp | 240 Nm | 3,137 cc | 80 | 6, V-shaped | No | 4-speed Automatic | FWD |
The 2.2 AT and 2.2 MT share the same 122 hp, 176 Nm and 2,190 cc specification. Their calculated specific output is about 55.7 hp per litre. The transmission is therefore the decisive difference: the 2.2 AT has a 3-speed Automatic, whereas the 2.2 MT has a 5-speed Manual.
Both 2.8 versions produce 129 hp and 217 Nm from 2,835 cc, equivalent to about 45.5 hp per litre. Compared with either 2.2 version, they add 7 hp and 41 Nm. Again, the engine figures are identical within the pair, leaving a choice between the 5-speed Manual in the 2.8 MT and the 3-speed Automatic in the 2.8 AT.
The three 3.1 AT entries differ substantially. The 139 hp version develops 234 Nm from 3,135 cc, or about 44.3 hp per litre. The 162 hp version produces 251 Nm from 3,135 cc, or about 51.7 hp per litre. The 150 hp version develops 240 Nm from 3,137 cc, or about 47.8 hp per litre. Relative to the 139 hp car, the 162 hp version adds 23 hp and 17 Nm, while the 150 hp version adds 11 hp and 6 Nm.
Chevrolet Beretta performance and fuel economy
| Version | 0–100 km/h | Top speed | Fuel consumption |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 AT | 12.5 seconds | 189 km/h | City: not measured; highway: not measured; combined: not measured |
| 2.2 MT | 11.7 seconds | 189 km/h | City: not measured; highway: not measured; combined: not measured |
| 2.8 MT | 9.7 seconds | 190 km/h | City: not measured; highway: not measured; combined: not measured |
| 2.8 AT | 9.5 seconds | 177 km/h | City: not measured; highway: not measured; combined: not measured |
| 3.1 AT, 139 hp | 9.6 seconds | 193 km/h | City: not measured; highway: not measured; combined: not measured |
| 3.1 AT, 162 hp | 9.4 seconds | 214 km/h | City: not measured; highway: not measured; combined: not measured |
| 3.1 AT, 150 hp | 10.9 seconds | 175 km/h | City: not measured; highway: not measured; combined: not measured |
The 2.2 MT is the better-performing 2.2 choice: it is 0.8 seconds quicker to 100 km/h than the 2.2 AT, although both have the same 189 km/h top speed. This makes the transmission the only measured performance differentiator between these otherwise matching engine specifications.
The two 2.8 versions produce an unusual split. The 2.8 AT reaches 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds, making it 0.2 seconds quicker than the 2.8 MT, but the Manual reaches 190 km/h while the Automatic stops at 177 km/h. A buyer prioritising initial acceleration can therefore favor the 2.8 AT; a buyer prioritising top speed and Manual control can choose the 2.8 MT.
Among the three identically named 3.1 AT versions, the 162 hp car leads every measured performance figure. Its 9.4-second acceleration time is 0.2 seconds better than the 139 hp version and 1.5 seconds better than the 150 hp version. Its 214 km/h top speed exceeds them by 21 km/h and 39 km/h respectively.
No city, highway or combined fuel-consumption figure was measured for any listed Chevrolet Beretta version. Consequently, the supplied specifications cannot establish which version uses less fuel or provide an mpg comparison.
Chevrolet Beretta weight, dimensions and capacity
| Version | Kerb weight | Gross weight | Ground clearance | Fuel tank | Wheel sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2 AT | not measured | not measured | 150 mm | 59 L | not measured |
| 2.2 MT | 1,245 kg | not measured | 150 mm | 59 L | not measured |
| 2.8 MT | 1,320 kg | 1,804 kg | 150 mm | 59 L | not measured |
| 2.8 AT | 1,320 kg | 1,804 kg | 150 mm | 59 L | not measured |
| 3.1 AT, 139 hp | 1,320 kg | 1,804 kg | 150 mm | 59 L | not measured |
| 3.1 AT, 162 hp | 1,353 kg | not measured | 150 mm | 59 L | not measured |
| 3.1 AT, 150 hp | 1,320 kg | 1,870 kg | 150 mm | 59 L | not measured |
The 2.2 MT weighs 1,245 kg, giving it a calculated 10.2 kg per horsepower. The 2.8 MT and 2.8 AT each weigh 1,320 kg, producing about 10.2 kg per horsepower as well. Moving from the 2.2 MT to either 2.8 version adds 75 kg but also adds 7 hp and 41 Nm.
The 3.1 AT with 139 hp weighs 1,320 kg and has about 9.5 kg per horsepower. The 3.1 AT with 162 hp weighs 1,353 kg and improves that ratio to about 8.4 kg per horsepower. It is 33 kg heavier than the 139 hp version but supplies 23 hp and 17 Nm more.
The 3.1 AT with 150 hp weighs 1,320 kg, corresponding to 8.8 kg per horsepower. Its measured gross weight is 1,870 kg, which is 66 kg above the 1,804 kg figure recorded for both 2.8 versions and the 139 hp 3.1 AT.
Every version has 150 mm of ground clearance and a 59 L fuel tank, so neither figure helps separate the choices. Wheel sizes were not measured for any version. Gross weight was also not measured for the 2.2 AT, 2.2 MT or 162 hp 3.1 AT, while kerb weight was not measured for the 2.2 AT.
Which Chevrolet Beretta version should you buy?
For the strongest all-round measured performance, choose the 3.1 AT with 162 hp. It has the highest power at 162 hp, the highest torque at 251 Nm, the quickest 0–100 km/h time at 9.4 seconds, the highest top speed at 214 km/h and the best calculated weight-to-power ratio among versions with measured kerb weight. Its 4-speed Automatic also has one more gear than the 3-speed Automatic used by the 139 hp 3.1 AT.
For a Manual transmission, the choice is between 2.2 MT and 2.8 MT. The 2.2 MT is 75 kg lighter and has a 5-speed Manual, 122 hp and a 189 km/h top speed. The 2.8 MT retains the 5-speed Manual but adds 7 hp and 41 Nm, cuts the 0–100 km/h time by 2.0 seconds, and raises top speed by 1 km/h. On the supplied performance numbers, the 2.8 MT is the stronger Manual option.
For buyers comparing the two 2.2 versions, the 2.2 MT is preferable on measured acceleration: 11.7 seconds instead of 12.5 seconds, with the same 122 hp, 176 Nm and 189 km/h top speed. The 2.2 AT remains the relevant choice only when a 3-speed Automatic is preferred, because its weight was not measured and there is no fuel-consumption result to establish another numerical advantage.
The 2.8 AT is the quickest alternative outside the 3.1 range at 9.5 seconds to 100 km/h, but its 177 km/h top speed is 13 km/h below the 2.8 MT. The 139 hp 3.1 AT offers 10 hp and 17 Nm more than the 2.8 AT, reaches 100 km/h 0.1 seconds later, and increases top speed by 16 km/h.
The 150 hp 3.1 AT does not lead this comparison despite its stronger output relative to the 139 hp version. It takes 10.9 seconds to reach 100 km/h and has a 175 km/h top speed, while the 139 hp version records 9.6 seconds and 193 km/h. With economy not measured for either car, the supplied data gives no fuel-consumption basis for preferring the 150 hp version.
In short, the 3.1 AT with 162 hp is the data-led performance choice, the 2.8 MT is the strongest Manual choice, and the 2.2 MT is the lightest measured choice. Price, reliability, problems and current availability were not measured, so they cannot be used here to rank Chevrolet Beretta cars for sale.