Tata could become the second-best car manufacturer with the launch of Punch as it could garner high volumes in the affordable space if priced aggressively
Tata Motors is gearing up to unleash the Punch micro SUV in the domestic market on October 4 and its exterior and interior images have already been unveiled. It must be noted that the Punch has already started arriving at dealerships across the country and is expected to be priced competitively against a host of competitors.
We do believe that the Tata Punch has the potential to sell in big numbers and it could target affordable cars that garner 18000-24000 unit sales in the entry-level space. To likely be priced between Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 8 lakh (ex-showroom), the Punch will directly compete against Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Wagon R, Celerio, Santro, i10, Swift and other cars in the price segment.
With the highly competitive pricing, it could lock horns with the compact and small hatchbacks that record high volume sales in the country every month. Tata Motors currently sits at the third-largest carmaker in India courtesy of the good reception for the Altroz, Nexon and Tiago that are responsible for the major chunk of volumes.
If the Punch ticks all the right boxes and is competitively priced, we do not see any reason why it should not be a regular in the top ten monthly sales charts for passenger cars. The upcoming micro SUV will more likely help Tata in closing the gap to the second-placed Hyundai in total sales and it might just go as far as taking the brand to newer heights and beating the Korean brand.
We will have to wait and see what really pans out! The Punch is the first SUV based on the Agile Light Flexible Advanced platform and it could be high on safety as well considering the five-star crash test ratings received by the Altroz. It has a stylish exterior with a slip headlamp cluster, LED DRLs, sporty bumpers at the front and rear, squared-off wheel arches, etc.
The equipment list also comprises pillar-mounted rear door handles, touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, iRA connect, cruise control, auto AC, push-button start, steering wheel with mounted controls, a large MID, and so on. It will be available in multiple colour schemes and powered by a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine with MT and AMT choices.