Tata continues to expand its passenger vehicle business in the Indian market by foraying into new and unexplored segments
Tata Motors has come a long way in the last few years, and with a market share of 7.6 per cent in July 2020, the homegrown carmaker has gone on to become the third best-selling manufacturer in the country. In order to further expand its business, Tata is working on a range of new products in the Indian market across different segments.
The carmaker showcased a range of cars at this year’s Auto Expo, but is yet to launch a majority of them. A fleet of upcoming Tata cars was also spotted on test recently, that many of these cars are nearing a launch. Here is a list of the 5 cars that Tata will be launching in the next 8 – 10 months, take a look –
1. Hexa Safari Edition
The launch of the more modern Harrier cannibalized the Hexa’s sales, and it was speculated that Tata will axe the latter from its line-up. However, Tata went on to prove us wrong by showcasing Hexa Safari Edition at this year’s Auto Expo.
As compared to the regular Hexa, the Safari Edition version features some cosmetic changes like a foliage green paint scheme, black alloy wheels etc. The 2.2-litre Varicor 400 engine producing 156 PS and 400 Nm will be retained, and come mated to a 6-speed MT as well as an optional auto. The higher-end trims will likely also be getting a 4×4 setup.
The features on offer with the BS6 Hexa Safari Edition will include a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with smartphone connectivity, up to 10-speaker music system, cruise control, a rear parking camera and more.
2. Gravitas
Tata Motors confirmed its plans of launching a three-row SUV based on its Harrier when it showcased the Gravitas at the 2020 Auto Expo in February this year. While the Gravitas was revealed in a six-seat format, Tata is also expected to offer the SUV with a seven-seat configuration when it is launched in the country around November.
Powering the Gravitas will likely be the same 2.0-litre Kryotec diesel engine producing 170 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque. The transmission options will include a 6-speed manual gearbox, as well as a 6-speed AT. A petrol powertrain will likely also be on offer. The Gravitas will sit above the Harrier in the carmaker’s line-up, and will rival the MG Hector Plus and Mahindra XUV500.
3. HBX
Apart from the Gravitas, Tata also showcased a micro SUV concept at the Expo, called the ‘HBX’. The production-ready version of the car will go on to become the most affordable Tata SUV in the country. The car will be pitted against the Maruti Suzuki Ignis, as well as the Mahindra KUV100, and is expected to be priced from Rs 5 lakh onwards.
The HBX will likely draw power from the same 1.2-litre three-cylinder Revotron petrol (86 PS/113 Nm) engine as the Tiago, and its equipment list will consist of floating touchscreen infotainment system, a semi-digital instrument cluster, split headlamps, Harman-sourced audio system etc.
4. Altroz EV
Tata has already launched fully-electric versions of two of its cars, i.e. Tigor and Nexon. Now, the homegrown carmaker is working on launching its third fully-electric car, which is the Altroz EV. Tata is yet to reveal the technical details of the Altroz EV, but we expect it to have a range of around 300 km on a single full charge.
The Altroz EV will go on to become the first fully-electric premium hatchback in the Indian market and is expected to be launched by the end of next year. The EV will share its feature list with the regular Altroz, apart from a few additions.
5. Harrier Petrol
The Harrier was originally launched as a diesel-manual car only, but Tata Motors later went on to introduce an optional torque converter automatic gearbox sourced from Hyundai. About a month after updating the Harrier at the 2020 Auto Expo, Tata Motors confirmed that is working on launching a petrol engine for the Harrier, which will help attract more buyers.
The said powertrain will likely be a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit putting out about 150 PS of power along with 250 Nm of torque. The transmission options could include a 6-speed manual gearbox, as well as an optional 6-speed automatic. The petrol-powered Harrier is expected to be launched soon.