Tata Motors is planning a Hyundai Creta rival codenamed Blackbird/H4. Earlier reports suggest that it will be nothing but a rebadged Chery Tiggo 5x, but latest developments on the same hint that it will sport an individual design and won't merely be a rebranded product. It will reach showrooms by 2021.
Chery, a Chinese automaker, has been eyeing the Indian market for quite some time now, and its collaboration with Tata Motors would only help fast track its Indian plans. Tata Motors, on the other hand, will benefit from this partnership by sourcing a platform which will underpin the H4. Since Tata Motors currently has no platform suitable for an SUV that measures around 4.2-4.3 metres in length, the company is yet to finalise the platform for its Creta rival.
Downsizing the Omega-Arc platform to match the smaller dimensions of the H4 would prove to be as costly as developing a new platform altogether. The Alfa-Arc platform which underpins the upcoming Altroz premium hatchback can't support larger diameter wheels, which are critically important for the appeal of an SUV. For a Creta rival, the wheel diameter should at least be 700 mm or more in order to match the overall proportions. The Alpha platform can be suitable for a sub-4 metre SUV at best. The Nexon, for example, has a wheel diameter of 665 mm.
Chery has a wide range of SUVs from the Tiggo 2 to the Tiggo 5. Previous reports suggest that Tata Motors could use the Tiggo 5x's platform.
Also Read: India's top 5 safest cars as per Global NCAP crash test rating
Tata Motors and Chery will develop individual ‘top hats’ for their shared platform for product differentiation but will share a set of common underpinnings like chassis, suspension and power trains to keep the development costs in check.
[Source - Autocar India]
