In recent years, Tata Motors has shown tremendous growth, not only in terms of sales but also the unique product mix they are offering in the Indian market. The indigenous automaker and the largest commercial vehicle maker in the country is now known to manufacture some of the best-looking and safest cars in India, all of which are highly appealing to new-car buyers.
All these factors have led to an upward shift of sales for the Indian brand, who is now the third largest carmaker in the country (as per October 2020 sales), an incredible feat standing right behind Maruti-Suzuki and Hyundai. With products like the Tiago, Altroz, Nexon and Harrier; Tata Motors has managed to tap a wide audience base. Despite the COVID-19 blues, Tata Motors has shown the commitment to launch new-age and youth-friendly products. Here are the top 5 Tata cars expected to launch by next year starting this festive season-
Tata Gravitas
The Tata Gravitas will be the first to launch among other upcoming products from Tata’s stable. While it was earlier anticipated that the Gravitas will be launched this festive season, Tata has not revealed any plans for this 7-seater SUV. The Gravitas was first showcased at the Geneva Motor show and was later unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2020. The Gravitas is essentially a larger Harrier with a bigger rear overhang to adjust for an additional row of seating. The rest of the design is mostly the same, with some changes to the design including front and side profile.
Tata is expected to price the Gravitas at least INR 1 lakh above the price of the Harrier. Powering the Gravitas will be an upgraded BS-VI 2.0-litre diesel engine that is capable of producing 170 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque. In the transmission department, the Gravitas is expected to come with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard and 6-speed automatic transmission as an option. Some of the other features of the Gravitas include an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 9-speaker audio system, automatic air conditioning, multiple drive modes and a large sunroof.
Tata Altroz EV
Electric Vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in India after finding their space globally. Tata Motors, India’s third largest carmaker, aims to get in on the action as well. After launching the Tigor EV and Nexon EV, they are soon to launch the EV variant of the already-popular Altroz premium hatchback. Inside the Altroz EV, Tata is expected to include features like automatic air conditioning, a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, and a powerful audio setup by Harman. The design layout will remain the same as the regular model.
In terms of exterior design, the Altroz EV will get blue accents to highlight the electric powertrain and a new grille without air vents. The Altroz EV is expected to get its power from the same 30 kWh Lithium-Ion battery pack as the Nexon SUV and will have a maximum range of 350km on a single charge. Looking at the 312 Km range of Nexon. Tata will also add drive modes and re-generative braking to expand the driving range. With the Altroz EV, Tata will provide a wall mounted charger and a portable charger for travelling.
Tata HBX
Tata is all ready to launch their premium and stylish entry-level SUV, code-named HBX and rumoured to be christened Hornbill. The small SUV is actually a puffed-up hatchback and goes up against the Mahindra KUV100. It was first showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo and immediately caught people’s attention. For starters, the HBX is expected to come in with a price tag of about INR 5 lakh*, which is a very competitive number in the current market. Pratap Bose, Design Head at Tata already confirmed the model showcased at Expo was almost production ready in terms of design.
According to reports, the HBX will be fitted with the same 1.2L Revotron petrol engine that is found in the Tata Altroz and Tiago. The engine will generate 86 PS of power along with 113 Nm of torque and will be mated to a 5-speed manual transmission as a standard option. There will also be an optional 5-speed automatic gearbox included, which might be an AMT unit. In terms of features, the HBX is expected to come with a 7-inch floating touchscreen infotainment setup, as well as drive modes and a Harman-powered premium sound system.
Tata Tiago EV
Like mentioned above, Tata Motors have been at the forefront of increasing the popularity of electric vehicles in India, thanks to products like Nexon EV and Tigor EV. For its future EV products, Tata has shortlisted the Altroz EV, along with the uber-popular Tiago compact hatchback. The Tiago hatchback is known for its design, features and competitive pricing; and it comes as no surprise that Tata has decided to add a battery pack to the small car to make it an affordable EV.
Powering this car will be a 21.5 kWh lithium-ion battery that offers an impressive 213km driving range on a single charge. The same battery is also utilized in the Tigor EV sold as commercial and personal vehicle. Charging the battery to 100 percent takes about 6-8 hours, while there is also fast charge capabilities that reduce that time to just 1.5 hours. As of now, not much is known about the Tiago EV other than the fact that it is expected to mirror many of the features on the recently-launched Tigor and Nexon EVs.
Tata Altroz Turbo
Last on our list is the Tata Altroz Turbo, the powerful version of the popular Altroz premium hatchback. The Altroz hatch has proved to be a cash cow for Tata Motors and given the kind of interest it is generating, Tata don’t want to reduce any chances of cashing in on its success. While an EV version has been planned, there are rumours that a Turbo variant will be added soon to match the likes of Volkswagen Polo TSI and Hyundai i20 Turbo.
Like its rivals, it is expected that Tata will offer a turbocharged 1.0-litre engine three-cylinder motors with 100+ bhp output and a DCT gearboxto match. The Altroz Turbo will also have design additions to match the performance, including body kit and blackened elements both inside and out. Leaving these changes aside, the Altroz Turbo will mostly bear the same design and cabin layout as the regular Altroz.
*Ex-showroom prices
