Tata Rivals: Back-to-Back launches for next 6 months
Tata Motors has been one of the top automakers from past years that have fared quite well during the pandemic. The festive season was a boost for the company too as the automaker recorded the second biggest rise in the month of November market raises from 4.84% to 7.5%.
Tata managed to release all its 2020 launches- Harrier BS6, Nexon EV, Nexon BS6, and the Altroz- just before the lockdown started and these 4 offerings managed to keep the automaker afloat during the tough times in pandemic in quite an impressive manner.
Now, the company seems to be banking on this phenomenal flip as it is ready with back-to-back launches for the next 6 months to retain its overall market share especially when the competition is getting wild each and every day. Look at the list of the cars that will take the competition to next level in the coming year:
Tata HBX
The Tata HBX is the new micro-SUV. It looks like a small version of the Tata Nexon BS6. This looks very rugged for a car of its size and is expected to be equally intriguing in terms of its performance as it is likely to be powered by a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine borrowed from Tata Tiago. The micro-SUV will possibly offer a 5-speed MT and an optional AMT. And is expected to launch in June 2021 at around Rs 5 lakh (ex-showroom). The Tata HBX will take on the likes of Mahindra KUV100 and the Maruti Suzuki Ignis in the market.
Tata Altroz EV
Tata Altroz EV has retained its looks from its prototype version. The Altroz EV is expected to have a price tag of around Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom) to make it slightly more affordable than the Nexon EV. The best part about the model is that it would be the only premium electric hatchback after its launch and will face no direct competition in the market.
Tata Gravitas
The vehicle has also been spotted a numbers of times on Indian roads, as a test mule, heavily camouflaged to ensure it's a secret. It is definitely the most anticipated launch of all the Tata offerings in 2021. It is the 7-seater version of the homebred Harrier which is also doing quite well in the market. Power will come from the same 2.0-litre, Kyrotec diesel engine that does duty in the Harrier, but is expected to make more power at 167bhp. The Buzzard will also come with the option of a Hyundai-sourced 6-speed automatic gearbox alongside the 6-speed manual transmission version.
Tata Hexa BS6
The Hexa is expected to be partnered by a BS6-compliant version of its 2.2-litre diesel engine that offers 156PS of power and 400 Nm of torque and will be paired to a 6-speed MT or 6-speed AMT. It will attract a premium over the BS4 variants and will be priced from Rs 14 lakh onwards. The BS6 Hexa will be positioned under the Gravitas and is expected to be the rugged alternative to it.
Tata Altroz Turbo
The company is working on a new turbo-petrol variant of the Altroz. The DCT-equipped Altroz automatic will come with a 110hp, 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine that is expected to make its debut soon. The model is expected to be priced between Rs 7.99 lakh – Rs 8.59 lakh (ex-showroom), the Tata Altroz will compete with the turbo trims of Hyundai i20, Volkswagen Polo, and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Baleno turbo variant.