According to a report from ET Auto, Tata Motors will
present the pre-production model of two new upcoming SUVs and a hatchback at
the 2018 Auto Expo. The 2018 edition of the bi-annual auto show will kick off
on February 9.
ET Auto reports that Tata Motors’ design studios in
Turin, Italy and Coventry, UK, have almost completed work on the upcoming Tata
products. These cars will be designed along applying the company’s ‘Impact’
design philosophy introduced three years ago under the stewardship of Pratap
Bose. It has already spawned the Tata Tiago, Tigor, and the Nexon, all of which
have invoked interest for their looks and finish.
The two SUVs in question are the Q501 and Q502,
which will be targeted at the Hyundai Creta and Jeep Compass respectively. They
are based on the Land Rover Discovery Sport’s L550 platform and have been
undergoing testing wearing the Discovery Sport’s bodyshell. A media report from
August claims the two SUVs will arrive in the 2018-19 fiscal. It would be
interesting to watch if the Safari nameplate is used on the Q501 or a new
branding.
The hatchback the report speaks about is the Tata
X451. Slated to arrive in 2019, the X451 will be positioned above the Tiago to
rival premium hatchbacks Maruti Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20. It will become
Tata’s first AMP (Advanced Modular Platform) based product when it hits
showrooms.
Also on Tata Motors’ products roster is a new
entry-level hatchback and a full-size sedan. Both products will be based on the
AMP. The latter will essentially be a three-box derivative of the X451
hatchback. It will target the Honda City, Maruti Ciaz, and the Hyundai Verna.
The new launches will help Tata enhance its market coverage from the current
71% to 90% by 2020.
