Tata to launch a new small car in sub-4 lakh bracket

Tata Motors is set to introduce a new small hatchback by 2015 in the range of Rs 3-4 lakh. This new car will be the company's latest B segment offering that will compete with the present segment leaders Hyundai i10 and Maruti Suzuki Wagon R. The new car will be based on the 'X0' platform; it is the same platform which underpins the Indica eV2.

Key points in the new hatchback

• The car will feature the Tata's new DESIGNEXT!! Design philosophy which has debuted with the Zest and Bolt.
• The car is likely to be powered by the Revotron family of turbo-charged petrol engine.
• The car will be designed with inputs from the design facilities in Europe; like they did with the Zest and Bolt.
• It is expected that the car will feature the Tata's CR4 diesel motor.

Launched in 1998, Indica was designed in Turin, Italy by I.D.E.A Institute (Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering). The styling is undoubtedly eye-pleasing but now with over a decade old designing; the buyers more or less limited to fleet businesses. In the age where car makers frequently come-up with a facelift or complete reincarnation, Tata Indica really needs that thrust to propel sales charts and rival more competitively. However, it is unlikely that Tata will drop the Indica eV2 as it is doing good in fleet business. Indica was the only B-segment offering for Tata currently and is, perhaps most dated compared to its rivals.

Source: Financial Express