[sidindica]

the rear disguise is faked to make it look boxy and fool photographers like ford did before the figo launch and disguised the figo hatch as a sedan. Its a stretched indica with a long rear door, increased wheelbase and 5 seat hatchback with rear AC vents. Think the German Audi A4 and the Chinese market Audi A4L.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by sidindica

the rear disguise is faked to make it look boxy and fool photographers like ford did before the figo launch and disguised the figo hatch as a sedan. Its a stretched indica with a long rear door, increased wheelbase and 5 seat hatchback with rear AC vents. Think the German Audi A4 and the Chinese market Audi A4L.

Does it have the same wheelbase as XL?
If yes, does it manage to limit itself to 4 meters?
A sub-4-meter hatch with rear AC vents and huge rear seat+legroom sounds quite interesting. Which slot will it occupy in Tata's lineup?
What will Tata marketing deptt. call it? Limo-class?

[HammerHead]

My wild guess, specially looking at the hollow space through rear glass of the 2nd car in post 54, Can it be something like this? Kind of fastback?

[simplyself]

Originally Posted by directinjection

What will Tata marketing deptt. call it? Limo-class?

More Limo Per Car !

Where would do they position the vehicle? The eV2 is already too close to Vista in price.

[condor]

Originally Posted by VeluM

What's with the alloys in front and steel rims at the back??

May be he had a flat ?

Originally Posted by muke31

to me also it looks like a small pickup, look at the rear wheel which is almost at the end of the chassy.

possible. But I hope they dont do a Amby

Originally Posted by HammerHead

My wild guess, specially looking at the hollow space through rear glass of the 2nd car in post 54, Can it be something like this? Kind of fastback?

An idea that I have thought of before ! I think Tata can make their cars - esp Indica & the Grande much better looking by making them a lil more sharper. Esp the Grande.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by HammerHead

My wild guess, specially looking at the hollow space through rear glass of the 2nd car in post 54, Can it be something like this? Kind of fastback?

Sort of like the Chevy SRV, Should look good!

Originally Posted by condor

May be he had a flat ?

On both rear tyres, and he was carrying two spares?

[indivic]

Originally Posted by VeluM

On both rear tyres, and he was carrying two spares?

OT why not, if he/she is testing a new car, they better not be caught by prying eyes at a tire walla

[vivekgk]

Could it be a pickup truck? HM launched one based on the Amby. Maybe Tata is doing the same. But I hope it's something like the Jazz, a mini-estate. Still, the long wheelbase seems to suit the Indica XL theory more than anything else.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by VeluM

What's with the alloys in front and steel rims at the back?? The second pic seems to indicate some sort of a frame at the back to disguise the rear shape of the car. With the wheels so far back, and rear seats reportedly pushed back to make more legroom, wonder if the boot space will increase much?

Maybe, the front 1/2 is from one Indica and the rear 3/4th from another.

Like many voiced here, I feel its high time Tata stop flogging the 1st generation Indica platform. I think they are smitten by the success of the older platform and unable to think outside it.

What's wrong with the 2nd generation Vista platform? Its superior in every which way. Maybe the cost savings is not that much, when compared to the 1st generation. But economies of scale is what gives you the cost advantage. Doesn't it?

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Maybe, the front 1/2 is from one Indica and the rear 3/4th from another.

Like many voiced here, I feel its high time Tata stop flogging the 1st generation Indica platform. I think they are smitten by the success of the older platform and unable to think outside it.

What's wrong with the 2nd generation Vista platform? Its superior in every which way. Maybe the cost savings is not that much, when compared to the 1st generation. But economies of scale is what gives you the cost advantage. Doesn't it?

The first gen Indica platform is old, but not really outdated. It does lack the latest manufacturing techniques like tailored blanks and the styling is old school curves, but the platform is still quite good. It has features like all around independent suspension, modern common rail engines and has an option for safety features like ABS and airbags (though not offered here). It's a heavy platform, true, but that also contributes to the safety. It takes a lot to total an Indica, and it's one of the safest bodyshells around.

I wish Tata would update the styling comprehensively with some new panels (and tighter tolerances) but the platform itself has a lot of life in it, IMO. I own an Indigo CS TDi, and the only issue I have had is with the small niggling issues like large panel gaps, rough-edged plastics and general lack of refinement in the drivetrain. But it has been as reliable as the sun through the 22K kms that I've used it, and it's bloody cheap to maintain. If they offered me the same car with better quality, I'd buy it again (might go for the CR4 engine though, and a different color)

The Vista platform was conceptualized with the European export market in mind. Hence, it has several manufacturing processes that make it too expensive to be viable for low-end, low cost manufacture. Why do you think Tata is not offering its homegrown CR4 engines on the Vista? It would end up costing more than the Quadrajet.

I don't think that the Gen1 Indica platform has covered even half of its intended design life.

Besides, there was news that Tata is concentrating on getting the build quality bang-on in its current products before developing any new platforms. Which is what they should have done, IMO, before they launched the Vista. Better late than never, I guess.

[deetjohn]

I think the first Indica platform was brilliant. True, it was done by I.DE.A for Tata but being the commercial auto giant that Tata was and to come up with that in the first try was remarkable. But that was late 90s.

And now, they have a newer platform which betters the old one by all means. Don't you think the Gen 2 platform accomplish all that you said and even more? Then, why aren't Tata making the most of it? And I am not asking Tata to develop a newer platform. Just use the newer one they already have. And even the old platform was also exported as City Rover.

What I fail to understand is why isn't Tata experimenting more with the newer platform, when they so easily can. It will be costly, but then that adds to the reason for introducing multiple models from that platform to drive the cost down.

[Enigmatic]

I still cannot fathom out what this car is !
Is it a Ute ? Is it a stretched Indica ? Is it a sports back ??
What is TATA upto !!..

[MAS]

Originally Posted by HammerHead

My wild guess, specially looking at the hollow space through rear glass of the 2nd car in post 54, Can it be something like this? Kind of fastback?

+1 to your "Wild" guess

I just hope Tata is able to make the Indica as muscular as the picture shows. Will i still buy it? Nah...

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

And now, they have a newer platform which betters the old one by all means. Don't you think the Gen 2 platform accomplish all that you said and even more? Then, why aren't Tata making the most of it? And I am not asking Tata to develop a newer platform. Just use the newer one they already have. And even the old platform was also exported as City Rover.

What I fail to understand is why isn't Tata experimenting more with the newer platform, when they so easily can. It will be costly, but then that adds to the reason for introducing multiple models from that platform to drive the cost down.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see an estate or a longer version of the Vista with a bigger hatch boot, or at least a sporty variant with stiffer suspension and more power.

From Tata's PoV, it would be easier to experiment with the Gen1 platform, because all they have to do is a mix and match with the various aggregates that they already have. If the car in the pics is an Indica XL, the longer rear door, strengthened interior floor-pan, rear AC blower/vents etc are all aready in production. At most, they'd have to design a different set of tail lamps and bumper to differentiate it. The front end is from the Indigo, the alloys are from the eV2, you get the idea. I'm betting that it'll have the rear hatch from the Marina, which is the only aggregate that they didn't use much because of low demand.

Again, this whole mix and match gameplan works hand in glove with their decision to not introduce new models until they get the current products sorted out. I for one would rather have an overall increase in quality across the (vast )current Tata product range than see yet another new, innovative, fantastic product let down by poor quality.

[deetjohn]

Originally Posted by vivekgk

From Tata's PoV, it would be easier to experiment with the Gen1 platform, because all they have to do is a mix and match with the various aggregates that they already have.

Great point. So, Tata is looking at the easiest way for faster Go to Market for these new models/ variants. Anyways, I hope they start full utilization of the newer platform soon enough.