[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by kovilkalai

While it does look radically different than anything Tata has put out since they started making cars, it doesn't look all that great. Please remember that this is a concept. Which means they don't have to worry about mass production just yet.

And yet you are complaining about the concept having 3 doors and NOT 5 doors, why? IMO, there's no need to make strong statements without having the full details.

[Bh.P]

Originally Posted by kovilkalai

...I don't really understand all the reasons why an auto manufacturer invests in developing and making concept cars...

Concepts are test beds for innovation. A concept car may never make it to production. But some of the features built into it may get adopted in current models. So more concepts means more chances of innovative features.

[djpeesh]

Here you go. Apparently early prototype for the first TAMO model

[kovilkalai]

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

And yet you are complaining about the concept having 3 doors and NOT 5 doors, why? IMO, there's no need to make strong statements without having the full details.

Of course! What is the point making a 3-door concept for a country that doesn't exactly like 3 doors? If the goal is to create platforms and designs that can be leveraged later on, this choice of styles is a bit of a non-starter. Like Suzuki, Tata needs to start with stuff that will sell in its largest market. A concept has to have some root in practicality.

Where you don't worry about the mass market is when you want to make sure that the design is catchy. In my opinion, this design is not very good. And no amount of waiting will change the look of this car.

I am sorry, but I do have a strong opinion on strong opinions. If I have one, I will say it. If we all had to wait before forming opinions, we'd still be waiting before we called Hitler a bad guy.

[RavenAvi]

Close look at the interiors and the alloy design, courtesy Motoroids.

The interiors of the C-Cube are colourful and contemporary, but a bit spartan because it isn’t complete yet. The centre console gets an indentation for a smartphone (?), and one giant knob. In case you’re wondering, that red button in front of the gear lever says ‘Emergency Stop’.
Build quality isn’t the best, while the panel gaps are huge and inconsistent. But there’s a reason behind that. The C-Cube showcases manufacturing technologies that allow for distributed manufacturing, a “form of decentralised manufacturing practiced by enterprises using a network of geographically dispersed manufacturing facilities that are coordinated using information technology”. Since distributed manufacturing doesn’t encourage the presence of a single, full-blown manufacturing facility, the C-Cube features non-conventional materials (other than steel) in its construction.
The C-Cube’s composite architecture doesn’t require expensive infrastructure like a press shop or a weld shop to make it. Instead, it has been put together using basic assembly techniques. Now we don’t have any more information about specifics like the materials used on the car, or the ‘basic assembly techniques’ that were used to put the C-Cube together, but the body-shell felt like its been made out of some sort of fibre-reinforced polymer.

[jalsa777]

Originally Posted by kovilkalai

Of course! What is the point making a 3-door concept for a country that doesn't exactly like 3 doors? If the goal is to create platforms and designs that can be leveraged later on, this choice of styles is a bit of a non-starter. Like Suzuki, Tata needs to start with stuff that will sell in its largest market. A concept has to have some root in practicality.

Well, just a quick point. India may have been the country which didn't like 3 doors. But things have changed. They thought a high priced hatchback wouldn't work...they did!
India never liked automatics, it now does!
India did not like 3 doors, but we don't know about the present.

[kovilkalai]

Originally Posted by jalsa777

Well, just a quick point. India may have been the country which didn't like 3 doors. But things have changed. They thought a high priced hatchback wouldn't work...they did!
India never liked automatics, it now does!
India did not like 3 doors, but we don't know about the present.

Except this trend is unlikely to change. Globally, coupes are going down in volume because the distinction between sedans and coupes is blurring. Sedans are just as sporty as coupes now. In fact, you can get cars like the Audi RS3 and the BMW M3 and thereby have your cake and eat it too.

Besides, have you noticed that the average hatch owner in India seems to want to cram 6 or more people in their car?

Check out: http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...pes-gone-.html

[wilful]

The C-Cube looks good IMO (looks of course being subjective).
I think it would be a good successor to the Nano, if and when it makes it to the production stage.

[RSR]

The C-Cube looks like a concept designed as an all-electric or a plug-in hybrid city car. It's more likely to be a pure EV, given the use of weight-saving non-metal body panels.

It looks good, and it suits the purpose to a T! It's not a big deal to convert this 3-door concept into a 5-door production vehicle. Tata would have surely learned from Mahindra being forced to transform the e2o into the e2o+.

The problem with Tata concept vehicles is that ~ 75% of them never make it to production. Given such a track record, I wonder whether the C-Cube will ever see the light of the day!

[Contrapunto]

I was present at the event, and had a close look at the car, with the doors unlocked. My first impressions:
- Clearly a blinged up edition. The outside was jazzy, with low profile tyres et al. The interiors, well, a little utilitarian.
- In its current form, it is clearly a two seater with a rear bench fit only for two children. But for that compromise, the demo car had wide, well bolstered, thin profile (sporty?) front seats.
- The gear and some of the switches were clearly from other parts bin
- It does look quite like Eon on steroids (as someone else here pointed here). But its w-I-d-e. Not sure in dimensions, but its surely wider than any hatchback currently in the Indian market.

In its current form, a damned good looking, but impractical car. But it sure has a lot of promise, and its a lot more striking to look at, than it does in the pictures.

[smsrini]

This is a design that must be built on the Nano platform to make it a slick city car!

Very Stylish, Alfa Romeo-ish, IMO. absolutely desirable. The plot is sort of lost at the rear with the hatch, but acceptable, given its a concept.

TATA Motors build it! Today!

[RavenAvi]

Latest teaser of the Futuro:

(Source)

[fz_rider]

Style wise looks very Toyota. Design wise looks very Italian. Very confusing mix ! I hope the next one is a cleaner classier one like Tiago.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

Close look at the interiors and the alloy design, courtesy Motoroids.

With reference to the emergency stop button, Himanshu Aggarwal has this to share:

I spotted an unusual "Emergency Stop" button right in front of the gear lever of the C-Cube concept.

Upon brainstorming and research, I found that this might be Tata's (or Tamo's) attempt on autonomous driving.

I wanted to share an interesting bit about this particular button - it is available on most of the program-logic controlled industrial machinery (e.g. Plastic Injection Molding Machines, CNCs etc.) where, in case of an emergency situation, the operator can take over the controls from the automated computer program. This was explained in many autonomous driving vehicle concepts; might be that's why Tata have placed this button in this concept.

[swiftnfurious]

Whattay BEAUTIFUL looking concept! Hope they bring a 5 door version on this design - it will easily take the crown among many segments. This looks nothing like a previous TATA and very heartening to see TATA is building such beautiful designs.

I see a bit of Fiat 500 on this but am not complaining. TATA's current design team can give the best in the industry, a run for money!! They probably should get into designing cars for other brands too, might be able to rake in some money, there by improving over all profit for TATA motors.