[__.gxr.__]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Never seen a testing car under Camouflage in the capital city before & this is new for me.

I too was surprised. Very few manufacturers decide to test their cars in Kerala. Searched Google and found that only the Bajaj qute and Chevy trailblazer were spied in Kerala.

[sreerknair]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Never seen a testing car under Camouflage in the capital city before & this is new for me. Does Tata Motors have any R&D facility over there ?

Maybe a marketing move? Kerala is one of Tata's largest markets, isn't it?

[Bhupi_BHP]

Love the stance, alloy wheels and proportions of the car. For me, any mass market manufacturer who is making a distinctive design language is TATA. I hope this car becomes a blockbuster and teaches market leader and others how to do it and do it in style.

[//M]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Never seen a testing car under Camouflage in the capital city before & this is new for me. Does Tata Motors have any R&D facility over there ?

Originally Posted by __.gxr.__

I too was surprised. Very few manufacturers decide to test their cars in Kerala. Searched Google and found that only the Bajaj qute and Chevy trailblazer were spied in Kerala.

While Tata Motors has no R&D facility in Kerala, but Tata Elxsi has a facility / development center in Trivandrum.

A lot of electrical and wiring harness jobs in Tata / JLR cars is developed by Tata Elxsi at their Trivandrum centre. As a result, there have been past instances wherein camouflaged Tata / JLR vehicles have been spotted in and around Trivandrum.

Here are a few related threads / links -

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...est-india.html (Scoop - Range Rover Evoque XL spotted on test in India)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/super...ml#post3905867 (Scoop - Range Rover Evoque XL spotted on test in India)

Motoroids

[dhruv.bansal]

I have never followed Tata product launches before as much as I do today.

I saw it at the auto-expo in the concept format and Tata group promised that the production version will be almost identical to the concept.
The proportions and the stance looks to be spot on.

With Mahindra planning to move out of the compact SUV space (read KUV), this product slots in perfectly. With Espresso also selling even with shoddy crash test ratings (what's the rating anyway - Minus 1?), I am sure Tata has a winner with them if their current safety star rating is to go by.

I have just sold my Celerio AMT and don't mind looking for a compact SUVish car that can fulfil the run to the Doodhwala.

[tirumalavoleti]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

I tried to imagine an HBX with a bigger boot, an HBX plus we may call it.

Not a seven-seater, just with a bigger luggage area, with a 'station wagony' shape.

It will go beyond four metres, no doubt.

But, maybe with a Turbo engine and slightly bigger wheels, might get some takers.

Absolutely love the extended hornbill. As Nexon is having super sales and could be updated further with more features and powerful engines, 4300 mtr SUV is what is needed. Right to fight Creta/Seltos

[udaikalra01]

I think that Tata has found the sweet spot in the dimensions with this one. Let's have a quick comparison:
(Source-Autocar)

The main thing (imo) that the KUV100 and Ignis lack is road presence. Tata, on the other hand, has kept this car significantly longer than both the rivals at 3840mm which is as long as a Swift. And obviously, being a Tata, it is the widest in the segment with a width of 1822mm. What amazed me is that this is wider than Nexon (1811mm) and the Altroz (1760mm), too! This will definitely have much better road presence than KUV as well as Ignis.

The car that they showed at the Expo looked proportionate. If they are able to provide good cabin space and come up with an agressive pricing, they quite easily have a winner in their hands. Altroz petrol top end is Rs 9.5L on road. HBX top end at approx. Rs8.6-8.8L would be great!

[jothishX]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Never seen a testing car under Camouflage in the capital city before & this is new for me. Does Tata Motors have any R&D facility over there ?

I too haven't seen any camouflaged vehicles in trivandrum. They did have a R&D facility in Tata Elxsi in Technopark, where I've heard they were testing the console and infotainment units in Jaguars. Have seen many Jaguars parked in and around their offices.

[pradeep_mvpa]

Originally Posted by udaikalra01

I think that Tata has found the sweet spot in the dimensions with this one. Let's have a quick comparison:
(Source-Autocar)

Agree with you!

Although Maruti is trying to project Ignis as a mini SUV, it is actually a hatchback. With Mahindra focusing more on bigger SUVs, KUV100 is not in the picture anymore.

HBX is actually opening a new segment I believe. Also HBX has one advantage over Nexon, the looks. Although Nexon looks smashing, from some angles it gives a hatchback like feel.

In my opinion, HBX will sell more than Nexon.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Never seen a testing car under Camouflage in the capital city before & this is new for me. Does Tata Motors have any R&D facility over there ?

Like @//M has mentioned, thanks to the Tata Elxsi campus in Technopark, can see lots of camouflaged JLR vehicles going about. If I am right, from the Evoque days.

Another thing about seeing test cars in the deep south means the launch is pretty much near.

From my memory; XUV500, TUV300, Marazzo, some Skoda, 2nd gen Figo were seen here just weeks before their launches.

[ashutoshb]

Originally Posted by udaikalra01

Altroz petrol top end is Rs 9.5L on road. HBX top end at approx. Rs8.6-8.8L would be great!

With the same features (spy shots show cruise control, TFT instrument cluster), same NA petrol engine, I do not see how will they price it 80-90K below Altroz.

My guesstimate will be a price at par or above the Altroz NA petrol.

[JithinR]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

With the same features (spy shots show cruise control, TFT instrument cluster), same NA petrol engine, I do not see how will they price it 80-90K below Altroz.

My guesstimate will be a price at par or above the Altroz NA petrol.

As we already know manufacturers don't price their products just on the basis of how much it cost to build them...they also take into account how much people would be willing to pay for the product and it's competition (and a lot of other factors that I am not smart enough to understand).

Hornbill would be a micro-SUV (or whatever we are calling this form factor these days) and Altroz is a premium hatchback. They belong to different segments.

It's not too far off to think that they would be priced apart for differentiation though they can certainly overlap.

[400notout]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

I disagree. Traditionally, crossovers are more expensive than their hatch siblings.

I remember having this discussion with you earlier

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

With the same features (spy shots show cruise control, TFT instrument cluster), same NA petrol engine, I do not see how will they price it 80-90K below Altroz.

My guesstimate will be a price at par or above the Altroz NA petrol.

However today, I have to agree with you and go back on my previous words. So what changed between then and now? I saw the Ex. showroom price of the Tiago XE

Presently the corresponding prices (ex. showroom Navi Mumbai) are;

Tiago XE : 4.85 L
Altroz XE : 5. 69 L
Nexon XE : 7. 09 L

The only thing to note here is the Nexon is turbocharged while the other two are N.A. Considering this, discounts notwithstanding the HBX in its N.A avatar will be likely close to Altroz or slightly above it. I just hope it does not lose on features vis a vis Magnite/Kiger.

But on a completely off topic note, God almighty! the Tiago has gotten expensive.

[udaikalra01]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

With the same features (spy shots show cruise control, TFT instrument cluster), same NA petrol engine, I do not see how will they price it 80-90K below Altroz.

My guesstimate will be a price at par or above the Altroz NA petrol.

If they price it at par or above the Altroz, the buyer will consider Nexon over HBX. There are a lot of options today in the market, including Magnite and Kiger which offer terrific VFM and are much bigger. The car has to be priced according to the segment. Even if priced at Rs 8.8L OTR, it will be the most expensive car in the segment more expensive than both, Ignis and KUV100.

[400notout]

Originally Posted by udaikalra01

Even if priced at Rs 8.8L, it will be the most expensive car in the segment more expensive than both, Ignis and KUV100.

The current prices are for N.A. without discounts and offers (ex. showroom Navi Mumbai, source: carwale) are as follows;

Tiago : 4.85 - 6.22
Ignis : 4.85 - 6.86

KUV1OO : 5.82 - 7.44
Magnite : 5.59 - 7.68
Kiger : 5.45 - 7.55

Altroz : 5.69 - 8.25
Nexon : 7.09 - 10.39 (Turbo)

I would not consider the KUV1OO and Ignis as rivals anymore as the KUV1OO has a questionable future and Ignis is a slow seller as per MS standards. Also the KUV1OO is a whole 180mm lesser in length. Also the Tiago is almost an Ignis competitor now!

The Magnite and Kiger are not too far away from the start point of the Altroz. Its a different matter for the top-end but I'm yet to compare the features on offer between them.

So the base variant might be closer to Altroz and the top variants price could be lower but with lesser features I suppose.