[RavenAvi]

Mod Note: Our Altroz Report has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!



Motorbeam reports, via an exclusive scoop, that Tata Motors is developing an all-new premium hatchback codenamed "X451" which will rival Hyundai Elite i20 & the upcoming Maruti-Suzuki YRA hatchback.

The X451 will be based on the Nexon SUV, which is scheduled to be launched next year to take on the Ford EcoSport. The X451 might be in the market by late-2017, with engine options borrowed from the Revotron & the Fiat Multijet, albeit tuned for better performance than the Bolt/Zest.

This comes on the back of mediocre month-on-month showing of the Tata Bolt in sales ever since it's launch, hence it might get repositioned in the Tata lineup to take on the likes of the Maruti-Suzuki Swift & the Hyundai Grand i10.

Tata is assessing the situation and while we expected a price correction on the Bolt, the Indian automaker plans to re-position the hatchback against the Maruti Swift and Hyundai Grand i10 instead of the premium Hyundai i20.

Tata Motors is now developing a new premium hatchback codenamed ‘X451′ that will take on the Hyundai Elite i20 as well as the upcoming Maruti Suzuki YRA (concept named iK-2) in the future. The premium hatchback space is promising given the popularity of the Elite i20 and Tata too wants to earn a chunk of this pie.

The X451 though will be based on the upcoming Nexon compact SUV that was showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo last February. The Nexon is based on the X1 platform that underpins the Bolt as well, but we expect the automaker to tweak the chassis further to make it sportier on the upcoming premium hatchback.

SOURCE

[The Rationalist]

Hope they bring out something that looks different from the current line up. Unless they do that people will think it's just a facelift. Why can't they design something as clean as a Polo?

[Steeroid]

Dear Tata Motors

Talk less, do more.

Regards

A well-wisher

[prashanthyr]

Honestly, with Tata Motors, I'll believe it when I see it. There have been too many promises, with very little to show in reality.

They really need to understand that product life cycle is only 4-6 years at most and the only 2 things that can really be reused are engine/transmission and name. Everything else has to change. Unfortunately, with the Nano/Bolt/Zest/Safari/Sumo etc, its pretty obvious they don't have this basic planning in place.

Sorry, Tata Motors just keeps disappointing and for a Tata fan boy like me, its harder to see them lose the way like this.

[MunnabhaiMBBS]

Looks are equally important to me.

I will buy any TATA hatchback only if :

1. It does not have the smiley shaped grill and ridiculously stretched back headlamp units.
- Would rather prefer the grill & headlamp units like Civic. I do not wish headlamps to occupy the large portion of front edges of bonnet.

2. It's C pillar angle & rear door design is different than Zest or Indica.
- Cut short the quarter glass and give some sharp lines like Beat or Swift.

3. It's hatch door does not look like a big belly.
- Breath out and pull the belly inside, take a queue from i30.

4. It's rear lamps are not borrowed from Bolt and look complete.
- Look at your own Jaguar, it's perfectly alright to integrate some portion of rear lamps into the hatch door and side panels to make it look complete.

5. It's rear wheels are pushed a bit forward / Beefy rear bumper to make the side profile look complete.
- Take an i20, look at it's side profile, rear bumper and side profile feels complete unlike Bolt.

All the best TATA !!!

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

...This comes on the back of mediocre month-on-month showing of the Tata Bolt in sales ever since it's launch, hence it might get repositioned in the Tata lineup to take on the likes of the Maruti-Suzuki Swift & the Hyundai Grand i10....

Was the Bolt ever priced close to the Elite i20? A price correction for the Bolt is inevitable, but the damage is done already. That might never take off now. A very poorly compiled article on the Bolt failure findings.

I would love to see this hatchback; but will I buy a premium hatchback to rub shoulders with a cab driver? Not too sure TATA. Yes, I am smitten by the Zest quality, but a premium hatchback compared to i20 - I'll think twice.

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

Looks are equally important to me.

I will buy any TATA hatchback only if :...

All the best TATA !!!

I believe we all will see these on Kite hatchback.

[honeybee]

Hasn't there been a Nano, then the Zest and the Bolt? Three quality products in a difficult environment. While blaming Tata Motors for past designs and vehicles, shouldn't we also acknowledge the fact that for these last three models the quality has been leaps ahead of the Indicas and Indigos?

Remember that Tata Motors is running without a full time CEO after the abrupt run by Karl Slym.

[NiInJa]

Not defending TATA here, but the reason why Bolt and Zest look more like the hated Indica/Vista is because they are built on the same platform, and bringing a drastic change in the platform / body shell costs a bomb since the machines that give those shapes have to be redesigned completely. Even Swift, Polo and Vento havent seen drastic changes (for different reasons). Only Hyundai dares to do such things under 10 lakh category !

My guess is that Tata has not seen profits for a long time in India hence the top guns are not willing to take risks by investing in something new, given their completely new cars (Aria/Nano) have been colossal failures.

I've been reading a lot of Tata motor stuff on the net but only a few things become reality, and when it does, the competitors launch something better !
I personally liked Zest and Bolt, Infact Bolt looks fresh and better than Swift, as I am drooling over it, suddenly I20 Elite spoils the show. I wonder where Zest and Bolt will stand once Ford Figo and Aspire is launched. 2017 is just too long.

[300 KMPH]

Its important when they launch their cars. The Zest and Bolt were launched very very late. The Nexon and X451 should be launched till next year's Diwali to capture the market. Anything beyond that would be late again in my opinion.

[pamiboy]

Yes, too much disappointment here.

Originally Posted by MunnabhaiMBBS

Looks are equally important to me.

You are absolutely right that Tata cars need a major design overhaul. They need to fire their entire design team and create an entire new modern design team. May be hire world class designers and young talent for the purpose.
A car with a stunning, sleek, new design gives a general perception of quality even if the internals are carried over from previous version. And perception matters a lot in car buying public's mind. The sooner Tata realizes it, the better for them.

[NST440]

Aha, here we go yet another launch and seems like people are already queuing up to bash Tata Motors for its not so bad vehicles with not so bad service they are providing these days. IMHO the Zest, Bolt and Storme are real reliable and good products we have seen lately. The brand image is itself drawing the crowds to other manufacturers and its time we actually start appreciating our indigenous manufacturer. With all due respect , given a choice i shall happily buy a Tata vehicle over the very loved Maruti, largely due to my latest encounters with poor product quality and services provided by MS to few of my friends pertaining to Swift, Alto and an Ertiga.

Deep down i feel the absence of Karl Slym is a major let down who would really have done wonders for the brand Tata but i think Indian customer and its herd mentality is strange. Polo and Punto being two very potent hatchbacks are still scarce on the roads and Tata people really need to hit the sweet spot of the Indian customer which to me is strange, monotonous and "kitna deti hai" oriented, leaving behind the importance of driving pleasure and safety. I know this is a never ending debate but i strongly feel the recent Tata launches are far superior than many cost cut and unsafe vehicles wandering on the indian roads.

All the best Tata, hope you do your best and people do understand this time.

[utsav1303]

Originally Posted by NST440

Aha, here we go yet another launch and seems like people are already queuing up to bash Tata Motors for its not so bad vehicles with not so bad service they are providing these days. IMHO the Zest, Bolt and Storme are real reliable and good products we have seen lately.

There is no doubt that Zest, Bolt and Storme are good products and quality has increased significantly over the years.

Though, I would like to reserve my judgment for reliability of Tata cars for durability and performance of their parts over the years.

Also, it is baffling to understand why it takes them so long to bring a product to market from a concept stage. The Indian automotive market has matured a lot and dynamics is changing with each passing year due to change in customer taste, new regulations, new design languages from competitors.

Unless and until, they reduce development time and repose the faith of customers through better service, it will be a tough walk for TML in premium segment.

[pamiboy]

Originally Posted by NST440

Aha, here we go yet another launch and seems like people are already queuing up to bash Tata Motors for its not so bad vehicles with not so bad service they are providing these days. IMHO the Zest, Bolt and Storme are real reliable and good products we have seen lately. The brand image is itself drawing the crowds to other manufacturers and its time we actually start appreciating our indigenous manufacturer. With all due respect , given a choice i shall happily buy a Tata vehicle over the very loved Maruti, largely due to my latest encounters with poor product quality and services provided by MS to few of my friends pertaining to Swift, Alto and an Ertiga.

Deep down i feel the absence of Karl Slym is a major let down who would really have done wonders for the brand Tata but i think Indian customer and its herd mentality is strange. Polo and Punto being two very potent hatchbacks are still scarce on the roads and Tata people really need to hit the sweet spot of the Indian customer which to me is strange, monotonous and "kitna deti hai" oriented, leaving behind the importance of driving pleasure and safety. I know this is a never ending debate but i strongly feel the recent Tata launches are far superior than many cost cut and unsafe vehicles wandering on the indian roads.

All the best Tata, hope you do your best and people do understand this time.

We are not bashing Tata for being Tata. We would love to buy a car from Tata and be proud to do it, but they have to put few things in order first. Otherwise we feel that we have wasted money on a subpar product. I simply would not want to drive around in a car which doesn't aesthetically please me even if the general quality is up to the segment leaders. I don't want a car which looks dated even before it is launched. I refuse to buy a car from a manufacturer which takes ten years or more to upgrade a model. This gives the impression that they are not using cutting edge current technology but just borrowing tech from previous generation cars of competitors. Not saying that Tata is doing so but they don't instill confidence in me. They seemed to have learned nothing from JLR acquisition yet. Just watch out for the Chinese geely or something which owns Volvo. Their production will soon have that Volvo finesse. Sorry for the rant.

[srishiva]

Designers should be warned that any resemblance to current products will not be tolerated!
Not sure if Tata can make any impact in the car segment. They should try to do something in the crossover segment with various sized vehicles. Its in this class that India needs to have value for money vehicles now.

[alpha1]

Why do they have such less window room at the rear! I have noticed this : the more "modern looking" a vehicle, the closer is the window to being just a slit.

Feels so claustrophobic, and motion sickness inducing (verified by testing upon me).