News

Is this Tata's premium SUV testing under Land Rover skin?

Speculations about Tata Motors planning to develop a couple of premium SUVs with Land Rover inputs have been doing rounds since the past 3 years. While the automaker hasn't commented on the said developments, company officials did talk about the manufacturer's inclination towards the UV market during the launch of the Tata Hexa. Now, a test mule with the body shell of a Land Rover Discovery Sport has been spotted, sparking rumours about Tata testing its premium SUV in disguise.

The spotted test mule has a body shell of the Discovery Sport, but there are no badges on the car. Various other elements, including steel wheels and a single tailpipe jutting out from the rear bumper, suggest that this is an early prototype.

Earlier reports had mentioned that Tata Motors will be introducing a premium SUV (codenamed Q501), which will become the automaker's new flagship offering. It is expected to be developed on the LR5 platform, which also underpins the Discovery Sport. However, the Tata SUV is likely to come with a different powertrain - a 2.0-litre MultiJet II diesel engine from Fiat, mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

No specific timelines about launch of the Tata Q501 in India have been disclosed as yet. It is expected to be launched to compete against the Hyundai Tucson, Skoda Yeti and the upcoming Jeep Compass.

Source: The Automotive India

 
Redlining the Indian Scene