Tata Motors' premium SUV based on Land Rover platform to launch in 2018 after Nexon

Tata Motors has launched its new flagship SUV Hexa on January 18 at a starting price of Rs 11.99 lakh. The second model to bear company's new Impact design language is just the tip of the iceberg in Tata's comeback plan to the utility vehicle space.

Also read: Tata Hexa India launch: Prices start at Rs 11.99 lakh

"There is much more in the UV segment for us, there is much more you can expect from Tata Motors in the latter half of this year. This is our return in the utility vehicle segment," ET Auto quoted Gunter Butschek, Managing Director of Tata Motors.

The next product in the pipeline is the Nexon compact SUV scheduled to be launched in the second half of 2017. After that, Tata Motors is preparing a premium SUV based on the Land Rover platform, codenamed Q5, which may enter the market in 2018.

The premium SUV will be positioned above the Safari and the Hexa. According to reports, It will be built on the Land Rover Discovery Sport's L550 platform. The Land Rover Discovery Sport's body shell features high-strength steel and light-weight aluminium, resulting in weight reduction. The new SUV is expected with the same body shell. Land Rover will also help with the architecture, performance, technologies and body.

The new SUV will be powered by an all-new 2.0-litre diesel mill that develops 170bhp mated to six-speed manual as well as automatic transmission. Previous reports indicated the company was looking to position the new SUV between Mahindra XUV 500 and Toyota Fortuner. Hence, the new Tata SUV is likely to be priced in Rs 17 lakh-Rs 24 lakh bracket.

The Nexon, on the other hand, will be an entry level SUV of Tata Motors. The vehicle has already been spotted while testing on Indian roads. Under the hood, the Nexon is likely to get a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The Nexon is expected to get three driving modes: City, Eco and Sport.