The excitement in the auto industry is palpable as all limelight falls on a single event – Auto Expo 2018 — the biggest automobile spectacle in South Asia which will throw open the doors this February.
With automakers fine-tuning their line-ups, a look at what Tata Motors has up its sleeves has well been captured in their teaser video that offers insights on the three new models to be unveiled at the Auto Expo.
Well, the new models may have been shown in masked looks but that has provided enough fodder to the rumour mills to churn out the missing bits and connect dots. Rumours are rife that the automaker has earmarked a premium hatchback X451, a new Tata SUV codenamed 'H5' and a third model that will debut Tata's new vision of smart mobility for smart cities.
Tata has teased its Auto Expo line-up again, and this time around the teaser image shows the silhouette of five new models. Tata is expected to give more details of the models on January 19. Stay tuned for more updates on Tata Motors and the rest of the Auto Expo launches as they break.
Here is a look at the Auto Expo line-up of Tata Motors. The company will showcase its models on February 7 at the event.
Tata X451 premium hatchback
Tata has been working on a premium hatchback to take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Baleno, Hyundai Elite i20 and Honda Jazz in the premium hatchback segment. The model codenamed as X451 will be showcased in its near-production version at the Auto Expo, as per rumours. The hatchback, which is expected to debut the new Impact Design 2.0 of Tata will be the first product based on the company's AMP (Advanced Modular Platform).
The X451 is speculated to get a 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel mill borrowed from the Nexon compact SUV. The engines are expected to develop power in the range of 100-110bhp and will be offered either in a six-speed manual or AMT transmission options.
Tata H5 SUV
Tata's new SUV is believed to be based on the Land Rover Freelander 2 platform. It is currently being tested on the Indian roads and is known by the codenames like H5, Q501, and Q502. Tata's rumoured Q501 is expected to be a compact SUV with five-seater configuration while a seven-seater version is also rumoured to be in the pipeline.
The SUV is expected to get a 1.5-litre diesel engine and 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the Nexon and all-new 2.0-litre diesel mill that develops 170bhp, mated to six-speed manual as well as an automatic transmission is also being rumoured.
The five-seater version of the Q501 will be pitted against Jeep Compass and seven-seater version will take on the likes of Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour.
Tata Smart mobility concept
The teaser video released by Tata also showed a third model, which is expected to be a new concept to showcase Tata's capabilities and mobility solutions for smart cities. Tata Motors will showcase 26 smart mobility solutions across its passenger and commercial vehicles brought alive in a specially curated theme across the pavilion at the auto show.
Also read: Auto Expo 2018: These automakers will not take part in India's largest auto show, here's why
A report of CarandBike says that the third model could be a new light commercial vehicle (LCV) as Tata has plans to expand its reach in this segment. However, the details of this are not known at this point.
