Tata Tigor launch could be in March: With new compact sedan, can Tata pull Tiago magic again?

Tata Tigor is the name that auto carmaker Tata Motors has chosen for Kite 5, the latest compact sedan getting ready to hit its burgeoning segment in India. Tata Motors took the auto lovers by surprise when they announced the name of Kite 5 as Tigor even as the auto corridors floated different names. The name Tigor never featured at all.

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While it is not known what actually drove Tata Motors to pick the name of its sedan from the many hats, it would be safe to assume that it could be due to its close similarity to the Tiago hatchback. Tata Tigor is based on the Tiago hatchback model, which has brought back the traction for Tata after a lull in the market. If that be the case, Tata hopes to recreate the Tiago magic with the expected launch of Tigor as well.

The latest talk in the auto world is that Tata cannot delay the launch of Tigor any further. Tigor aka Kite 5 is believed to be in its final stages of testing and Tata is expected to launch it in March this year. Auto aficionados first got the glimpse of the nearly-production ready Tata Tigor at the Auto Expo 2016 where was showcased as Kite 5.

For Tigor, to pull the crowd to its dealerships will not be a ride in the park. Already, the field is crowded with players like Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Ford Aspire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and Volkswagen Ameo battling it out in the market. But what could turn the tables for Tata Motors are the price tag and a complete value-for money package. The word around the web is that Tigor is expected to get be priced as low as Rs 4 lakh. Well, if Tata Motors prove them right, Tigor could own the game with its first kick of the match.

Tigor will be the third Tata Motors car to feature the company's Impact design language. From what we have known so far, Tigor will feature chrome Humanity Line at the front which extends to the dual-chamber headlamps, LED tail lamps and bold shoulder lines.

Tigor measures 3,995mm in length, 1,647mm in width and 1,535mm in height. The sedan will also feature a wheelbase of 2,450mm. Powering Tigor will be the Revotron 1.2-litre petrol engine and Revotorq 1.05-litre diesel engine from Tiago. The petrol mill will churn out 83.8bhp of power at 6,000rpm and 114Nm of torque at 3,500rpm while the diesel engine will develop 69bhp of power and 140Nm of torque. Both the engines will be available with multi-drive modes — Eco and City.