To be launched next month, the Nexon is proof enough that Tata Motors is revisiting its roots and how. After a brief hiatus where they managed to churn out successful products in the form of the Tiago and the Tigor, a report says that the manufacturer has confirmed it will launch two new SUVs – a five-seater and a seven-seater, in the financial year 2018-2019. Both these SUVs will be based on the Land Rover L550 platform, which is also the base for the Discovery Sport. And although structural bits will be shared, both products will be very different in terms of look and feel.
The 5-seater SUV will challenge the likes of the Creta, the upcoming Renault Kaptur and will be priced accordingly. The 7-seater, on the other hand, will go up against more premium competition like the Jeep Compass among others, with the advantage of two additional seats. Under the hood of both these products, Tata Motors will employ Fiat’s 2.0-litre Multijet II engine, which also propels the Jeep Compass currently and is manufactured at Tata-FCA’s joint venture facility at Ranjangaon, near Pune. Under the 5-seater’s hood, the motor will most likely develop 140 horses, that number going up to 170 hp under the 7-seater’s hood. Tata is said to have already earmarked 70,000 units of these new motors for their future SUV onslaught. According to the report, both these SUVs could be offered with two-wheel as well as all-wheel drive options.
Under development as of now and often spotted testing, masquerading as a Discovery Sport, these two new SUVs are apparently codenamed as Q501 and Q502. If the Hexa is an example though, both these products could benefit from an even more advanced terrain management system, a well-appointed cabin with modern features, and a kick-ass sound system if the units in all their new cars are an indication.
Source: Autocar