Snapshot – Starting today, three new mass market cars will be launched in India this week. These cars will span multiple segments and will offer buyers a mix of affordability and luxury. CarToq rounds up the three car launches and explains the relevance of each of these cars.
Tata Nano GenX
The GenX variant of the Nano is the first major facelift for this car, one that sees the budget hatchback becoming more mainstream than ever before. This has to chiefly do with feature additions. The GenX Nano now gains an open-able hatchlid, an automated manual transmission and an electric power steering in the same package. Also, the car gets a facelift on the outside, one that distinguishes the new version from its predecessors, and that also freshens up the looks.
em>CarToq’s First Drive Review of the Tata Nano GenX
Another handy addition to the car is the larger fuel tank, whose capacity increases to 24 liters from the older Nanos’ 15 liters. A larger fuel tank means fewer fuel stops. The AMT equipped Nano has a higher top speed of about 120 Kph, and also has many best-in-class features such as multiple engine mappings and the Bluetooth equipped stereo. All in all, the GenX model is a big leap for the Nano line up. Bookings have already begun and deliveries are likely to start from today itself. Prices will be announced later today.
Our sources indicate an ex-showroom price tag of 3.28 lakh rupee for the top-end Nano GenX AMT.
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Tata Safari Storme Facelift
The Safari Storme Facelift is the other vehicle that Tata Motors will launch this week. As is the case with the Nano, the facelift for the Safari Storme is the first such intervention from its maker ever since this 7 seat SUV was launched in late 2012. The facelifted version of the Storme gets a mildly tweaked front end with a honeycomb grille and a new front bumper.
Changes on the inside of the SUV include a new steering wheel with its design mimicing that of the Zest, and a new center console design that now features an integrated stereo. Tata Motors has also implemented a self adjusting clutch on the Storme, which is said to reduce the effort required for operating the clutch while also improving clutch life. The 2.2 liter Varicor turbo diesel engine gets a power boost to 148 Bhp, while torque remains the same at 320 Nm.
[Images: MotoringWorld]
Renault Kayou
Tomorrow, Carlos Ghosn will unveil the Renault Kayou to the world. India has been chosen to be the venue for the global unveil of this budget hatchback, which will be the French automaker’s least priced car. The Kayou will wear the Dacia badge for certain markets of the world. In India, the car will use the Renault badge and will sit beneath the Pulse in terms of price and positioning. Prices are likely to start from well under the 4 lakh rupees mark.

[Renders courtesy Autosblog.Ar]
The Kayou is based on the CMF-A platform and will be powered by an 800cc, triple cylinder petrol engine that engineers from the Renault-Nissan technical center at Chennai have put together. A larger, 1 liter-3 cylinder petrol motor is also said to be in the works for the car. The Kayou will roll out of Renault-Nissan joint manufacturing facility at Oragadam, which will also serve as an export base for the car.
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The Kayou will share its underpinnings with another cut price hatchback from Datsun, dubbed the Redigo. Both cars feature a tall-boy design and from the looks of it, seem more like crossovers than mere hatchbacks. In fact, this is a unconventional route that Renault and Datsun may take, to differentiate the Kayou and Redigo, from other budget cars. A tall boy design with copious ground clearance will make these cars similar to the Tata Nano.