Maruti Baleno-challenging Tata 45X premium hatchback: What it’ll look like

Tata Motors showcased the 45X premium hatchback concept at the 2018 Auto Expo, and the car will be launched in India sometime in late 2019. While the concept looks very futuristic and was a major draw at the Tata pavilion during the Expo, the production version is likely to be a lot tamer, in keeping with what the market and production constraints demand. Here’s a speculative render that shows what the Tata 45X premium hatchback could look like when put into production.

Render courtesy IAB

As the render shows, there’s a lot of toning down in the production version. The large 20 inch wheels get replaced by more practical 16 inchers while the swoopy front and rear overhangs of the concept make way for more practical and stubbier front and rear ends. However, much of the overall profile of the 45X concept is likely to be retained in the production version.

More culling is expected on the interiors of the car. Where the concept version saw a panoramic roof, futuristic steering wheel and a four seat layout, the production version is likely to pack in a more conventional roof, regulation steering wheel and a 5 seat layout – 2 captain seats up front and a 3 seat rear bench. The 45X will be based on Tata Motors Impact 2.0 design philosophy, just like the concept version.

The 45X premium hatchback will be the first car to use Tata Motors’ Advanced Modular Platform (AMP), which will underpin a range of other, upcoming Tata cars such as a sedan, MPV and even a crossover. The car will also borrow engines from the Tiago. On the 45X, both the 1.2 liter petrol and 1.1 liter diesel will get variable geometry turbochargers, boosting power and torque outputs significantly.

Also see: Brand new pictures of the Tata 45X concept

While manual gearboxes will be standard on both engines, Tata Motors is also mulling a twin clutch automatic gearbox option for the 45X. The twin clutch automatic gearbox is unlikely to be available at launch though. The 45X is likely to be feature-rich like most new Tata cars, and will be sit in the premium hatchback space – whose other occupants are the Maruti Baleno, Hyundai Elite i20, Honda Jazz and the Volkswagen Polo GT twins.