Tata reveals Baleno-rivaling 45X premium hatchback at the Auto Expo 2018

Tata Motors has revealed the 45X concept, a car that previews a new premium hatchback that the Indian automaker will sell here by the end of 2019. The new car will compete with the Maruti Baleno and the Hyundai Elite i20. The 45X  concept indicates that it could be a futuristic looking car, based on Tata Motors’ new Impact 2.0 design philosophy. The car will use a brand new platform known as the Advanced Modular Platform (AMP). This platform will underpin a range of new Tata cars including sedans, MPVs and even SUVs.

The 45X’s futuristic design is likely to be carried over to the interiors as well although Tata did not show the  insides of the car to media during the Auto Expo reveal. Expect the Nexon’s floating dashboard design to be used even  on the 45X, along with a cutting edge infotainment console.

In terms of mechanicals, the 45X premium hatchback will  borrow heavily from the Tiago but with boosted power and torque outputs. While manual gearboxes will be standard on  the car’s petrol and diesel models, automatic gearbox options aren’t yet confirmed. Such options are very likely  though, given the fact that both the i20 and Baleno both offer automatic transmissions.

The 45X hatchback will be engineered to meet Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms and will  also be ready to go electric as and when the need arises. For now, Tata will also engineer the powertrain of the car  to be ready to meet Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission norms. In terms of pricing, the 45X is expected to be a value  warrior, with a price tag that undercuts both the Baleno and Elite i20. Don’t be surprised to see the car actually  sit in the sub-5 lakh rupee bracket, stunning competition, just like what Tata did with the Tiago and Nexon pricing.