Tata wants to build a sub-Tiago hatchback to take on the Maruti Alto: Nano replacement?

Tata Motors’ biggest comeback car in recent times has been the Tiago hatchback, which is now the biggest selling car in the automaker’s line up. Enthused by the success of the Tiago, Tata Motors is considering a sub-Tiago hatchback in order to take the fight to India’s best selling car – the Maruti Alto. Details about the sub-Tiago hatchback are sketchy for now but Guenter Butschek – the CEO of Tata Motors – has made some interesting remarks on what Tata Motors wants to build in future.

There is still some market volume (in the segment) below the Tiago and Tigor, where we don’t have a dominant play today – but where we would like to have a play. Where we in particular see great opportunities for us as far as electrification and the concept of urban mobility is concerned.

However, the entry level car could be an electric vehicle, a class of vehicles that Tata Motors is betting big on for the future. Electric mobility makes a lot of sense for entry-level, budget cars (like the Maruti Alto), which are mostly driven within cities. Notably, Tata Motors has stopped building the Nano – the cheapest car in the world, and one built mainly for city use. The new entry-level could nicely fill the gap created by the Nano, and be a big volume offering for the automaker.

The Alfa platform, on which the Altroz premium hatchback is based, is likely to underpin the new, sub-Tiago hatchback. At the recently concluded Geneva Motor Show, Guenter Butschek noted that going forward, the automaker would focus on two main platforms – Alfa (for smaller cars) and Omega (for SUVs and bigger utility vehicles). Both platforms have been designed keeping an electric future in mind. This should allow Tata Motors to launch an entry level, electric car as a Tata Nano replacement.

The car in question – if put into production – is likely to have a small footprint, and a tall boy form factor. This would make it spacious and apt for city roads. An automatic gearbox, a very small turning radius and curvy looks are other things that are likely to go into the new city car that Tata is planning. Tata Motors already showcased some very interesting city car concepts such as the Pixel and MegaPixel. Something on these lines is what we expect the Indian automaker to come up with for its city car project. A launch timeline has not been specified for now. Keep an eye on this space as we closely monitor this story.

Via Auto.NDTV