The increasing shift in customer preference towards SUVs has led to the cancellation of yet another car project. It’s the X452 at Tata Motors, the sedan version of the just-announced Altroz hatchback.
The Tata X452 sedan was expected to arrive in 2020, about a year after the Tata Altroz (codename: Tata X451) hatchback. The sedan would have been the first four-door based on the Advanced Modular Platform (AMP) or Alfa-Arc, and would have gone up against the Hyundai Verna, Honda City and Maruti Ciaz.
Tata Motors teased a rugged variant of the X452 sedan last year in its Auto Expo video. The X452 and its cross variant would have had a relationship similar to the Renault Logan and Renault Logan Stepway. Obviously, this car is also off the table now. The reason why the company has decided to scrap its sedans of the premium B-segment, or as Toyota Kirloskar Motor says ‘B-High’ segment, is the lack of resources.
With all the resources available, the company had to choose between a premium B-segment SUV and this premium B-segment sedan. The former would have a significantly higher demand, at least in the prevailing situation. In 2018, while the Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna and Honda City sales were at 50,759 units, 42,605 units and 50,759 units respectively, 1,20,905 units of the Hyundai Creta were sold. The company is working on a Hyundai Creta rival under the 'Blackbird' project.
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Utilising the Jaguar Land Rover-derived D8 or Omega-Arc and the in-house developed Advanced Modular Platform or Alfa-Arc, Tata Motors plans to expand its passenger vehicle line-up to 12-14 models.
[Source: autocarindia.com]
