According to a report from ET Auto, Tata Motors will present the pre-production model of two new upcoming SUVs and a hatchback at the 2018 Auto Expo. The 2018 edition of the bi-annual auto show will kick off on February 9.
ET Auto reports that Tata Motors' design studios in Turin, Italy and Coventry, UK, have almost completed work on the upcoming Tata products. These cars will be designed along applying the company's 'Impact' design philosophy introduced three years ago under the stewardship of Pratap Bose. It has already spawned the Tata Tiago, Tigor, and the Nexon, all of which have invoked interest for their looks and finish.
The two SUVs in question are the Q501 and Q502, which will be targeted at the Hyundai Creta and Jeep Compass respectively. They are based on the Land Rover Discovery Sport's L550 platform and have been undergoing testing wearing the Discovery Sport's bodyshell. A media report from August claims the two SUVs will arrive in the 2018-19 fiscal. It would be interesting to watch if the Safari nameplate is used on the Q501 or a new branding.
The hatchback the report speaks about is the Tata X451. Slated to arrive in 2019, the X451 will be positioned above the Tiago to rival premium hatchbacks Maruti Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20. It will become Tata's first AMP (Advanced Modular Platform) based product when it hits showrooms.
Also Read - Tata Motors to reduce the number of platforms to two by 2018
Also on Tata Motors' products roster is a new entry-level hatchback and a full-size sedan. Both products will be based on the AMP. The latter will essentially be a three-box derivative of the X451 hatchback. It will target the Honda City, Maruti Ciaz, and the Hyundai Verna. The new launches will help Tata enhance its market coverage from the current 71% to 90% by 2020.
[source - ET Auto]
