You read it first on MotorBeam. Tata Motors is working on a new hatchback which will sit between the Nano and Vista in the company’s lineup. The automaker hasn’t revealed many details of this upcoming hatchback which is codenamed X0 (zero and not O) and also referred to as Dolphin (internally known as X451). This upcoming hatchback will be launched by 2015 and is based on the Vista platform. It will be manufactured at the company’s Sanand plant, alongside the Nano as the plant is having lots of idle capacity due to the poor sales of the world’s cheapest car.
The Tata X0 hatchback will be a vastly different product from existing Tata cars. These renderings of the X0 are spot on although the headlights (projects will go) and tail lights might see a change before the vehicle hits production. The Tata X0 has a tall boy profile and takes heavy influence from the Megapixel concept which was showcased by the company at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The vehicle features a sloping roofline, rear door knob placed near the window (to give a 3-door appearance like the Chevrolet Beat), large rear windscreen (inspired from the Honda Brio) and wraparound rear tail lights.
The design of the Tata X0 hatchback has been done by Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) in the UK, which was opened in 2005. TMETC is located in Coventry, which is also the headquarter of Jaguar Land Rover (TMETC and JLR HQs are not nearby though). Powering the Tata Dolphin will be a 1.05-litre DICOR diesel engine which will produce around 60 BHP of power (a petrol will also be offered). This 3-cylinder engine was showcased on the Indigo Manza Hybrid Concept at the 2012 Auto Expo. Thus Tata Motors will have 2, 3 and 4-cylinder diesel engines in its lineup.
Tata cars offer good value but customers are not impressed by the design of the vehicles which seem a bit old and dated. With the X0, Tata Motors is focussing on the design heavily as the company has understood the importance of styling to sell cars in India. Thus the X0 will be among the first of the next generation Tata products which will feature very attractive styling, which is sure to work with the younger audience. The Tata X0 will rival the Hyundai Grand i10, Ford Figo and Maruti Suzuki Ritz, being priced at around Rs. 4.5 lakhs for the base trim. The X0 will boast of class leading space and features, thereby giving tough competition to established rivals.
