Tata Altroz caught testing in near-production guise in this exclusive shot

While the Indica was discontinued last year, its spiritual successor - the Tiago, still continues to keep cash register ringing on showroom floors. However, despite the extra gadgets and the engine sizes, the Tiago is not a real competitor for the likes of the Maruti Baleno and Hyundai Elite i20. Seeing the rise in sale of premium hatchbacks in our country, Tata Motors has decided to rectify this model gap situation with a new entrant of its own, the Altroz.  While many renderings and spy shots had us drooling in anxiousness, Tata Motors saved the final product to be introduced at the recently concluded Geneva Motor Show. However, we have received some exclusive spy shot from IndianAuto.com’s reader Chinmay Padgaonkar that shows the car being tested in its near-production form. 

The Tata Altroz will compete with the likes of Hyundai Elite i20, Maruti Baleno and Honda Jazz

While the design turned out to be even better in flesh than we had anticipated, the overall looks are pretty complex and technical. The car was introduced in a two-tier paint scheme, complimenting its two-tier design cues. The front features sharp, angular lines with a pronounced grille and smart-looking headlamps which taper off to the side. The side profile, on the other hand, gets bulging wheel arches, blacked-out ORVMs and window frames with flush rear door handles integrated into the C-pillar. The rear also has an interesting design with a large blacked-out panel, housing the glass area and protruding tail-light section. The Altroz will be the first car to be based on Tata’s new Alfa-ARC platform for smaller car models and be produced out of its Sanand manufacturing plant in Gujarat. Tata Motors also pulled the covers of an electrified version of the Altroz, which is meant be launched at later date. 

Of all the upcoming Tata models this year, the Altroz will be the first to be launched by the end of the year. In terms of engine options, the new Altroz is likely to be offered with a turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol and a turbocharged 1.5-litre diesel unit. Rumours also have it, that Tata might even introduce a naturally-aspirated version of the 1.2-litre petrol engine in its base models in order to keep prices competitive and class-leading.