Tata Motors hints at introducing a possible Alto and Santro rival

As Tata’s model hierarchy stands in current date, they have no real competitor for the likes of the hugely successful Maruti-Suzuki Alto or Hyundai’s recently-launched, brilliant, new Santro. If you want a small car with a starting price tag of INR 4 lakh (ex-showroom), you go for the GenX Nano tallboy but if you want a proper, nippy hatchback, you’ll have to shell out much more for the Tiago. Seeing this gaping gap in its lineup, Guenter Butschek, CEO, Tata Motors has hinted towards possibly introducing a brand-new model for the A2 hatchback segment which will sit between the Nano and the Tiago. Oh, and well below the near production-ready, Maruti-Suzuki Baleno- and Hyundai i20 Elite- rivalling Altroz. The upcoming premium hatchback was unveiled in its near-final form at the recently concluded Geneva Motor Show and will be the first model from the company to be based on its new, thoroughly-modern Agile Light Flexible Advanced (ALFA) platform. Followed by the new H2X concept, the next generation of the Tiago and Tigor twins will also inherit the new structure. If and when the possible A2 segment-competing hatchback follows suit, safe to say, it will also underpinned by the ALFA architecture.

IMAGE: An electric version of the upcoming Tata Altroz premium hatchbacks could be on the cards soon

For now, the company’s efforts will be focused towards three primal endeavours - building their dominant in the premium segments, harmonizing worforce and model productions at Tata’s brand, spanking new Sanand manufacturing plant in Gujarat and electrification of its urban mobility solutions. Speaking about the new facility and production efficiency Butschek states, "Sanand is designed to actually produce vehicles up to four metres roughly. And to actually bring - with a high degree of commonality on the architecture - additional models into Sanand. It's going to give me more than enough utilisation of the capacity."

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