New TATA flagship SUV in works

Finally TATA has accepted that there are things that Europeans do much better than our Desi Boys. This includes making an all-round SUV and Freelander from Land Rover is a prime example. Now though, Land Rover has decided to merge the Freelander badge under the ever-expanding Discovery line-up. The current Freelander will form the skeleton of the new flagship SUV from TATA that will lock horns with likes of Toyota Fortuner and Mitsubishi Pajero Sport. That means a car with a TATA badge costing between 20-25lacs. That is a bold move.

The chassis mechanicals may be shared with the British cousin, but the engine will be an enhanced version of the current 2.2 VariCor diesel engine that powers the Aria and the Storme. While the Land Rover Freelander 2 is currently assembled in India as a CKD, its tooling will likely be shipped over from the UK once production is stopped, so that the TATA Motors SUV can be built here from the ground up.

So, a TATA product built locally and with a considerable amount of Land Rover engineering behind it, will surely entice many. However, moving into the category of the Fortuner could be a disaster theory for TATA as we has seen examples in the past - the Grand Vitara and the Kizashi being the previous victims. This is simply because TATA is synonymous with low-end cars/SUV maker and moving into a premium segment will have its challenges for sure. We will not see the finished product till 2016 and we at Horsepower India wish TATA all the best to get it bang on target for the SUV-loving country like India.

What do you guys think of this move from TATA?