The much-awaited Tata Altroz turbo petrol variant might debut with a DCT unit (optional)
Indian automotive enthusiasts were disappointed at the fact Tata Motors and Jayem Automotives parted ways in the JTSV (Jayem Tata Special Vehicles) project, that gave us the Tiago and Tigor JTP. There are many reasons why the 50:50 joint venture had to be shut down. Out of this, bad marketing strategies played a major role. JTP models were given excessive exclusivity while several dealer staff considered it only as a top-end Tiago or Tigor.
Either product was discontinued ahead of BS6 emission norms but many remained optimistic about their comeback in an improved and ironed-out BS6 format. The internet had also fallen victim to rumours regarding the launch of the Nexon subcompact crossover and Altroz B-segment hatchback in JTP avatars. Needless to say, the possibilities of Tata Motors introducing such performance-focused products again are quite bleak, at least in the foreseeable future.
It is not news that Tata Motors is working on a turbo-petrol Altroz variant. However, the Indian automaker has not made a formal statement regarding this yet. The ongoing COVID-19 situation may have come in the way of initial plans as well.
RushLane reader Sasi Haran has shared a picture of a Tata Altroz test mule waiting at a traffic signal in Coimbatore, the city in Tamil Nadu home to Jayem Automotives. Hence, there is a good chance of it being the much-anticipated Altroz turbo variant since a JTP model is completely out of the picture now. After all, Jayem Automotives is Tata Motors’ primary supplier of turbochargers and other internal components.
Another interesting take is that the engine might not be a direct swap of the 1.2-litre turbo petrol three-cylinder Revotron unit powering the Tata Nexon BS6. Instead, it could be tuned differently alongside a better VGT (Variable Geometry Turbo). Furthermore, the power plant could be coupled to an all-new DCT unit (optional) as Tata Motors has already confirmed its development. It is still too early to jump into conclusions though there is no apparent reason to randomly test an Altroz prototype.
To give a rough idea, the Tata Nexon’s BS6-compliant 1.2T Revotron engine makes 118bhp @ 5,500rpm and 170Nm @ 1,750-4,000rpm. On the other hand, the BS4-compliant Tiago/Tigor JTP was good for 112bhp @ 5,000rpm and 150Nm @ 2,000-4,000rpm using a similar setup. The lesser output figures do not mean a lot since the JTP twins’ chassis were tuned from the bottom to be substantially more dynamic than their regular examples. As for the current Tata Altroz, the 1.2NA Revotron three-cylinder petrol makes 85bhp @ 6,000rpm and 113Nm @ 3,300rpm while mated to a 5-speed manual.
