Tata Motors new 45x concept is a nod at hatchback that will rival the Hyundai i20 and Maruti Suzuki Baleno in the future. The 45X will be showcased in production guise at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Like the Harrier, the 45X too is also based on Impact 2.0 design philosophy and uses the Agile Light Flexible Advanced Architecture, which Pratap Bose, Tata’s design chief, says can vary from 3.8m to 4.3m in length and is equipped to pull off quite a few silhouettes. The concept showcased at the Auto Expo 2018 was 4.25m in length but Bose said the production car might be shorter, to satisfy the tax breaks given to cars below 4m in length.
Sleek headlamps, a futuristic bumper and a conspicuous ‘humanity’ line that links the lights and the grille create a distinctive look in the 45X, while a prominent shoulder line lends it a mature character. The blacked-out roof and the A-pillars lend the 45X a sporty look while the glass-concealed B-pillar give it a uniquely flush profile. The rear features a blacked-out roof spoiler, raked windshield and a extension to the neat character line, finally leading into the high-set tail lamps.
Once the 45X enters production, it will be the first car to use Tata Motors’ Advanced Modular Platform (AMP), which, Tata says, will underpin a range of other cars including a sedan, an MPV and even a crossover. Engine options are likely to be taken from Tata Motors’ existing range of powertrains, most likely the ones that power the Nexon.