Tata Motors is all set to unveil its new flagship SUV next month, i.e., December 2018. Called the Tata Harrier, this new model is expected to be placed above the recently launched Hexa SUV. Ahead of its official introduction, details about the upcoming model have surfaced on the Internet.
The Harrier is essentially a production version of the H5X concept that Tata Motors had showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. The SUV thus borrows various design elements from its concept parent. However, Tata designers have made a few alterations in order to suit production requirements and keep the final price tag realistic.
Also Read: Tata Harrier – Everything You Need To Know!
We already know how the Tata Harrier looks like. The company had recently released a couple of images of the first production model that roled out of its newly built assembly line. However, details about the variants on offer and power train options haven’t been revealed officially yet. But Team-BHP member – RavenAvi, has got his hands on some confidential information, thanks to a few service personnel that were recently trained by Tata Motors to take care of after sales requirements of Harrier customers.
According to this newly surfaced information, the Tata Harrier will be powered by 2.0-litre, 4 cylinder engine that Tata has named KRYOTEC. Initially the SUV will be available only with a 6-speed manual gearbox. However, a 6 speed automatic unit will be made available later in 2019. This automatic gearbox is expected to be sourced from Hyundai. Additionally, at the time of launch, the Harrier will only get a front wheel drive layout, while an all wheel drive configuration will be made available at a later date.
It is a known fact that the Tata Harrier is based on a new Omega platform. This platform is derived from Land Rover’s D8 architecture. Tata has also borrowed various features from the Jaguar Land Rover family in order to make the Harrier a value for money product. The SUV is thus expected to come with three driving modes – Normal, Wet and Rough. Suspension duties will be handled by the same setup that is seen on the Land Rover Discovery, while the rear gets a tweaked version of the components seen on the Discovery. The top end variants will come with 17-inch alloys, while lower trim levels are likely to get 16-inch rims.
The Tata Harrier will come with an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that will be supplied by Visteon. Interestingly, all latest Tata cars have been equipped with Harman Kardon systems instead, which have received quite positive reviews from customers. It will thus be interesting to see how the new Visteon infotainment system performs in the Tata Harrier.