The Tata Racemo sportscar has suddenly been incarnated at the 2018 Auto Expo, this time as an electric vehicle. It was previously reported that Tata Motors has shelved off its ambitious TAMO Racemo sportscar project. However, the carmaker clearly appears to be holding onto the Racemo sportscar. Currently being showcased at the Auto Expo in Greater Noida (Feb 9-11), the Tata Racemo electric is still a concept vehicle and the company hasn’t officially mentioned any launch date yet.
The Racemo was first unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motors Show and was expected to go on sale in India by the end of this year. However, the project was reportedly called off as the company’s top management decided that the funds that were to be utilised to commercialise the Racemo sportscar should rather be used to boost the company’s commercial vehicle business. It isn’t known yet that the electric version of the Racemo would see production anytime soon or not.
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The Tata Racemo has been developed under the TAMO sub-brand, which is basically a standalone innovative arm within Tata Motors. The TAMO brand was dedicated to introduce low-volume, low-cost products. The first-ever car to be unveiled under the TAMO brand was the C-Cube concept, while the Racemo sportscar was expected to be the first TAMO car in India to go on sale.
Previously, the Tata Racemo sportscar was showcased with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder Revotron petrol engine that was turbocharged and intercooled to churn out 190 PS of power @ 6,500 rpm and 210 Nm of torque at 2,500 rpm. This engine is mated to a 6-speed AMT gearbox which comes with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel and a push-button reverse function. The petrol Racemo was also put on display at the Auto Expo 2018, along with its electric sibling.
There is a lot to talk about the Tata Racemo Electric. So, we have classified this article into sub-sections for better understanding for our readers.
Tata TAMO Racemo Electric Specifications
Powering the Racemo electric is a 150 kW electric motor, that roughly translates to around 200 bhp of power. This motor draws power from a lithium ion battery pack located in the tub of the car. Tata claims that the Racemo electric can cover over 350 km on a single charge. Moreover, the sportscar’s claimed top speed is 200 km/h.
| Racemo Electric Specifications | |
| Motor | 150 kW |
| Power | 200 bhp |
| Range | 350 km |
| Top Speed | 200 km/h |
| Fast Charging | Available |
Meanwhile, the regular Racemo continues to be offered with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder turbo petrol engine rated at 190 PS and 210 Nm.
| Racemo Petrol Specifications | |
| Engine | 1.2-litre turbocharged & intercooled petrol |
| Power | 190 PS @6,500 rpm |
| Torque | 210 Nm @2,500 rpm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed AMT with paddle shifters |
| 0-100km/h acceleration time | 6-seconds |
The car comes with disc brakes on all four wheels, which are further complemented by the presence of ABS and EBD. The tyres at the front are smaller (17-inch) as compared to that on the rear (18-inch). This has been done to enhance the car’s high-speed and cornering stability.
Tata Motors hasn’t revealed the TAMO Racemo’s top speed. However, the company claims that the car can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just under 6 seconds. While this figure is surely not groundbreaking, it is definitely something to boast of for a home-grown manufacturer.
Tata Racemo Dimensions (length, width, height, wheelbase, etc.)
| Length | 3835 mm |
| Width | 1810 mm |
| Height | 1208 mm |
| Ground Clearance | 165 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2430 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 40 litres |
Tata Racemo Electric sportscar expected launch date in India
It is not yet known whether or not Tata Motors will go ahead and launch a production version of the TAMO Racemo concept. However, the fact that the company is still developing the product, despite rumours of the project being called off, does come as a ray of hope. After all, who doesn’t want an affordable & fun-to-drive sportscar. And if it’s electric, the Polar Bears too will be happy!
TAMO Racemo expected price
While various media reports are suggesting a price tag of around Rs. 25 lakh for the Racemo, we expect it to be priced around the 20 lakh mark, even slightly below it. It must be considered that the Racemo is an under 4m car which is powered by just a 1.2-litre engine. This makes it eligible for getting excise duty benefits for small cars. It makes no sense for Tata to keep the length and engine within the limits if it doesn’t want to offer the car at realistic prices.
As far as keeping the product exclusive is considered, Tata has already announced that only 250 units of the Racemo will be sold. Hence, there is no need to price the car exorbitantly to maintain its exclusivity. Additionally, it would be really embarrassing for Tata Motors to not be able to sell even 250 units of the car, if it is priced optimistically.
Tata TAMO Racemo models
The Racemo sportscar will be available in two model – a road legal trim with the aforementioned specifications, and a track-exclusive variant that will come with added power, more strict weight distribution and enhanced dynamics. While the regular model will be called Racemo, the track-specific variant will be named Racemo+.
TAMO Racemo on game
Tata Motors recently partnered with Microsoft for developing in car connectivity platforms. As part of this partnership, the TAMO sportscar will now be available on Microsoft’s Forza3 game. As a result, the Racemo will be the first-ever Indian car to feature on the highly-popular car racing game on X-Box.