Tata Altroz Racer: The Altroz has been establishing a brand for itself as the hatchback with bold design, strong safety features, and practical cabin since its launch.
Tata Motors has made a strong statement with the Altroz racer version and the production version of the premium hatchback is being looked upon by motoring enthusiasts who want cars that are pure in their driving character, without compromising on the functionality front.
This sportier version makes the sensibly packaged Altroz a whole lot more fun to drive but doesn’t dilute the basic values that made the model a player in India’s cut-throat hatchback market.
Design Evolution: force be reckoned with
Tata Altroz Racer declares its performance intentions soon as one sees it with unique external details. It sports a contrasting black roof with white racing stripes that cover the length of the car, making a bold, sporty statement.
Up front, a more aggressive bumper includes larger intakes, plus there are side skirts and a rear diffuser to go with the more athletic stance.
It also rolls on bigger 16-inch alloy wheels, finished in a sharp alloy diamond cut, which not only look good, but allow for a more powerful set of front brakes.
Continuing the race car-inspired theme inside, red trim is used extensively throughout the cabin, which also features sport seats with integrated headrests, aluminum pedals, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.
Meanwhile, the dashboard gets carbon fiber-pattern trim, adding to the performance-related feel without cluttering the useful, clean design in the normal Altroz.
Performance Credentials
Tata Altroz Racer: Key to the conversion of the Altroz Racer is under the bonnet, where Tata has placed its 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that cranks out 120 hp and 170 Nm of torque.
The added grunt over the regular atmo and normal turbo is a serious power bump that changes the car’s dynamic, bringing the 0-100 km/h sprint time to around 9.5 seconds, which is decent for the class.
The 6-speed manual transmission benefits from updated gear ratios designed to get the best out of the turbocharged engine, and a retuned suspension system with stiffer springs and shocks enhances driving capabilities without being overly harsh over bumps.
The steering gets some calibration tweaks for better feedback, which counters one of the regular Altroz’s few dynamic weaknesses.
Technology Integration
Racer adds performance oriented features to the feature-rich list of Altroz. A 10.25-inch touchscreen with infotainment now gets performance metrics such as G-force readout, 0-100 km/h timing and power/torque display.
The digital instrument cluster gains a sport mode with new graphics focusing on engine revs and including shift indicators.
Safety continues to be a focus with six airbags, electronic stability program, corner stability control, and an improved braking setup with larger discs on all four corners.
There’s also the 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP that the basic Altroz had received, so the performance upgrades meant at least structural integrity won’t be compromised.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Riding and handling is commendably involving something rather rare in the luxury hatch segment.
Unique design differentiates it from other competitors in the segment and regular Altroz range
Superior safety ratings with improved brake performance
Enhancing the ownership experience are performance-oriented features and displays
Lower price point than European hot hatches
Keeps it share of the run-on-the-mill Altroz’s good manners
Five-year warranty gives you peace of mind with your ownership
Cons:
Fuel economy takes a significant hit over standard Altroz models
Also, firm suspension set up makes for noisy and uncomfortable ride on bad roads
Interior materials are better, but still not quite as good as some of the others.
Manual only, which makes it less attractive if you live in a traffic-heavy city.
Lack of bottom-end responsiveness due to turbo lag under 2000 rpm ///
More road and wind noise at higher speeds
It goes on sale in the fall and it seems to be a great car to drive and look at. Premium pricing It also faces off against a few compact SUVs
Tata Altroz Racer: Market Positioning
Tata Altroz Racer: With a cost between ₹9.5 to 11 lakhs (ex-showroom), the Altroz Racer falls for a quirky segment in India.
It is for driving enthusiasts who are looking for some of the engagement of European hot hatches at a level of cost that is more commensurate with a less affluent nation, and it does have the practicality and reasonable advancing costs that you might hope from an Indian manufacturer.
What the Altroz Racer shows that Tata Motors is beginning to push the envelope in a way that it is showcasing its metamorphosis when it comes to its design philosophy to cater to all sorts of individuals while retaining its strong five points of safety, value and design tenets.
Those who seek driving pleasure in their daily travel would be attracted to the Racer as it punches above weight in an attempt to invigorate the premium hatchback segment.
