Indian automaker Tata Motors is testing the new Osprey compact SUV that will share its mechanicals with the upcoming Zica.
Tata Motors is on a roll when it comes to launching new vehicles. First they launched the Zest and Bolt and now the Zica is all set to enter our market. After that, the company is gearing up to launch a compact SUV (the Zica based compact sedan will go on sale earlier) which is also going to be the first compact SUV to be introduced by the company. The Nexon compact SUV was first showcased at the last Auto Expo and now the automaker is testing the vehicle near their factory premises.
The Tata Nexon has been codenamed as the Osprey or the X104 and it will measure less than 4-metres in length. The front of the vehicle will get a smiling grille which will bear resemblance to the Zica. While the Osprey is short in length, it seems that Tata has made the vehicle quite wide to make it feel spacious. The company had stated that it won’t look much different than the concept that was showcased.
The boot lid gets a unique design with certain styling elements that will give the vehicle a very SUV-ish stance. The tail gate opens sidewards in the Ford EcoSport but in the Osprey it will have a conventional upward opening. While the interior pictures are not that clear, what we can make out is that the vehicle will have more than enough space which has always been the case with Tata vehicles. The dashboard will share its design with the Zica but we can expect Tata to tweak the colour schemes.
On the mechanical front, the Osprey will get the same 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine which will be offered in its non-turbocharged form. This engine comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The diesel Osprey might get the new 1.05-litre engine that also powers the Zica but we cannot rule out the possibility of it getting the 1.3-litre Multijet too. The diesel trims will get a 5-speed manual as well as an AMT gearbox. The Osprey will be priced between Rs. 6-9 lakhs, competing with the Ford EcoSport and Mahindra TUV300.
Pictures Source – AutoColumn.com