re: Tata H5X Concept @ Auto Expo 2018. Named Tata Harrier! EDIT: Launched @ Rs. 12.69 lakhs Before I bought the Hexa earlier this year in May upgrading from the XUV500, I had a lot of questions about -
1.) What happens to Hexa ?
2.) How will TATA sell H7X along with Hexa without one seriously cannibalizing the other ?
3.) How does TATA even think of having 3 different 7 seaters - H7X, Hexa and Safari Storme, so closely priced and yet having their individual markets ?
It seems now a lot of those can be answered. Through reliable sources in TML, I have come to know that Storme's production has either been stopped or is about to be stopped in the immediate future. Stocks might still be there with dealers or with TATA but fresh production has been given a red signal. So 1 competing product out of 3 get's eliminated.
After March 31, 2020 as per the new emission norms (BS6) kicking in, no car manufacturer in India can continue to have fresh production or vehicle launches based on BS4 engine / emission, though they shall be allowed 6 more months after Mar '20 to clear the stock. AFAIK, TATA is not working on making the Varicor 400 engine doing duties on Hexa to be made BS6 compatible. Hexa will remain the last car to host the Varicor 400. The newer engines from FCA to do duties on Harrier and H7X is transversely mounted as both are expected to be primarily front wheel driven cars with either AWD or 4x4 capability (like Discovery Sport), unlike the Varicor which is a RWD longitudinally mounted engine in Hexa & Storme. And if at all TATA was interested in making the FCA engine compatible in a longitudinally mounted setup in Hexa, the R&D should have already started by now and we should have already started to see test mules of this new Hexa, if a facelift is to be expected by Mar 2020. But none of that is in works and it won't be a rabbit out of a hat, that TATA will be able to pull after Mar, 2020 when Hexa will have to be discontinued in absence of a facelift.
So the signs are ominous that Hexa production will discontinue after Mar, 2020. H7X is expected to launch towards mid or end of 2019. TATA could also delay it marginally to coincide with the end of road for Hexa to completely eliminate cannibalization or have both of them continue for brief period of 2-3 months by launching H7X end of 2019, before Hexa stocks clear. Hence I think H7X might be only marginally costlier than Hexa or even similarly priced and not at all in the range of Endeavor, Fortuner, CR-V, XUV700, etc. And on top TATA won't have to worry about 2 very similarly priced vehicles in the same segment because as H7X would be starting it's journey Hexa would be almost ending it.
So while it aches my heart, that Hexa like Aria will have a shorter lifetime runway (since now I own it) 2017-2020, me and all my fellow Hexa owners will have to swallow this bitter pill and resign to the thought that we will be owners of an extinct species of car soon and this fact along with emissions norm changes won't make the resale any sweeter as well.
On the other hand I keep my fingers crossed on how much of a polished product can Harrier (H5X) / H7X be from the TATA stable ? Sure they have Land Rover expertise in the house but this will be their first attempt of a monocoque SUV with a transversely mounted engine in the mid size segment (ignore Nexon as it's based on the Indica platform and is a sub 4 meter compact SUV). M&M took multiple attempts in their similar venture with XUV to make it the product that it is today. The 1st gen XUV owners in the initial batches were literally made guinea pigs with too many teething issues on the XUV. So it will be tough for TATA and tougher for TATA fanboys part of the Sierra, Safari and Hexa cred to accept any half baked (engineered) product from TATA who cannot hold a candle to the above 3 iconic brands from TATA.
Anyone thinking differently or having a very different opinion than mine feel free to chime in.
Last edited by TORQUE_AANJANEY : 26th July 2018 at 05:21.
Reason: Typo errors
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