MUMBAI: At 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Tata Motors wrapped off new crossover concept model Hexa and ConnectNext. On the face of it, the new concept model largely resembles to the Tata Aria, but the homegrown manufacturer insists that it is an all new car both on the inside and out.
Tata Motors brought two concepts at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and to tell the truth, both prototypes caught our attention. It looks like the Indian carmaker is really moving at a higher pace that a few year ago as the Tata Hexa and ConnectNext concepts look promising.
The Hexa concept recommends itself as a muscular and sporty SUV and according to Tata Motors, it “unveils a new direction to the design language of future Tata SUVs”. There is nothing too flashy about it but from where we’re standing, it looks production-ready but we doubt that the final version will inherit the sculpted design, although we could see those 19-inch alloy wheels as optional equipment.
According to Tata Motors, the interior has enough room for six passengers but we are a bit skeptical about that. Under the hood lies an “all new” 2.2-liter VARICOR 400 diesel engine that delivers 154 HP and a maximum torque of 400 Nm (295 lb-ft). Moreover, these resources can be ‘tamed’ with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Next in line is the ConnectNext concept, which seen from far away looks like a motorized Casper. Anyway, Tata describes it like a 5-seater electric vehicle with floating and sliding seats blessed with a minimalistic driver interface.
Besides that, those sitting in the front seats have a click wheel at their disposal – inspired from the iPod classic – to control the concept’s functions. What we liked most were the HUDs with augmented navigation and driver warning & guidance functions, but the road ahead is still long for Tata Motors. It’s good to see that improvements are made, though.
