Page 33 - Motoring World (January 2020)

I wouldn’t want to be an automotive presenting new products, almost as First impressions are everything
manufacturer in the current market if there was nothing wrong with the in the new car game, and Pratap
scenario. What was once a sector market — damned if you do and all Bose and his team have nailed
that simply kept on giving is now that sort of thing. it in terms of design, it must be
halfway down the toilet, in the sort The new Tata Altroz, therefore, said. The car is the first to use
of shape that is making grown has been unveiled at a time when it Tata’s ALFA (Agile, Light, Flexible,
industry veterans present brave might be safer to be in the landmine Advanced) platform, one that is
faces in public and sob helplessly removal business rather than in fully scaleable and will be used for
into their pillows in private. There vehicle manufacturing. Here, I must a host of other forthcoming models.
are a multitude of reasons for this digress a little and touch upon the There’s an undeniable family
slump (which I shan’t get into now), car’s name which is derived from resemblance to the Tiago — in the
and although there’s been a bit of ‘albatross’. Although I understand way the headlights integrate into
an upward tick in the last couple of that the intention was probably to the slim grille — but that’s where
months — with a few models doing convey images of size and majesty, the similarity ends. The Altroz has
well in particular — the industry ‘albatross’ also has a rather negative a much bolder front end, and the
isn’t quite out of the woods yet. The connotation, one of guilt, and of sweeping projector headlights look
problem is compounded by the fact being a burden — at this point, cool, sandwiching the honeycomb
that manufacturers cannot simply that’s probably too close to the bone. grille; below the headlights are fog-
take a step back and play wait-and- Nevertheless, that’s the name that’s lamps, with LED DRLs built into
watch, since that would offer up the been slapped on its posterior, so them. The bonnet has a couple of
impression that they’re operating in deal with it, we must — and on the neat power-bump type creases on
a state of anxiety; they have to be bright side, it helps that the Altroz it, and the nose is rounded off by a
seen to be fearlessly innovating and looks rather good. sharp air vent below the fog-lamps.

JANUARY 2020 | MOTORING WORLD 33