With 118 bhp and 170 Nm, Tata Altroz Racer will be a serious contender to Hyundai i20 N Line
With the sub 4m SUV segment and small SUV segment tightly tucked in their pockets, Tata Motors can now focus more on D1 SUVs and other B-segment vehicles in 2023. In that regard, Altroz seems to be the first to get attention.
The Indian automaker has today unveiled a new Altroz variant at 2023 Auto Expo – Called Altroz Racer. This will don a turbo-petrol engine and is said to be a definitive rival to Hyundai i20 N Line. Prices could be between Rs. 9 – 10 lakh (ex-sh). Will this be enough to spark the attention of sporty premium hatchback buyers? Let’s take a look.
Tata Altroz Racer 120 PS – More Power
You must be wondering that Tata Motors already has a more powerful turbo petrol Altroz on offer. Named i-Turbo, this powertrain makes 108 bhp of power and 140 Nm of torque. Which is 23 more horses and 27 torques more than standard naturally aspirated petrol engine that also does duties on Tiago and Tigor with 85 bhp and 113 Nm.
Yes, it exists. There are a couple of catches. One, it gets the same 5-speed manual transmission as regular NA Altroz. Secondly, i-Turbo’s figures are far less than 118 bhp and 172 Nm of i20 N Line, which comes mated with a 6-speed iMT and a 7-speed DCT. Tata is set to match i20 N Line in numbers game with a new Altroz Racer. Images are credited to Powerdrift.
Tata Altroz Racer – Key highlights
6 Airbags
10.25″ touchscreen infotainment
7″ TFT digital cluster
Voice Activated Electric Sunroof with shark fin antenna
Ventilated seats
Wireless charger.
Leatherette seats with red and white racing stripes
R16 diamond cut alloy wheels
Projector headlamps
LED DRLs
Rear AC vents
RACER badging
This new variant is set to be a sporty and enthusiastic version of Altroz. It will likely get the same powertrain as before and tuning and gearbox from Nexon. This way, Tata Motors is set to offer 118 bhp of power and 170 Nm of torque and a 6-speed manual gearbox on Altroz Sport. As convenient as iMT and DCT may be, most enthusiasts will go for a manual any day of the year.
Tata Altroz Racer will offer more performance as it has 10 more horses and 30 more torques along with a short ratio gearbox with one extra gear over outgoing i-Turbo variants. In the game of numbers, Altroz surely matches i20 N Line. That said, N Line is not just about the numbers. Hyundai offers rear disc brakes, throaty exhaust and stiffened suspension as well.
Add to it, sporty exterior and interior add-ons, N Line is relatively closer to a hot hatch. Altroz Sport gets dual tone finish with sporty accents. On the inside, we can expect some enhancements over regular Altroz as well. i20 N Line has a trump card in the form of a quick-shifting 7-speed DCT.
That said, Altroz gets a 6-speed DCT, just not with i-Turbo variants. With Altroz Racer, Tata should consider offering this DCT along with 6-speed MT option to really make a dent in the sporty hatchback segment in India. i20 N line lacks a manual, though. With a turbo-petrol with 6-speed manual, a quick-shifting DCT and 5-star crash safety, Altroz Sport could come off as a serious contender for i20 N Line.
