Tata Motors Taps Land Rover Chassis for Two New SUVs

Tata Motors Ltd. is developing two SUVs for the Indian market that will ride on the company’s Land Rover platform.

CEO Guenter Butschek tells reporters the company will introduce the first Tata-branded model, a five-seater, in early 2019. A three-row, seven-passenger model that uses the same chassis will follow.

India’s Economic Times reported nearly 18 months ago that Tata was planning an SUV based on Land Rover’s Discovery Sport and its “L550” chassis. The newspaper said the vehicle would be powered by a 2.0-liter, 168-hp diesel supplied by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV. Whether a diesel is still in the plan isn’t clear.

The new Tata models will compete with such competitors as Jeep and Mahindra in a market segment that has been growing 30%. The Nikkei notes that affluent buyers increasingly favor larger vehicles to cope with India’s rough and accident-prone roads.

Butschek cautions that adapting the Land Rover platform for the Indian market is “extremely difficult, as our worlds are different.” He indicates that cost and affordability are major challenges.