FormaCar

Tata unveils the Gravitas, Land Rover-based seven-seater SUV

30-11-2019 10:40
You may be surprised to learn that the India-based automotive corporation Tata Motors actively uses modern Jaguar Land Rover tech for its affordable cars, but things click into place when you realize it actually owns JLR. Now, it has announced a new SUV.

You may be surprised to learn that the India-based automotive corporation Tata Motors actively uses modern Jaguar Land Rover tech for its affordable cars, but things click into place when you realize it actually owns JLR. Now, it has announced a new SUV.

The crossover vehicle uses Tata’s OMEGA Arc tech platform – essentially a trimmed-down variant of the Jaguar Land Rover D8, which the previous generation of Discovery Sport is based upon. Tata launched its new five-seat SUV Harrier based on this tech in India in early 2019. The company had originally wanted to reuse the name ‘Harrier’ for the seven-seater, but found that Toyota had been using it for years.

Hence, the car was introduced at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show this spring as the Buzzard Concept. It will be officially known as the Tata Gravitas in India and as the Tata Buzzard in Europe when it launches there.

The SUV packs three seat rows for seven occupants in total. The short teaser video is almost all that is available right now. We suspect that the Gravitas will imitate the Buzzard Concept depicted here in most visual aspects, from the Harrier front end to the custom rear. It will also likely pack the same interior trim and tech as the Harrier.

That said, the Buzzard/Gravitas sports a longer rear overhang and is generally slightly larger than the Harrier. Specifically, it measures 4,661 mm (15.3 feet) long, 1,786 mm (5.86 ft.) tall and 1,894 mm (6.21 ft.) wide with 2,741 mm (9 ft.) between the axles. The width and the wheelbase stay unchanged from the Harrier, while the height gains 80 mm (3.1”) thanks to roof railings, and the rear overhang adds 63 mm (2.5”) of length.

Spec-wise, it is safe to expect the Gravitas to be much simpler trimmed and equipped than its distant relative, the Discovery Sport. Semi-independent suspension, hydraulic power steering, drum brakes at the rear, and permanent FWD are all pretty much guaranteed features. That said, Tata has been known to launch deluxe trims with loads of extras, so maybe it will follow suit with the Gravitas.

The SUV will come powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo diesel engine designed by FCA. Tata promises to boost it to 170 hp (127 kW) and 350 Nm (254 lb-ft) at the crank. The transmission will be six-speed manual, but Hyundai may provide its six-speed auto as a second option (this remains unconfirmed).

The Tata Gravitas/Buzzard will celebrate its international premiere in February 2020. The event and venue are not specified, but we suspect the company refers to the India Auto Expo scheduled for February 7-12, 2020. The launch dates and pricing remain unknown.



Editor Andrew Raspopov
  • Comments
    | 0
  • Facebook
    |
  • VK
    | 0

Forma Car Recommends

Novelties 21-03-2023
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 is the swan song of the gas-powered American muscle car classic, but it’s one hell of a loud one.
Novelties 17-03-2023
Mercedes-Benz has yet to announce when the GLA and GLB facelifts will reach the showrooms, but the specifications have already arrived.
Novelties 17-03-2023
Ferrari has introduced a soft-top variant of its Roma coupe, which is essentially destined to phase out the retiring Portofino M. The manufacturer offers a couple of color options for the top – dark red and black.
Novelties 15-03-2023
Kia has begun to lift the wrap over its EV9 electric SUV slated to become the mass-market-oriented manufacturer’s first three-row car running on battery power. Sales in Europe remain penciled in for late 2023.
Novelties 13-03-2023
Tesla has facelifted its Model S and Model X flagships slightly, upgrading hardware across various systems, adding a new color option and tweaking the chasses mildly. There is also a new glass roof that can actually improve steering.
Novelties 01-03-2023
The all-electric Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback is officially in its second generation now, although the scope of changes frankly makes it look like a mild facelift.
Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) is busy designing the ultimate Land Rover Defender version capable of rivaling the Mercedes-AMG G 63, as these spy shots of a partly cladded SUV posted on Motor1 seem to suggest.
Technology 23-02-2023
The Porsche engineering team considers driving an electric car without actively using the brake pedal inefficient and incompatible with its brand values, Green Car Reports says.
Novelties 13-02-2023
Here is the first trailer of Fast X in case you haven’t had the opportunity to watch it earlier.
Technology 06-02-2023
The batteries of the updated Tesla Model S have proven resistant to cold and capable of supplying power for enough range in extreme conditions, a team of reporters over at Motor.no concluded after testing 29 different EVs on that country’s roads.
Novelties 01-02-2023
Mercedes-Benz has facelifted its entire GLE SUV lineup. The first vehicles will reach the showrooms in Europe this summer.
Novelties 01-02-2023
Following the premiere of the rather compact CX-60, Mazda has revealed its new flagship – the CX-90, a three-row big SUV designed specifically for the USA with the Japanese marque’s most powerful engine on record.
Novelties 25-01-2023
BMW M has officially introduced the 2024 M3 CS, which will be coming to the market with more thrust and less bulk than ever.
Novelties 25-01-2023
Startup firm Aptera continues working on its all-electric tricycle with a record-high range on a charge. The latest video unveils the car that will go on sale on the launch date (to be announced).
Car Tuning 18-01-2023
The status of Tesla as a premium vehicle brand is constantly disputed by critics pointing out cheap-ish trims, lack of ergonomics and comfort options and all kinds of quality control issues. But if you ever felt the need to retaliate against such an argument, consider telling them that even reputable aftermarket companies, like Novitec, tune these cars.