Tata to launch Altroz iTurbo variant on January 22nd
Tata Motors has confirmed the launch date for the Altroz iTurbo to be January 22nd, though bookings and test drives for the turbo-petrol Altroz will begin from tomorrow. Positioned as a slightly sportier variant of the Altroz, the iTurbo will only be available on XT, XZ and XZ+ trims. The Altroz iTurbo is equipped with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, as seen on the Nexon compact SUV, just with power figures detuned to 110PS@5,500rpm and 140Nm@1,500-5,500rpm from 120PS/170Nm, and mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox instead of a 6-speed one. Tata Motors says this has been done in the interest of balancing performance, drivability and efficiency considering the weight of the Altroz, but it still represents a healthy increase over the 86PS/113Nm of the standard car.Â
On the subject, the Altroz iTurbo boasts of a 18.13kmpl efficiency figure, with a claimed 0-100kmph timing of 11.9s which does make it quite competitive in its class. While kerb weight is said to largely remain similar to the regular naturally-aspirated Altroz, power-to-weight is up to around 100PS/tonne. The company also tells us that minor tweaks have been made to the steering and suspension but they do not fundamentally alter the driving dynamics in a substantial way.Â
For 2021, the Altroz is also updated with Tata's iRA connected technology, including understanding of over 70 voice commands in English/Hinglish, the Xpress Cool cabin cooling functionality, and personalisation options for the 7-inch infotainment's wallpaper.
Additional features that iTurbo variants get over corresponding petrol/diesel trims include leatherette upholstery, a dual-tone cabin, multi-drive modes (City/Sport), with Sport reportedly offering up to 25-30 per cent more torque than the City mode and better throttle response, a black contrast roof and an extra two tweeters for XZ and XZ+ trims. This apart from the new iTurbo engine, of course. We expect the Altroz iTurbo to be priced around Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh more than a corresponding naturally-aspirated petrol Altroz.Â