2011 Geneva - Tata unveils Pixel Concept

Sharing floor space and hogging the limelight amidst global premieres from brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche at the 81st International Auto Show in Geneva, was India’s largest automaker Tata, which unveiled its vision of a future city car in Europe, the Pixel Concept. Speaking on the occasion, Carl-Peter Forster, MD and CEO of Tata Motors, said “Tata Motors holds true to its belief that there is an opportunity in Europe for a city car, which is optimal in space, maneuverability and environment-friendliness. The Tata Pixel is a reflection of Tata Motor's idea of what such a car should be.”

Though it has been derived from the Nano, the cheapest car in the world, the Pixel looks nothing like it. Compared with its probable competitors like Smart Fortwo and Toyota iQ, the Pixel looks better and would surely turn more heads than either of them. The fact that Pixel can accommodate four adults in comfort unlike any of its competitors is an added bonus.

From the front, the similarity in design cues with the Nano is clearly evident. The headlamps in particular looks remarkably similar but the LED clusters and the huge windscreen make sure that the car looks much more upmarket than it actually is. In profile, the unusually large glasshouse and the uniquely shaped scissor doors look elegant. From the rear though, the Pixel looks stunning with those beautifully shaped taillight clusters with integrated LEDs. If this car makes it to production as such, Tata can undoubtedly claim to be having one of the best looking compact cars in the world.

The Pixel also has some advanced technology beneath its alluring looks. The Zero-Turn toroidal traction drive Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT) assists rotation of the outer rear wheel forwards and the inner rear wheel backwards while the front wheels turn at acute angles. As a result, the car has a turning radius of just 2.6 meters, thus enabling easy maneuverability and parking inside the city. The scissor doors have been designed to open skywards allowing easy entry and exit for passengers of both rows even in the tightest of places. Moreover, key functions of the car would be controlled by the driver’s smart phone through ‘My Tata Connect’, the first-ever integrated human-machine interface concept from Tata.

With a 1.2L three cylinder turbocharged diesel engine powering the rear wheels, low rolling resistance tires, stop start technology and regenerative braking, we can safely assume the Pixel to bring in lively performance, good fuel efficiency and lesser CO2 emissions to meet the strict European standards.

Hats off, Tata! Just like you did with the Nano, you have again made the Indian flag fly high at Geneva. Please don’t let the Pixel go into the drain just like the Magna, Aria, Prima and many of your other earlier concepts. Give it a shot at the Indian market too and I am sure you will be rewarded for it!