Tata Xenon based Commercial Pickup spotted testing near Pune

Unlike many other countries, pickup trucks hardly sell in India as private vehicles. That is why the Xenon XT, an impressive lifestyle pickup made by Tata Motors in India and exported to many other countries, is rarely seen on our roads. Pickup trucks here are all about utility and commercial usage for which the Xenon, with its premium features, good-quality interiors and high price, hardly makes sense. The Mahindra Genio, for example, is what most Indians want and view as a pickup – a modern yet basic workhorse that can withstand the abuses hurled at it by the tough conditions prevailing here. While Tata has its 207Di based pickup in that segment, compared to the relatively new Genio, it looks and feels pretty old.

Tata, being Tata, can easily strip the Xenon off its unnecessary features, cut costs left, right and center and come up with a commercial pickup truck based on the Xenon platform that can well and truly take the game to the competitors like Mahindra’s Genio, Bolero Pikup and the like. And that is exactly what Tata Motors seems to be doing, going by these shots that shows a barebones pickup based on the Xenon platform being tested near Pune. There were two trucks being tested, the one shown in the pictures and the other, a slightly more upmarket version with full wheel caps and body-colored bumpers. Who knows, it might well be equipped with air-conditioning and power windows too, like the top-end Genio DC VX version.

The front end is lifted straight from the Xenon and retains its mean and macho looks with those high-mounted headlights and the massive bumper. There are obvious signs of cost-cutting and commercialization like the black bumpers, grille and door handles and a single black rear-view mirror on the driver’s side. If you are a fan of the clean and rounded profile of the Xenon XT with its integrated cabin and loading bay, you will not like this truck as the loading bay, like all its other competitors, is separate and disjointed from the cabin. The wraparound taillights of the original Xenon are replaced with the trademark rectangular lights. There is no blaming Tata though as the customers in this segment does not look for style but only value utility and ruggedness.
 

Being apparently targeted at the commercial segment, it is highly unlikely that Tata Motors will launch this truck with the same 2.2L DiCOR engine that powers the original Xenon XT. But, if it does, this new truck will be a hoot to drive with class-leading power and torque figures. So, the Mahindra Genio is not going to have the party all for itself for too long as this Tata truck seems to be directly heading against it. God bless competition!