Tata Motors have been doing a lot of things right recently. The Tiago and Hexa have impressed the critics and the customers while the upcoming Tigor and Nexon have struck all the right chords so far. While we do not know if this can be considered in the same breath yet, there is no denying the fact they are trying something different. In case you are wondering, we are referring to the new sub-brand introduced by Tata Motors - TAMO.
In short for ‘T’ata ‘A’dvanced ‘MO’bility, TAMO is part of Tata’s “FutuReady” approach which will see the automaker partner with global startups and tech companies on future technologies, mobility systems, connected car programs and the likes. In short, TAMO is expected to bring Tata up to date with the prevailing global trends. As it works on a low volume, low investment model, TAMO would also help Tata present advanced concepts and off-beat offerings that wouldn’t have made a positive business case otherwise.
A series of well-timed teasers and a countdown running up to the 2017 Geneva Motor Show meant TAMO kept buzzing in the social media the past few weeks. With all that hype, the pressure was on Tata to ensure TAMO didn’t turn out to be a damp squib at Geneva. Boy, did they deliver!
Meet the TAMO RaceMo, India's first proper sports coupe. Yes, that's a two-seater mid-engined sports car from the brand that makes the Indica.
Powered by a tiny 1.2-liter 3-cylinder Revotron petrol engine, the RaceMo develops 187 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 210 Nm of torque at 2500 rpm. A 6-speed Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) with paddle shifters and push button reverse takes care of transmitting the power to the rear wheels. If the engine displacement and specifications aren’t impressive enough, the claimed 0-100 km/h acceleration time of under six seconds sure is.
The performance is backed up by styling elements that are sure to stand out in a crowd. The plunging hood, the butterfly doors, the unique bubble-shaped structures in the roof, the contrasting engine cover with air intakes, the floating rear wheel arches and fender panels and the high-mounted center exhaust make it an arguably busy design. So be it, we say. Tata needs every bit of attention the RaceMo might attract when seen on road and some more. Inset Bi-LED headlamps, thin LED DRL strips and circular LED taillights complete the look.
The interiors are flashy and futuristic with switches, a part of the center console and the fabric door pulls finished in a bright red colour. The flat-bottom steering wheel with a host of buttons and the three LCD screens that make up the instrument cluster look interesting and, of course, funky. This is where TAMO’s recent partnership with Microsoft will likely help, what with the various connected car tech the two firms would work together on. Don’t miss the ‘Take Selfie - Picture’ and ‘Record Selfie - Video’ options displayed in one of the screens.
Equipped with independent double wishbones all around, the RaceMo has a staggered wheel setup with 205/50 17-inchers up front and 235/45 18-inchers at the rear. In terms of safety, the car gets a driver airbag, passenger airbag, disc brakes on all four wheels and ABS with EBD. Ground clearance is an impressive 165 mm, more than what we get in some mainstream family sedans out there.
The RaceMo is built on a patented MOFlex Multi-Material Sandwich structure that, Tata claims, is being used for the first time ever in the automotive industry for passenger vehicles. With a modular design approach that enables large scale part integration, the RaceMo has lesser number of parts, lesser complexity and has a faster development cycle compared to a regular car.
That’s not all, there will also be a track-only version, the RaceMo+, with more vents, an adjustable front splitter, a massive rear wing and bright red accents. Inside, the RaceMo+ is equipped with racing seats, a different steering wheel without the airbag and a stripped out cabin.
250 units of these would be produced, with the first of them expected to go on sale as early as end 2017. With a rumored price tag of around 25 Lakh Rupees, we think TAMO should have no problems in selling the 250 copies of this image-booster of a product.
For the rest of us, the RaceMo is available for download in the popular Forza Horizon 3 game from Microsoft.
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