Tata Motors today launched the Aria, its first crossover vehichle between a multi-utility and sports utility vehicle. The car, which was unveiled at the Auto Expo, has been billed as a four-wheeler built by Indian engineers for Indian consumers and will compete with Toyota Innova and M&M's Xylo.
The seven-seater Aria comes with a new generation engine, features an advanced navigation system, and has ABS and air bags among other enhancements.
The vehicle is powered by a 2.2 litre DICOR engine that incorporates variable turbine technology, and has 16 valves with a twin overheated camshaft and 32 bit ECU, delivering 140 PS Power and 320 NM Torque.
Positioned to compete with the Toyota Innova and Mahindra Xylo, the Aria's three rows of seats attempt to blend the benefits of a family-friendly luxury tourer with the dynamics and visual cues of an action-oriented sports utility vehicle.
The in-dash satellite navigation system points the way to any place through a user-friendly interface and its rain sensing auto wipers switch on automatically when the system senses a drizzle.
The vehicle features an auto-climate control system and has headlights that can sense darkness. Its reverse guide camera helps take much of the hassles out of parking.
Safety features on the Aria include 6 airbags and an electronic stability programme (ESP), a never-before feature offered by an Indian manufacturer.
The vehicle is being offered in eight shades: castelle grey, arctic silver, walnut gold, sardinia red, quartz black, pearl white, surf blue and night shade black.
Development work on the Aria started in 2006 and the vehicle was first displayed as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005 and later at the Delhi Auto Expo in 2006.
The development team comprised 150 individuals with multi-discipline specialists from the Tata Motors Group and vendor-partners who crafted the crossover.
Among Tata Motors' current line of SUVs and MUVs are Safari and Sumo Grande.
Tata claims the Aria is the first crossover in India with a four-wheeled drive system. It incorporates the 'Adapterra' 4x4, a torque-on-demand system that helps distribute the torque evenly to all four wheels, which ensures a close grip on the terrain as also stability, both on and off the road.
The Aria is the first sub-15 lakh vehicle to feature an ESP with comprehensive safety features and an in-dash GPS navigation system.
The vehicle will be available in 2 trims- Pride, Prestige and Pleasure - and the prices though not announced at the event are expected to be around Rs15-17 lakh at the top-end variant.
