Tata Gravitas Petrol Variant Coming Soon: India Launch Expected By Mid-2020

Once launched in India, the Tata Gravitas will initially be available in a single-engine option. This includes a re-tuned version of the same engine as on the Harrier, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel unit.

The engine on the Gravitas churns out a higher power output of 173bhp and 350Nm of torque; compared to 140bhp on the Harrier. The engine is further mated to a standard six-speed manual gearbox.

However, ever since the launch of the Harrier, there have been reports suggesting the development of a petrol engine from the brand as well. This brand-new in-house developed petrol engine is expected to be introduced very soon.

According to CarDekho, the new petrol engine comes in the form of a 1.6-litre unit, which is now expected to debut on the Tata Gravitas. This engine could also come with a turbocharged unit, similar to most of its rivals in the SUV segment.

The company, however, is yet to finalise the engine development, hence its specification still remains unknown. Tata Motors is, however, working towards introducing the new petrol engine in the Indian market in the second half of 2020.

The new petrol engine will be introduced on both the Gravitas and the Harrier SUVs at around the same timeframe. However, this timeline is again yet to be confirmed by Tata Motors. We also expect, Tata Motors to offer the petrol engine with different states-of-tune for the Harrier and the Gravitas; similar to its diesel engine offering.

Apart from the petrol engine, the company is also said to be working on the introduction of an automatic transmission system for both cars. The Tata Harrier and the Gravitas will initially be introduced with a six-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox.

However, reports suggest that the company is working on developing a DCT transmission as well. Once developed, the new DCT transmission will replace the torque-converter units on both the models.

The Tata Gravitas was showcased as the ‘Buzzard' earlier this year at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. The Gravitas is a seven-seater SUV based on the Harrier, carrying similar design, features and equipment, along with a few additional as well.

The seven-seater SUV is, however, part of the same OMEGA architecture as the Harrier and will also be part of Tata Motors' latest ‘Impact 2.0' design language.

Thoughts On The Tata Gravitas Petrol Variant Launch In India

The Tata Gravitas will be positioned a segment above the Harrier, alongside the Hexa SUV. It will also be priced at a premium compared to the Harrier; in the range of Rs 15 lakh, ex-showroom. Once launched in February 2020, the Tata Gravitas will take on the likes of the Ford Endeavour, Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra Alturas G4 and the Skoda Kodiaq in the Indian market.