Drive Impressions of Tata Tiago JTP

We all know that the superlatives associated with the Tata badge refers to safety, comfort and a tank like build quality. But what about sportiness or something related to spirited driving? Tata once teased us with their performance oriented concepts of the Tiago, Tigor and even the Nexon but nobody had a confirmation about their actual launch dates, price or specifications. However, in the month of October 2018, Tata finally launched the JTP versions of the Tiago and Tigor.

Now, for those who don’t know about what the 3 letters “J-T-P” imply, it’s the abbreviation of Jayem Tata Performance. Jayem Automotive is a technical centre established by Jayem Anand which is solely responsible for developing technologies and cars for racing teams worldwide. J. Anand has developed some Tata prototypes in the past like the mad Super Nano with a 230bhp motor and the 115bhp Indica as well. However, in 2017 Jayem Automotive signed a 50:50 joint venture with Tata motors which is currently known as the JTSV or the Jayem Tata Special Vehicles with their first offerings being the Tiago and the Tigor JTP. Unlike earlier attempts, these are not just expo concepts but fully road legal cars with the same warranties that we used to get on the standard cars.

In India the performance hatchback segment is a niche area which is where the Tiago JTP sits and only a few automotive manufacturers have ventured in this segment so far including VW, Maruti and Fiat. So, the question arises, why did Tata put in their effort, despite of the low sales volume in this segment? The answer to that is the brand image that Tata was trying to set in the minds of the buyers, the petrol heads like you and me which becomes even more evident when you take a closer look at the car. This car is not just about a mere sticker job, but an extensive work of art and fine engineering.

The engineers at JTSV have altered almost everything except the chassis. So, the foremost and preeminent change they made was in the engine department where they simply swapped the naturally aspirated 1.2 litre mill with the Nexon sourced 1.2 litre turbocharged engine. Also some performance oriented tweaks like an optimised fuel map, a newly designed intake along with some tuning in the valve timing were made too. All of this increased the total output to 114bhp and 150nm compared to the 83bhp and 114nm of the standard Tiago. The JTP’s engine is properly quick and packs in the grunt to plant a wide grin on your face. There is a strong wave of torque after the 2500rpm mark right up till 5600rpm where the car hits its red line. Also, 0-100 comes up in a mere 9.98 seconds which is further complemented with its thrumpy engine note. You can even hear the whistle of the blow off valve from the hood vent when you lift your foot off the throttle between 3000- 5600rpm which in my books is true music to the ears. This oral drama is further enhanced by the bespoke twin barrel exhaust system which cracks and pops with every gear change. Talking about gear shifts, some tweaks have been made to the gearbox as well which now has shorter gear ratios and a final ratio along with revised gates which makes gear changes crisper than ever. Now, for a JTP it’s very crucial to have a perfect dynamic package and the engineers at JTSV have hit the ball out of the park with this one. The front now gets an independent, lower wishbone McPherson (dual path) strut accompanied by a rear twist beam with coil spring mounted on hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear. In layman’s term the JTP boasts of a specifically tuned suspension with dampers for a more poised and sure footed feel in the corners while staying planted at triple digit speeds. Also, the overall ride height has been dropped by 4mm (170mm to 166mm) which gives a more athletic stance to the car. However the cherry on the top are the tyres which have been specifically designed to cope up with the jaunty characteristics of the hatch without compromising the overall ride comfort. The tyres used here are jointly developed by MRF and Apollo which have a wider 185/60 rubber wrapped on to a 15-inch alloy rim. For reference the standard car gets 155/80 14-inch tyres. One of the major highlights of the standard Tiago was its quick and well weighted steering. Now there’s no official info about the steering mods but what I could feel is that the steering rack is now quicker, centres with more fluidity and the slack at the centre head position has been reduced to minimum with a little more heft to it. Combining all the above mentioned theoretical lingos as a whole, what we get is a car which can dart corners like a go-cart and is immensely fun to drive as well.

However it’s not only the mechanicals that have changed. Tata has tastefully worked on the cosmetic changes as well. For instance you have a new front bumper with a new front grill which is finished in black chrome. The best bit for me though is the hood vent which is functional and aids in heat dissipation from the intercoolers. Subtle side skirts along with beautiful 15 inch alloy wheels complement the overall sporty design. A handsome looking bumper which doubles up as a diffuser along with the chrome finished dual exhaust pipes complete the dynamic package. The sporty design language is extended to the interiors as well, where we have an all-black cabin with fine-spun red accents on the steering wheel, air con vents, gear lever and the seats. However what the enthusiasts would welcome is the meaty leather wrapped steering wheel which feels snazzy.

Now, after closely studying and analysing all the above facts, the million dollar question arises, is the Tiago JTP worth the extra rupee? The answer to that is a resounding “Yes”. I agree on the fact that it is not as free revving as a Polo GT or spacious as a Baleno RS, but then again it doesn’t cost that much. At 6.39 lakhs it’s the cheapest hot hatch in India. However the real reason why we should go for such options is because cars like these haven’t made to our market for a long long time and going ahead, they never possibly will. With the threat of electric cars impending so largely on the horizon, we’re possibly the last generation of petrol heads to have the opportunity to pick our choice of IC engines that we’ve been deprived off for many years. It’s surely not for those looking for creature comforts and tech savvy embellishments in their cars instead for people who actually appreciate fine engineering and craftsmanship.

Soumil Dey - Author