Showing posts with label Tata. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tata. Show all posts

Monday, May 21, 2012

Fiat Could Break up with Tata Motors to go with Suzuki in India, Says Analyst


Earlier this month, the Fiat Group announced that it is abandoning its network deal with Tata Motors in India after six years and plans to sell its cars in the country through its own dealerships from now on.

While Fiat said that it will continue its joint-venture manufacturing activities with Tata Motors in Asia’s third-largest auto market, some analysts are predicting that the Italian company may opt for a full-fledged divorce, which would allow it to pay court to Suzuki.

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Fiat Could Break up with Tata Motors to go with Suzuki in India, Says Analyst


Earlier this month, the Fiat Group announced that it is abandoning its network deal with Tata Motors in India after six years and plans to sell its cars in the country through its own dealerships from now on.

While Fiat said that it will continue its joint-venture manufacturing activities with Tata Motors in Asia’s third-largest auto market, some analysts are predicting that the Italian company may opt for a full-fledged divorce, which would allow it to pay court to Suzuki.

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Fiat Breaks Free from Tata's Network in India as the Two Companies Reshape their Local Joint Venture


For the past six years, Tata Motors has been managing the distribution and service responsibility of the Fiat branded products in India through joint Tata-Fiat dealerships, but the Italian automaker has now decided to go on its own and take over management control of its commercial and distribution activities in the country.

Established in 2006, the Fiat-Tata joint venture also includes manufacturing activities located in Ranjangaon, which produce Fiat and Tata cars as well as engines and transmissions for both the Indian and export markets and recently announced a contract to supply its Small Diesel Engine to Maruti Suzuki.

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Fiat Breaks Free from Tata's Network in India as the Two Companies Reshape their Local Joint Venture


For the past six years, Tata Motors has been managing the distribution and service responsibility of the Fiat branded products in India through joint Tata-Fiat dealerships, but the Italian automaker has now decided to go on its own and take over management control of its commercial and distribution activities in the country.

Established in 2006, the Fiat-Tata joint venture also includes manufacturing activities located in Ranjangaon, which produce Fiat and Tata cars as well as engines and transmissions for both the Indian and export markets and recently announced a contract to supply its Small Diesel Engine to Maruti Suzuki.

Read more »

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Tata Takes a Snapshot of the Future with New Megapixel Concept in Geneva


This sleek looking concept model is the Tata Megapixel and it made its world premiere at the 82nd Geneva Motor Show this week.

The Megapixel is Tata's vision of what a modern city car should be in the not so distant future. It is a follow up to the three-door Pixel concept that was displayed at last year's Geneva Auto Salon, and which Tata says will form the base for a production model targeting Western markets such as Europe.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Defender of the Faith No More: Land Rover to Build Iconic 4x4’s Successor in India


If there’s one car the British industry can be proud about (apart from the Mini), it’s the Defender. Land Rover’s 4x4 has been in production since 1949 and, even though it evolved somewhat over the decades, at heart it was always the same.

And even though Land Rover has licensed the manufacture of some derivatives and clones of the Defender in countries such as Turkey and Brazil, it was always built in Solihull, UK.

In three years’ time, this tradition will come to an end as Land Rover's owner Tata Motors has decided to manufacture its 2015 replacement at its Prune plant in India and export it from there to the rest of the world.

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Tata Motors Recalling World's Cheapest Car, the Nano, to Upgrade Starter


Tata Motors, the Indian automotive giant that owns the Jaguar and Land Rover brands, has issued the biggest ever recall action in India, concerning a little over 115,000 Nano city cars to replace the starter motor.

However, the company prefers to use the term "upgrade" instead of "recall" as it claims there is no safety hazard associated with the old starter motor.

The maker of the world's cheapest automobile said the installation of the new starter motor began in October this year and that it has already replaced the starter in 50,000 Nano cars.

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Monday, November 21, 2011

Tata Launches 2012 MY Nano with More Powerful and Fuel Efficient Engine [Video]


India's Tata Motors announced today the introduction of the 2012 model year Nano, which perhaps not too surprisingly, looks identical to the outgoing version. However, even though the design remains the same, the Indian carmaker claims to have made a host of improvements, the most important of which is a revised engine. Read more »

Monday, October 17, 2011

Japanese Engineers Envy Manza Sedan in New Tata Commercial


In one of those funny but not so funny commercials, India's Tata Motors takes a humorous stab at its Japanese competition with a new ad for the Mazda Mazna small sedan.

Tata's latest TV spot takes off from where we first saw fictional Japanese engineer Tanuka San trying out the Manza saloon as he travels to India along with his goofy sidekick to supposedly discover why customers are buying the sedan model.

See both ads for yourself in the videos after the break.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Report: Jaguar and Land Rover to Build Cars in China in Partnership with Chery


What do you do when you are a luxury carmaker and sales aren’t going as well as expected? Simple: you invest in China, as despite the cooling car market, buyers continue to have an appetite for foreign luxury cars.

In July, we reported that Jaguar and Land Rover owner, Tata Motors, would invest heavily in the two brands in order to improve their sales, especially those of Jaguar, which are on a sharp decline.

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tata Nano: World's Most Affordable Car Receives a $4.6 million Gold Treatment [with Videos]


When Ratan Tata revealed the $2,500 Nano mini car in India in January 2008, the owner and Chairman of Tata Motors, made headlines the world over with the world’s cheapest car.

Three years later the Nano has faced a spontaneous-combusting debacle while despite the booming Indian car market; its sales have dropped significantly. So Tata decided to do a little publicity stand in order to bring its car once again into the spotlight.

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Rumors: Jaguar-Land Rover to open new Engine Plant in UK


When Tata Motors acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford in 2008, it had to buy powertrains for the models that were already in production by the British group's former owner.

Now, as part for their expansion plan, Tata Motors is considering the opening of a new engine plant, according to British newspaper Sunday Telegraph. If the report is indeed accurate (the company wasn’t available for comment) it will be built in Wholverhampton in central England and employ around 2,000 workers.

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Thursday, August 11, 2011

As Nano Sales Fall, Tata Motors Invests on Jaguar and Land Rover to Raise Profits



When Tata Motors bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford in 2008, it had great plans for both brands. Driven by sales of the sub-$5,000 Nano, the Indian conglomerate would have enough funds to secure their future. Now it seems that the tables have turned, and it's the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) unit that may have to bring in the profits. Read more »

Monday, July 18, 2011

Tata Considers Developing Engines with Jaguar and Land Rover


Tata Motors’ owner, Ratan Tata, confirmed today in the company’s annual report that the Indian carmaker is considering developing an engine in cooperation with its Jaguar Land Rover division.

"To optimize the synergistic strengths between JLR and Tata Motors in India, an examination is also under way on a joint engine development program which would have manufacturing facilities both in the U.K. and India," Ratan Tata stated.

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Thursday, March 3, 2011

Geneva 2011: Tata Pixel, a Four-Seater City Car Concept for Europe


Tata, the Indian maker of the Nano, made its way to Geneva with a new concept city car called the Pixel. At just over three meters in lengths, Tata claims the Pixel is "the most package efficient four-seater in the world," being able to "comfortably accommodate four adults".

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Monday, January 3, 2011

Tata Nano Sales Rose by 1,136% in December


In an effort to boost sales of its US$2,900 Nano micro car, India's Tata extended the warranty and offered easier financing in December, while it also launched a new advertising campaign that included a TV spot.

It turns out that this was a smart move, as sales of the Nano spiked reaching 5,784 units, which represents a 1,136% increase over the 509 units the company shifted a month earlier. This is still below the 9,000 monthly sales record achieved in July, but it seems that the Nano is back with a vengeance for 2011.

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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

VIDEO: Tata Tries to Boost Nano Sales with New Ad


As previously reported, Tata Nano sales in India have dropped significantly in the past few month, with just 509 customers opting for the US $2,900 micro car, down from 9,000 in July. It seems that Indian buyers have higher aspirations and are moving away from the Nano, as the nation’s market is booming. Reliability issues and a few spontaneously combusting units didn’t help sales either.

To mend the situation, the automaker has extended the car’s warranty and launched a new TV ad, depicting the Nano as the most lovable thing of Earth. Hit the jump to watch the commercial.

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

India's Car Market Booming yet Customers Show Little Love for Tata Nano


Sometimes being cheap and cheerful just isn’t enough. Production delays, land debates and questions over occupant safety are killing the Tata Nano faster than an unexplained engine fire. India’s people car is struggling in spite of the nation’s booming car market and a low asking price of just US$2,900, half of what its nearest rival costs.

With economic growth at a staggering 9% per annum and a 22% year-to-date increase in car sales, Tata must have felt it was onto a sure thing. Things started out good, with 200,000 advanced orders for the sub-subcompact before its 2009 launch.

However, sales have been flagging these past four months with the Indian carmaker selling just 509 Nano’s in November, down from 9,000 in July.

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Friday, November 5, 2010

Piaggio NT3 Concept targets the TATA Nano


At this week's 2010 Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA), Piaggio presented the NT3 Concept, a three-seater four-wheel mini that could become the TATA Nano's biggest competitor in emerging markets like India or Vietnam.

Despite its small size (it only measures 2.4 meters in length), the NT3 is a highly versatile vehicle, with multiple cabin configurations, also made possible by the center driving position. It uses a spaceframe architecture with crashbox, meaning that it's safer than it looks. Power comes from internal combustion engines or a hybrid powertrain.

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Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Flame on! Fifth Tata Nano Bursts into Flames...


Another Nano, the fifth from since 2009, has gone up in smoke, this time in Gujarat, western India. For reference, the last one toasted itself in Mumbai in late March, 2010. According to Business Week, an email from Tata states that "the car belonged to the company and has no design flaw."

Bursting into flames due to "faulty switches that caused smoke and plastic parts to melt" seems like a possible design flaw to me.

As for an update regarding Tata's Mumbai victim (Tata still can't determine the cause of the fire), Satish Purshotam Sawant wants some compensation for putting him and his family in danger...in the form of Rs 15 lakhs (1,500,000 Rupees or ~$33,700 US) and a Fiat Punto. Tata says no dice: it's either a new Nano or a full refund.

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