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Tata Motors eyes No. 2 spot with 6 new vehicles in next 12 months

Taking over just about a month back, the new top management at Tata Motors has big plans ahead to revitalise the company.

Taking over just about a month back, the new top management at Tata Motors has big plans ahead to revitalise the company. With sights on the number two spot in the domestic car market in three-five years, Tata Motors? aims to have multiple models in mass car segments such as compact cars and SUVs.

As part of concerted effort to push volumes, six new vehicles and model refreshments will be launched in the next four quarters. Rapid integration with group company Jaguar Land Rover for both design and engine development is also up on the agenda.

Karl Slym, the erstwhile General Motors India chief who took over as the Tata Motors? managing director in October, said that though the company had ?great products?, the problem was more with how the company marketed these.

?We had a lot of products, but not all the right boxes were ticked. There has not been any new launch at Tata in the last one and a half year, which is a problem in the Indian market. We need more small cars to compete with Maruti and will aim for the number two spot in the medium-term,? he said.

As a first under the new corporate strategy, the ?Safari Storme? was launched on Wednesday at a starting price of R9.55 lakh.

The latest incarnation of India?s first indigenously developed SUV will be sold with the previous generation Safari. It is available in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive, boasts of more luxurious interiors and an improved 2.2 diesel engine putting out 140 bhp.

There are plans to give a new lease of life to the celebrated Nano compact car as well. Tata Motors plans to take it to the US and European markets when a new generation model is launched in three years.

?Apart from Indonesia, there is also the opportunity to launch the Nano in Italy, Spain and Poland where we have distribution companies,? Slym added.

Meanwhile, Ranjit Yadav, who recently joined as president of the passenger car business unit is planning a overhaul for the brand communication and dealership network. ?There are two-three things we want to do, which has started and will take about 12 month to complete. We want to go for larger scales of production to improve profits and improve the customer experience at the dealer end through an improved format,? he said.

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First published on: 18-10-2012 at 02:52 IST
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