Tata Motors: The Story Of Epic Journey

[350Z]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

Tata Motors is the official vehicle partner for Indian version of ‘24’ starring Anil Kapoor

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Tata Motors today announced its association with COLORS, the leading Hindi General Entertainment Channels, as the presenting sponsor for the Indian adaptation of America’s award-winning TV series, 24. 24, an espionage thriller that plays out in real-time, is an unprecedented success worldwide, and its Indian version has Anil Kapoor playing the lead role of his American counterpart, Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer, essayed by Kiefer Sutherland in the original version. Backed by a talented creative team, 24’s unique real-time narrative, iconic sets, slick editing and high-definition recording will create a superlative experience for Indian viewers.

Speaking on the association, Mr. Ranjit Yadav, President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors Ltd, said, “Tata Motors is proud to be associated with the grand entry of 24 in an Indian adaptation on Colors. With this association, Tata Motors showcases itself as a creative and innovative brand that always places its customers at the core of its existence. We, at Tata Motors, are at HORIZONEXT now, passionately committed to anticipating our customers' needs and providing the best vehicles and experiences that excite our customers globally. This association with 24 offers us an exciting platform to demonstrate the true capability of our dynamic cars, which deliver performance and come with technology rich features.”

Drive Safe,
350Z

 

[vikyjoshi]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

Mumbai: Tata Motors Ltd, India’s largest auto maker by revenue, is working towards repositioning the Nano as a “smart city car”, Cyrus Mistry, chairman of group holding company Tata Sons Ltd, said on Wednesday.
Mistry told the Tata Motors’ shareholders at its 68th annual general meeting in Mumbai that the company was working on a variant of the Nano that would come with a power steering option, improved interiors and fuel efficiency, and will be aimed at young car buyers.
He was replying to a query on how the company plans to change the perception of the Nano being a “cheap car”. The car was billed as the world’s cheapest car when it was launched in 2009 with a Rs.1 lakh price tag.
The company will also be launching the CNG version of the Nano later this year.
Sales of the Nano have taken a hit in recent months amid a slowdown in the automobile market. Nano sales plummeted to 6,017 units from 27,625 units in the April to July period from a year earlier, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, or Siam.
At the shareholders’ meeting, Mistry also said Tata Motors was looking at repositioning the Aria, a multipurpose vehicle, and the Sumo Grande models in a move to tackle competition in the utility vehicle segment, in which rival Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd has the leadership position.
In the four months to July, Tata Motors’ share in the passenger vehicle market reached a record low of 8%.
“We have to do a lot on the service front,” Mistry conceded, while addressing concerns of shareholders on the service quality of Tata cars. The company is also expanding its network and improving product reliability.
In the commercial vehicle segment, Mistry said Tata Motors plans to launch the Prima range of heavy duty trucks and a new Ultra range of light commercial vehicles. The company has been under pressure because of the economic downturn that has eroded demand for commercial vehicles and increasing competition from newer entrants such as Daimler Commercial Vehicles Pvt Ltd in the heavy duty truck segment.
Tata Motors posted a 23% decline in June quarter profit, missing analysts’ expectations, as local operations turned out to be a drag on the company with the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) unit ensuring positive earnings, as has been the case in the past three quarters.
The company’s net profit fell to Rs.1,726.07 crore from a year ago, while net sales rose 8.3% to Rs.46,751.26 crore. “We dipped into our reserves for the dividend payout,” said Mistry. During the last fiscal year, Tata Motor’s truck and passenger car units utilized 48% of the 1.6 million installed capacity. Its UK subsidiary contributed 76% to the consolidated revenue for the full year ended 31 March.
Tata Motors plans to make an incremental investment of Rs.20 crore for JLR’s India operations, said Mistry.

Tata Motors to reposition Nano as smart city car - Livemint

 

[jagrover]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

There are words.. Actions have to be taken..!!

 

[THE XOVER]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

ET has published a great article on Tata's future line-up:Code X4: Tata to launch hatchbacks, sedans and MPVs to regain lost glory - The Economic Times

X4 -31— the entry hatchback, X4 - 51 — topend hatchback and X4 - 52 — compact sub-4 metre sedan and a compact multipurpose vehicle (MPV)

Nano Diesel, a small hatchback and sub-4 metre sedan on 'X0' platform is also under development, which are likely to be ready by 2015-16.

There are three different utility vehicles being thought of — a compact sports utility vehicle to take on M&M's S101 and Ford's EcoSport. An MPV to take on Maruti's Ertiga, and an AUV or aspirational utility vehicle, to take on M&M's Bolero, are also part of the consideration set

 

[Vishwas]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

ET has published a great article on Tata's future line-up:Code X4: Tata to launch hatchbacks, sedans and MPVs to regain lost glory - The Economic Times

After knowing their disastrous performance, they still plan to launch new vehicles? Don't know if i have to laugh or feel pity on them

 

[Raja]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

After knowing their disastrous performance, they still plan to launch new vehicles? Don't know if i have to laugh or feel pity on them

Did you read the article ?

And why do you think they must not launch new vehicles on a brand new versatile platform ?

Btw they are doing all this to beat the un inspiring performance since the start of this year and become more productive in future .

MUMBAI: Tata Motors, is investing in an advanced modular product (AMP) platform to churn out at least 4-8 products, including a compact car, hatchback, sedan and even an MPV to make a comeback in the highly-competitive Indian passenger vehicle market.

AMP, which is also called 'X4' internally, is the biggest bet by Tata Motors since Nano, which could turn out to be a big volume churner in the future. On lines of multi-billion dollar Volkswagen's modular MQB platform and Renault-Nissan's common module family, or CMF, the advanced product platform is being jointly developed by Tata Motors' European Technical Centre and Engineering Research Centre, or ERC, in Pune.

A modular platform is an expensive concept, wherein several hundreds of millions of dollars are spent, but it does deliver on synergies and commonality of components to deliver cost-competitive products. In simple terms, it is an aggregation of critical components which enhances commonality and flexibility.

People close to the company maintain that Cyrus Mistry, the chairman of Tata Sons, who is also the chairman of Tata Motors, is keeping a regular tab on the project and giving his valuable inputs. This is part of 8-10 products lined up by the company by the end of this decade. "Tata Motors' passenger vehicle business unit has developed a product plan till 2020 that will include globally-competitive platforms and products. We will make announcements about future products closer to the launch," the spokesperson for Tata Motors said to ET's email queries.

For the current fiscal year, about Rs 1,500 crore has been set aside to invest in the passenger vehicle business. A significant part of it will go into new product development.

 

[Gurrala74]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

After knowing their disastrous performance, they still plan to launch new vehicles? Don't know if i have to laugh or feel pity on them

Vishwas, That is the only way to come out of "disastrous performance" according to management You just can't sit and keeping crying for low sales of a model, one need to move on with new models correcting old mistakes, that is how a business is run

 

[jagrover]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

This should be the new beginning for Tata Motors. They should get their basics right. Better design,marketing and above all "excellent service experience". Unless they get their basics right... I believe they can & they should..

Every vehicle company will have their downturn. Its like a cycle. No one was their at the helm for all the time. TML will surely comeback.

Good thing is that they are now not sitting idle. By 2015 they will be launching the so called Dolphin, vista, Manza, sub 4 metre manza etc etc..

But " T.A.S.S" must improve vastly.

 

[tdcarlover]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

the diesel nano seems a mythical creature! Every year spy photos appear and all petrol heads go into a tizzy! Now from the above information (2015-16 launch) it appears even more mystical

 

[Vishwas]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

Did you read the article ?

And why do you think they must not launch new vehicles on a brand new versatile platform ?

Btw they are doing all this to beat the un inspiring performance since the start of this year and become more productive in future .

Vishwas, That is the only way to come out of "disastrous performance" according to management You just can't sit and keeping crying for low sales of a model, one need to move on with new models correcting old mistakes, that is how a business is run

Here's how this is going to happen, so we got the news that Tata is making new models on new platform, okay this should be tested which takes time and as the news suggests, it not going to come until mid 2014 or 2015, By the time they launch new models in the market, people would have already rejoiced over with the current ones of other companies and the saga continues of Tata Brand with these same old news, just read the story of Duster and XUV(Ecosport not taken into consideration).

Yes agree on the part they shouldn't continue with the current lot they have, but it will be too late to release new ones too, hope you got my point.

 

[Raja]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

Here's how this is going to happen, so we got the news that Tata is making new models on new platform, okay this should be tested which takes time and as the news suggests, it not going to come until mid 2014 or 2015, By the time they launch new models in the market, people would have already rejoiced over with the current ones of other companies and the saga continues of Tata Brand with these same old news, just read the story of Duster and XUV(Ecosport not taken into consideration).

Yes agree on the part they shouldn't continue with the current lot they have, but it will be too late to release new ones too, hope you got my point.

Don't worry even toyota , mahindra , vw , skoda , renault no one is planning anything new before 2015-16 .

So its too early to extrapolate what's going to happen in coming future .

 

[autosafari]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

After knowing their disastrous performance, they still plan to launch new vehicles? Don't know if i have to laugh or feel pity on them

This comment clearly gives an impression that it is jumping on the gun before reading the article link. This is disappointing for us because many of the readers and members will take it as an official response from TAI

Yes agree on the part they shouldn't continue with the current lot they have, but it will be too late to release new ones too, hope you got my point.

That post of Xover is about Tata Motors developing an Advanced Modular platform which is state of the art in automobile industry. Which is the best way to bring down cost of development and at the same time improve quality, standardisation and also reduce time required to launch new models.
Ridiculing such a great move by one of the largest industrial and business group in the world is beyond my comprehension

 

[jagrover]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

AMP will be made by TML Pune & Technical Centre at Europe. I wish it will get inputs from JLR.
TML talks about synergies with JLR in almost all interviews but no signs of action yet..

AMP could be the best way to "induct" JLR to TML. Yes its good to march alone and have success but the present condition of TML do not justify that front.

Its better to use the resources with them rather than searching for things outside.

Again VW/Renault-Nissan uses modular platform for the whole group. TML should go that way as AMP for whole group.

Also 8 products by 2020 is not something that can be discarded. All new products coupled with their refreshes.. Hope "SERVICE" is an integral part of the "HORIZON NEXT" strategy.

 

[jagrover]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

Tata Motors - Press Releases| Automotive Industry News

New Nano 'Celebrate Awesomeness' TV commercial breaks record!

Crosses 5 million YouTube views in just 30 days

 

[THE XOVER]

Re: The Story of Tata's Epic Journey from Trucks to Aria

Tata Motors to reduce parts suppliers to ensure quality

New Delhi: To streamline its supply chain, Tata Motors Ltd plans to reduce the number of parts suppliers by one-third in three-four years as it gears up to introduce new cars.The auto maker, which has seen domestic market share fall in recent times, aims to have only one supplier for each part that goes into making a car to ensure consistent quality and reduce costs.
“This was conveyed to us during the last meeting that we had with the management earlier this week. They have roughly 1,200 vendors and want to bring that number down significantly,” said a top executive of an auto parts manufacturer. “It is not going to happen immediately but in a phased manner, as that will hurt a lot of tier-II and tier-III vendors.”
Tata Motors is expected to hold another meeting with vendors in November, when a clearer picture will emerge, said a second executive with another parts supplier.
“The overall number of Tata vendors is likely to come down to 300-400,” this person said. The executives spoke on condition of anonymity.
Karl Slym, managing director and chief executive of Tata Motors, confirmed the development on the sidelines of the annual conference of trade body Automotive Component Manufacturers Association in New Delhi.
“It is a strategy,” Slym said. “Instead of eight suppliers for one product, we will have one.”
The firm has started working on an advanced modular product platform, which will allow it to manufacture at least four to eight products after 2015-16, The Economic Times reported on 2 September.
Until then, the company will introduce upgraded models of its existing portfolio.
Since joining the firm in October last year, Slym has been trying to identify problem areas, build new teams and chalk out strategies, investment and product plans.
He identified three problem areas—poor quality, a lack of model upgrades and the perception that the company’s cars were only good for being used as taxis—and also outlined plans for creating three divisions to centralize Tata Motors’ operations as part of the makeover, Mint reported on 14 January.
To make the company’s organization more efficient, Slym has divided the back-end work, production and strategy into three divisions. The heads of these divisions report directly to him.
The latest move by Tata Motors might still be too late for it to catch up with rivals in the near future, according to Deepesh Rathore, an independent auto consultant.
“It is good they are at least informing vendors before actually putting the system in place,” Rathore said. “Some firms have already done it without even informing vendors.”
In the four months ended 31 July, Tata Motors has seen its share of the passenger car market drop to 8.9% from 11.8% at the end of the previous fiscal on 31 March, Mint reported on 20 August.
Rathore said steps have been taken in the positive direction under the new management but the firm still has a long way to go. “At the moment, they can only consolidate and these efforts will take time to yield results.

Source:Tata Motors to reduce suppliers to cut costs, ensure quality - Livemint
Is it the classic case of "too little,too late"?

Only the time will tell