[GTO]

Big shoutout to Vid6639 & Anshuman for shooting these pictures & their coverage of the Auto Expo. Thanks for sharing!

Tata Motors launches its new Signa range of Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles. Offered in various configurations, Signa will target segments right from haulage to construction. This is the Signa 3118.T multi-axle truck:


The Signa 2518.K Tipper is a Construction and Mining offering. GVW of 25 ton:




The Signa 4923.S Tractor with a Gross Combination Weight (GCW) of 49,000 kgs. Power comes from a Cummins ISBe 5.9 Common Rail engine with 227 BHP and 850 Nm torque transferred via the G1150 gearbox and RA109SRT rear axle. 4923.S is also offered with multiple fully-built load body options:


The 3118.T is a MAV (multi-axle vehicle) truck with both, steerable and Lift Axle options. Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 31 tons. The front bumper is a 3 piece one to reduce maintenance costs since you don't need to change the full bumper when damaged:


The front now has a plastic cladding but the metal design still remains underneath:


Powered by a Tata Cummins B5.9L 6-cylinder engine with 178 BHP and 675 Nm of torque:


Truck cabins are increasingly receiving creature comforts from cars. Fleet owners have realised that a comfortable driver is a more productive, safer driver. Standard Tata CV steering:


Instrument console includes meters for the air brakes too:


Proper HVAC & room for a single-din stereo! This truck also has an inbuilt telematics system - Tata FleetMan link:


Damn, that brake pedal is huge! Looks more like an accelerator:

[GTO]

The Prima 4040.S – Long haul voluminous / white goods carriage:


Yep, that's the 'eye'! This truck has safety features such as Lane Departure Warning System and Autonomous Emergency Braking System (more info)!


Very car-like cabin with a multi-function steering, double-din stereo, HVAC & more. The transmission on this is a 16 speed one:




You can tell this is the export version. Aluminium tank...


...with a urea tank for reducing emissions:


The Prima Race Truck:


To know how it drives, click here:

[GTO]

The Ultra 1518, a new production ready variant from Tata Motors. It has a fully-built extended Sleeper cabin (three seats and a sleeper bed):


GVW of 15.7 tons and a payload of 9.7 tons:


Has a 5 liter, 4 cylinder engine with a power range of 180 - 210 PS and a torque range of 590 - 805 Nm:


Special purpose 1415 with 4x4 & snow chains. Dedicated thread:

[GTO]

The Ultra Electric Bus Concept. First full-electric bus from Tata Motors with zero emissions and noiseless operation:


Targets staff, school & general city transportation. The battery pack is actually on the roof at the front:


Automatic makes it easier on the driver. Features include inbuilt Telematics, charging points and a Wi-Fi hotspot:


LED DRLs :




The Starbus Hybrid:


A CNG Hybrid Bus, using Electric & CNG modes:


As you can see the signs on the bus have Mumbai addresses. That's because this bus is confirmed for a Mumbai launch this year:


These buses are fitted with CCTV cameras and Intelligence Transport Systems (ITS) for public information via GPS & electronic destination display boards. These indicate the expected time of arrival at bus stops and route announcements within the bus:

[GTO]

The Iris Ziva with zero tailpipe emissions! Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Uses an indigenously developed PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell:


12 BHP and 42 Nm peak torque:


68 liter Hydrogen cylinder. Tata claims that a refill takes 5 minutes and she can do 200 kms on a tank:


2 hour recharging. Fast charging support. Up to 40 kms on battery backup, if needed:


Harmless steam output only!




Seem to be 3 cooling fans for the battery pack?




AT gearlever with a touchscreen above:


From the backseat of an Iris to a 7-Series (image link), Eddy experienced them all! Such is the diversity of the Auto Expo:


Remember the steam output on top? This is the exhaust plumbing:




The Tata Ace Mega XL:


With a 2-cylinder aluminum 800 cc BS4 DICOR engine, delivering 40 PS via a 5-speed gearbox. Top speed of 80 kph:




8.2 ft loading deck with a rated payload of 1 Ton:








Don't miss the cell-phone mount:

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Auto Expo Section!

[girishglg]

Was really looking for more of the commercial vehicle segment threads and yes Tatas are the real heavy weights in our country.

The new Signa range some how has the resemblance to MAN trucks on the cab front, however they do give away if one looks at the roof, a typical Tata cab. Apart from this nothing much seems to be a debut but a strong representation nevertheless.

[nkghai]

Originally Posted by GTO

You can tell this is the export version. Aluminium tank...

Wow. Good to see the 400 Ltr square Aluminium tank on the Prima on both sides.
TATA had in 2010 started exploring the aluminium fuel tanks and we had procured a seamless welding machine and fabricated an automated bender for the square fuel tanks. Since i left that company in 2011, had always wondered whether the Aluminium fuel tank saw the light of the day. Thanks for sharing this picture.
BTW i can only make out only one air tank in the center or am i missing something.
Also something for the information of members which most may already be knowing but i was unaware till i joined a TATA Ancillary is the numbering meaning. What does 3518 stand for. It means that 35 (first two figures) is the GVW and 18 stands for first two figures of the engine horse power. Therefore 3518 means 35 Tons vehicle with 180 horse power engine. 4523 will mean a 45 ton vehicle with 230 horses. So you can make out three versions of TATA trucks launched with the same 180 HP engine in the expo. Just thought i will share.

[peterjim13]

Thanks for this brilliant thread, it actually deserved such a thread.

I have not been to many AutoExpos, and from the ones I remember, the Marcopolo Hybrid and the electric vehicles in the fleet makes it look like an international show.

Hope to see more of these on roads too.

[TheARUN]

What about the Busses, does anybody have pictures of them? I was expecting Tata to launch their Marcopolo Paradiso multi-axle coach at the Expo

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by TheARUN

What about the Busses, does anybody have pictures of them? I was expecting Tata to launch their Marcopolo Paradiso multi-axle coach at the Expo

Only 2 buses were on display; The Ultra Electric concept and the new Starbus Hybrid.

[Amartya]

Originally Posted by nkghai

TATA had in 2010 started exploring the aluminium fuel tanks and we had procured a seamless welding machine and fabricated an automated bender for the square fuel tanks. Since i left that company in 2011, had always wondered whether the Aluminium fuel tank saw the light of the day. Thanks for sharing this picture.

These are the kind of anecdotes I love to read, and I felt that just hitting the "thanks" button was not enough . If you get the time (and feel like it), would you mind sharing other anecdotes about R&D? Naturally, anything that's meant to be confidential, should remain so.

Originally Posted by nkghai

Also something for the information of members which most may already be knowing but i was unaware till i joined a TATA Ancillary is the numbering meaning. What does 3518 stand for. It means that 35 (first two figures) is the GVW and 18 stands for first two figures of the engine horse power. Therefore 3518 means 35 Tons vehicle with 180 horse power engine. 4523 will mean a 45 ton vehicle with 230 horses. So you can make out three versions of TATA trucks launched with the same 180 HP engine in the expo. Just thought i will share.

Very neat! I had asked a truck mechanic once what 1612 stood for, and he'd mentioned that it's a 16 ton, 120 horse power machine. I was really happy to see that Tata Motors had taken the time to teach their repairmen (he was a mechanic for an authorized service center) the roots of their model nomenclature/naming scheme.

One of the more surprising things for me was that Tata Motors has a working (that's an assumption, but I think that's fair?) Fuel Cell vehicle. I would love to know if they have figured out a way to make the fuel cell architecture safe for commercial applications (as in, the hydrogen tank is well protected etc.).

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by Amartya

Very neat! I had asked a truck mechanic once what 1612 stood for, and he'd mentioned that it's a 16 ton, 120 horse power machine. I was really happy to see that Tata Motors had taken the time to teach their repairmen

Same nomenclature with AshokLeyland, Eicher, AMW , most Indian CV's

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Jomz

Same nomenclature with AshokLeyland, Eicher, AMW , most Indian CV's

Eicher follows a different nomenclature, which I'm yet to figure out. However, their Pro series follows a pattern.
The <tthp> style nomenclature (where tt is the GVW and hp is the power in bhp/10) is more like a standard across the heavyweights - Daimler, MAN, Kamaz, etc to add to our homegrown giants.

[nkghai]

Originally Posted by Amartya

These are the kind of anecdotes I love to read, would you mind sharing other anecdotes about R&D?

Sheet metal industry is a very challenging field with constant improvements in metal compositions, treatment methods and then in fabricating equipment like presses and welding machines. So one is always on the go and every January/February there is an IMTEX (Indian Metal Forming Machine Tool Exhibition) in Bangalore, where the latest in the industry is displayed.
The development of the 400 Ltr square tank has been a gradual process with these first being introduced in certain local models, with normal painting on the outside, then specially treated and powder coated for Prima Truck and finally on to the Aluminium fuel tanks for export model. The challenge being the seamless fusion during weld and since most aluminium sheets have Silica and Magnesium coating, we struggled a lot with the settings as the sheets were all imported.
Maybe nit picking, but i found that the weld joint on the fuel tank is visible in the front, it should be behind and not on filler cap side. Small but important issue companies have to take care of. Also i find that the filler neck in the far off tank is seemingly longer than the one which is fully visible, which has hardly any neck but a stub. Or is it the angle of the photograph?