[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by teamveevee

They need to come up with a VW-Audi, Toyota-Lexus, Honda-Acura, Nissan-Infiniti kind of strategy. Designs and parts are shared by both (Tata and JLR), but the products are entirely different in character and packaging. Spin off passenger cars into a separate division. .

Looks like TML is headed in the right direction...Now how much time it will take for them to come up with these new products, how much money they would like to invest!..Does the management has the experience to pull this off? Will they able to transform and motivate employees to get things done?

Tata Motors is also working on its next generation of vehicles with the Land Rover team. The next generation will share Land Rover’s technology, which means that the next-generation could make things difficult for the rivals. However, there is still some time to go for that, and hence our current focus will be on the existing range, which will soon receive an upgrade.

Source: http://www.cardekho.com/india-car-ne...ange-10404.htm

[GrammarNazi]

I suppose the biggest risk TATA took was to sell the Nano when TASS was notoriously problematic. NO other company IMHO would have the guts to do that. No wonder Maruti so vocally ridiculed TATA numerous times after they announced plans for the Nano.

They've seemed to have changed from their "old notorious selves" to reasonably pleasant service experiences being reported now. Any company capable of SUCH refinement is worthy of some respect. I feel if some of the last few 'i's are dotted & 't's are crossed, they're going to be able to stay.

What was lost/forgotten among the "niggling issues" was the superior ride comfort their cars gave, not to mention the VFM pricing they offer.

My reservation is that TATA must wait & earn back reasonable amount of goodwill for a reasonable amount of time (1 yr) before they start charging a premium for their products. Also, it'll be good if they themselves start showing some faith in their products and put across some serious warranty offers. With these in place, and they'll not only 'Stay', but infact thrive in the market.

Opinions/Corrections/Responses awaited.

[TheARUN]

Hiving off the divisions is the best way forward for TATA MOTORS, that way they will be able to isolate the rotten apple, pity that all the JLR profits are wiped out by low performance at home

The absolute worst case scenario would be TATA MOTORS going bust, what happened in America after the Japanese onslaught is repeating itself here in India, guess only China could buck the trend by going illegal

[gupta_chd]

Originally Posted by psbali

When we were getting our Aria I asked around for people's opinion on the looks of the car and they all said that Aria looks Indica/Manza types. On last sunday itself a friend joked about my car. Asked "Aaaj zara tere indigo mein ghooma". I just couldnt come up with a reply at all.. Imagine having spent over 15 lacs on a car and hearing that from a person who has driven to my place in a 15 year old Zen, just puts you off no matter how indifferent you are towards people's opinion.

I think that is gross and just to put you off in friendly manner.

Aria doesnt look anything like Indica/Indigo in my opinion except for the christmas tree set up. This is just stupid they could not come up with a new design for tail lights in 15 yers. Or I guess they may be targeting a family look for their cars taking insipration from the world of audis and others

[oxyzen]

It is the working culture of Tata that is to blame. Inspite of having enough resources ($$) and manpower for RnD they are not being able to produce anything mind-blowing. Then the timeline for every project way is too long. Part of this is due to the laid back attitude of the management and employees. There are no strict deadlines, No pressure on employees, No pressure on vendors, Appalling quality control are some of the main reasons for its current state of affairs. One of my friend who has currently moved in to Tata motors was all in praise for the infrastructure and astonished at the level of work pressure (or the lack of it). Working in Tata motors is like working in a government organization & that is not just his words but most employees. How many of us Indians work voluntarily with their heart out without a stick. Very few I guess.

On the other hand Mahindra is known to extract the most out of its employees. And look where have they reached. There are two ways to make people work. The carrot and the stick. Tata motors offer neither.

The same applies to its dealers as well!

[saket77]

They are seriously going nowhere except further down if they do not go for an immediate product and image re-branding, including their service centers. And that is not easy. They need to come out with not one or two, but a complete new line-up of passenger vehicles which would have nothing in common with their current-gen cars...well, yes, including names and the Christmas tree set-up at rear. And no more 'updated' or 'refreshed' versions of same cars.

They have failed in giving the customers anything new since last so many years, that too in this competitive market. Why?

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

I feel if some of the last few 'i's are dotted & 't's are crossed, they're going to be able to stay.

I am sorry, but I could not get what you actually meant here.

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by saket77

I am sorry, but I could not get what you actually meant here...

Sry, maybe that didn't come out right.

With respect to the service experience I've had in the past 2.5 years and based on some of my friends' experiences, they aren't giving any problems per se'. Although, there are some rare instances when they miss out and service quality isn't top notch (for Ex. Improper washing or some minor stain).

Originally Posted by saket77

They are seriously going nowhere except further down if they do not go for an immediate product and image re-branding, including their service centers. And that is not easy. They need to come out with not one or two, but a complete new line-up of passenger vehicles which would have nothing in common with their current-gen cars...well, yes, including names and the Christmas tree set-up at rear. And no more 'updated' or 'refreshed' versions of same cars.

This is definitely true. They seriously need to revamp their offerings. It's time they phase out the not only the Manza or Vista, but also the Indigo like design. I feel they're too old designs and have reached the end of their PLC.

[GrammarNazi]

So Karl Slym just released the new year press release, (http://m.thehindubusinessline.com/co...o%2FJK6XaQ3KnR)

...There is an important need for steps to improve the economic sentiment that serves as a catalyst for overall economic growth, not just the auto business.

These include major government steps towards infrastructure, phased lift on the ban in mining, clarity on investment in different sectors, a rational look at taxation across industries including automotive, and speedy implementation of policies and schemes that strongly position India as a key investment destination.

Key role

Globally, government interventions have played a key role in restoring automobile demand in their respective markets, given the implications on economic revival and employment generation. For one, it is important to look at a more rational tax structure as well as a revival of government buying. There is also a need for greater focus on road infrastructure and developing, promoting and modernising public transport.

The latter calls for a holistic look at public transport including alternative fuels — we have already seen some success with CNG in a few markets — as well as updating policies. For instance, we now have highly competitive four-wheeler products that could equally ply as the last mile transport while offering greater user-safety and are more environment-friendly.

An incentivised fleet modernisation policy for the replacement of vehicles in 10 years for commercial vehicles and 15 years for passenger vehicles will not just help the industry but, more importantly, bring safer and less-polluting vehicles on our roads.

Global products

The other major change is an even more globalised customer, demanding a more exciting product backed by great service experience. Our own experiences in the commercial vehicles business is a great learning. We have successfully grown our market share in trucks and buses in a declining market, simply because we continue to offer great products and low total cost of ownership backed by great service. This is something we will now also bring back into our passenger vehicles business — global products that offer design aesthetics matched with great performance.

Our response at Tata Motors has been to define our Horizonext, a four-pronged strategy based on intense product focus, world-class manufacturing quality and enriched customer sales and service experience. We began to see some validation of these efforts with a significantly improved ranking in the JD Powers Sales Survey. 2014 will really see the fruition of our strategy — we are all set to bring in completely new range of cars, with an all-new petrol engine that we believe will challenge some of the existing status quo in the passenger car industry.

...

So we expect 2014 to be a really exciting year as the industry brings in all-new products and Tata Motors will certainly look to surprise the passenger car industry with new benchmarks in product and service excellence while continuing to lead from the front in the commercial vehicles industry. 2014 for Tata Motors is all about more global products for India that merge design and performance in an increasingly connected world, more global markets to bring within our domain, great new innovative ways to reach out to our customers from our own touch-points and in the virtual world, continue to innovate with technology, be it with our play across conventional or alternative fuels, be in the human-machine interface, be it for customer service.

We want our customers to expect more from us in 2014 and we will passionately work to deliver global products.

The author is the Managing Director of Tata Motors.

Also, seems like they're still keenly interested in improving the Indian market and doesn't seem like there's any brain-drain (shifting interests to European markets) of any particular sort - as reported here by someone.

Moderators may please edit if they find any section irrelevant.
Rgds.

[anjan_c2007]

Things were not going hunky dory or as predicted, ever since Tata Motors (earlier Telco) entered into the car making business.

The earliest to enter was the Tata Mobile (1989), an indigenous effort worthy of being emulated. It was successful no doubt, as a mini pick-up or as as chassis meant to be built up as a sedan or a saloon with A.C., to derive the best from its diesel economy.

The Sierra (1991) and Estate (1993) launched as its earliest entries in this segment under the tutelage of stalwarts like Mr J.R.D. Tata and Mr Sumant Moolgaoankar, met with some initial success but soon, they were nowhere in the car buyer's wishlist.

The same kind of hoopla generated with the Tata Sumo (1995), did not last very long. No upgrades were launched and the competition ate away its market pie.

The Safari was a masterstroke by the company to tread into a very lucrative segment. But again it failed to offer upgrades that would beat the competition. The market niche was quite new in 1998, but within 4 years the competition offered better models as a choice.

With the coming of the Indica in 1999 and soon the Indigo, it was hoped that the rules of the game would change. But again, the initial bookings and sales hype were shortlived. Quality control was dismal and the commonly reported glitches were ignored by the management. The V2 was the only solution offered by 2002. The car has had a long run in the market with upgrades too, but is now shunned by many buyers. Today, these models are tagged as taxis.

The Nano failed as a concept to offer affordable motoring to the masses. Before its launch, critics would say that the roads would become clogged with the Rs 1 lakh car as a huge majority of two wheeler owners would upgrade. But that remained a pipe dream. Now, with a monthly average sale of 500 -600 units, its fate is sealed.

The Aria again was a typical Tata Motors product , totallly at odds with the market thinking and a price tag that proved to be its undoing. The Zest (launched) and Bolt (to be launched) are selling, but it is not known as to how Tata Motors will keep up the hype of the new launches alive. Only time will tell !

We in India had a lot of faith that homegrown Tata Motors would remain perched as the no. 3 car maker (it is tough to beat MSIL and HMIL in the present circumstances) in our country, but that was not to be. It was plagued with failures and more failures. Tata Motors has been sluggish in adapting to the newer ground truths and its unfortunate that it has become a victim of critic bashing, since about a decade.

It is really puzzling that our fellow citizens, who are top honchos in Tata Sons and in Tata Motors could not position proper products vis a vis the popular sentiments and demands of buyers. Foreign companies with foreign citizens on their boards have been much shrewd to gauge the pulse of the market and accordingly position their models. Honda is the latest example.

The link from rediff business gives an account of the Tata Motors saga:-

http://www.rediff.com/business/repor...m/20141001.htm

( Quote: During the year ended March 2014, Tata Motors sold as many passenger cars in India as it did in 2003-04. Even Maruti Suzuki, which sells nearly 10 times more cars than Tata Motors, doesn't straddle so many segments. The story might have been different if Tata Motors had tried to win one segment at a time just like it built its commercial vehicle business. Unquote)

[luvtandon]

Mods – Didn’t find a thread on the above mentioned topic, so decided to create a new one. If any such thread exists then be kind enough to merge it with the existing thread.

Hello to all bhpians, this is my first thread on the forum and I’m also not that well versed in writing, so I request you all to be a little patient with my writing skills and forgive me if I unintentionally offend someone.

A lot has been heard about the lax attitude at Tata Motors, missed deadlines, apathy of the TASS towards the ordeal of customers, long list of niggles in TML’s vehicles and so on and so forth.

Was going through the Hindustan Times this morning and found a booklet in the paper which had 12 pages in it which was all about TML’s new offering “ZEST”. The revolutionary Revotron 1.2 T MPFI turbo charged engine, the mighty Quadrajet 1.3 L CRDI diesel engine, the performance of the car, the safety features, the design, the creature comforts, connectivity with 5” Harman touch screen multi-media system and how the Auto Blogs, the analysts, the reviewers and the media is going ga-ga on the new iteration.

It also talked about Horizonext, the evolutionary initiative through which TML plans to constantly improve itself and states that it is just a beginning for things which are to come.

I can neither comment on the accuracy of the data or comments given in the booklet nor state that whatever written in the booklet is the true blue picture.

What I can say in my opinion is that TML has started to connect with the public at large through the same media whom they used to dodge earlier.

Whether this is due to the induction of Mr. Mayank Pareek as President of its Passenger Vehicle Business Unit (PVBU) and our own Mr. Behram Dhabar.

Whether this is going to be a new stage for TML from where it will re-launch itself to build the legacy it deserves and is a sign of things to come or this is just a passing phase only time will tell.

We can just hope that this is a new start and that All’s well that ends well i.e. the problems do not matter when the outcome is good and the outcome has to be good enough.

The booklet is given here below for the reference of fellow members :

[pamiboy]

I having been saying for a long time that Tata needs to fire it's entire design team and hire a young international design team who have expertise in working with major international automakers.
Their (Tata's) current car designs are so uninspiring and evoke 80s and 90s feeling. Not a single product has got stunning / killer looks. Public perceptions of a car starts with its exterior first and foremost. If that isn't right then it takes a lot of effort on the interior and other parts to make up for it.
They seemed to have learned nothing from owning JLR.
I really hope someday they will wake up and start reinventing themselves. Otherwise I hate to see them rot like this.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by luvtandon

The booklet is given here below for the reference of fellow members :

In the third page, under evolution in design- the picture looks to be of the Storme. TATA Motors still can't manage to print a booklet without error?

Or am I missing something?

[turbospooler]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

In the third page, under evolution in design- the picture looks to be of the Storme. TATA Motors still can't manage to print a booklet without error?

Or am I missing something?

I don't think the booklet has any error.
If you read the transcript mentioned there, it talks about the general features of all Tata passenger vehicles.
They have even mentioned names like "Aria, Nano, Indigo CS" to point out the features they have.

[luvtandon]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

In the third page, under evolution in design- the picture looks to be of the Storme. TATA Motors still can't manage to print a booklet without error?

As rightly pointed out by @turbospooler, the booklet alongwith the Zest also mentions the other initiatives TML is contemplating as mentioned in the original post.

It also talked about Horizonext, the evolutionary initiative through which TML plans to constantly improve itself and states that it is just a beginning for things which are to come.

[drsingh]

The time is right for Tata motors to pull off what Bajaj Pulsar did to the monopoly of hero honda .It Made a scooter company into a bike company . The fuel pricing is trending down/Stable. Tata is starting with a clean slate. They should take risks to launch unique products in terms of styling and equipment. An awesome product will always find buyers.

The more I think about it,They should go for a logo change just like Bajaj!