[JayPrashanth]

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Tata Motors has announced that it will refresh its entire line of cars with nip and tuck jobs over the next few months until a new line of all new models arrive in the coming years. June 19th, 2013 is when Tata Motors is expected to showcase the likes of the 2013 Nano along with its CNG version, and the facelifted Indigo eCS compact sedan. Another car that will join the facelift list is the Indica eV2, a work horse car from Tata Motors, and one that has been motoring along for quite a while now with periodic refreshes. The Indica eV2 is the least priced diesel cars that money can buy in India, and is now firmly entrenched in the cabbie market. The refresh might not change this aspect of the car.



Team-BHP has scooped the Indica eV2 doing testing duties in and around the Tata Motors factory at Pimpri, off Pune. We've managed to gathered a bunch of details about the various changes on the facelifted model of the car.

• The car will get the new Urban Brown paint job, the same colour seen on the Indigo eCS facelift.
  
• The front bumper to see a redesign and will look similar to what the facelifted Indigo eCS offers.
  
• Chrome surrounds for the fog lamps
  
• Grille gets a dollop of chrome (current eV2 grille has a grey finish)
  
• Hatch lid will get a chrome strip somewhat similar to the chrome detailing on the Indigo Marina, but wider
  
• New alloy wheel design for the top end variant
  
• Beige colour scheme on the dashboard
  
• Silver accents will replace wood finish on the center console
  
• 1.4 Liter CR4 turbo diesel engine might get a slight tweak (Not confirmed)

The Indica eV2 will continue to play the role of a diesel price warrior and will continue with the 1.4 liter CR4 turbo diesel engine as its mainstay. The engine, good for 70 Bhp-140 Nm, is mated to a 5 speed manual gearbox. The Indica eV2 comes with a high ARAI fuel efficiency rating of 25 Kmpl and this mileage figure will continue to be the major selling point of the car. An end-June launch is what we anticipate for the Indica eV2 facelift.

[Deep Blue]

I find it funny that they need to camouflage this car for testing! It is been around for so long that I dont think people would give it a second look.
Any change in the mechanicals in the car? What are they testing for?

[vaisakhr]

"A new paint some chrome and new bumper, here you go guys our NEW car!!" - Tata
Is this how they bring new models? Its time for them to drop that ancient chasis. I had an Indica and it used to roll like a boat.

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by Deep Blue

I find it funny that they need to camouflage this car for testing! It is been around for so long that I dont think people would give it a second look.

Maybe that's exactly why it has been camouflaged. To attract some attention, get people to give it a second look and create whatever little hype that can be created.

[Contrapunto]

As an Indica eV2 user for a couple of years now, IMHO this is a waste of time, money, effort and management bandwidth. Nobody buys the Indica for its "cool looks" and all this effort to just do a "nip and tuck" is not going to help lift sales. There is nothing wrong with the engine or the transmission, its the rest of the stuff that is all awry. I hope they have listened to customers and are doing some changes to improve its horrible ergonomics (pedal position/ alignments, tilt steering and maybe an optional ABS). Its a misconception that the cab market is always ripe for shoddy stuff- it is not. Look at the number of fleets going in for Innova, Etios and Logan, neither of which are the cheapest in class. Even customers these demand nice, quiet, ergonomic cars these days. I know I do- and the fleet operators are but responding.

So is TML going to introspect and bite the bullet on what is relevant, as opposed to the superficial? I sincerely hope so- eV2 is otherwise a nice car. But going by past track record, I am afraid, very afraid........

[zenren]

Originally Posted by StarrySky

Maybe that's exactly why it has been camouflaged. To attract some attention, get people to give it a second look and create whatever little hype that can be created.

True, if it came without camouflage, I would have thought of it as some custom mod job, since most 'new' parts are direct lift from the eCS.

[EagleEye]

Why they call it a 'facelift' is beyond me.
It looks exactly the same as the old Indica and I predict that it wont affect their sales one little bit.

C'mon Tata, make some real changes in your designs!

[i74js]

I am not sure but if they have done something with the dash, it might bring some interest.

They have made some changes few years back but that was about it.

- They should make space for a double din atleast.

Exterior

- There is too much of body roll, some adjustments in suspension is thus required to reduce it

-If they are designing top end with alloys, why not consider ABS+EBD and Adjustable Steering Column?

Engine & allied components:

Most of the time you see the engine bay open on the road side, people confirm following (one can also see it without even asking)

- Coolant leak (poor quality pipes, and bad circuit design of radiator fan - the wires burn, or the fan stops because of poor quality), they should also consider using better coolant with longer change life - Toyota offers coolent which can stay good for more than 1 Lac km.

If Tata is playing this product for Taxi, which is okay - they will have to ensure that VFM does not mean "just cheap".

The "Taxi walla" are also operating in market and while hiring taxi, we sepacifically seek - Clean & Reliable Car with a Good Driver. The reliability has a lot to do with manufacturer and not alone the taxi operator. Tata must learn from Toyota & Mahindra (for their taxi segment cars - Etios & Verito) I would even say Ford Classic - one gem of a car even for operation as taxi.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by Deep Blue

I find it funny that they need to camouflage this car for testing! It is been around for so long that I dont think people would give it a second look.

It clearly, sadly shows the self-destructive, suicidal mindset of this once-glorious company and its once-well-respected top management. They are still thinking that the Indica is a great brand name, that the car still has a great future. And that its design is something iconic like the 911. They are simply not listening to the winds of change.

Let me sum up in one word: megalomania.

Big trouble ahead for the dealer network which is slowly being dragged into a soup. Even bigger trouble ahead for an existing Tata owner who now find himself dealing with an unprofessional support network; looks like he will now have to deal with an unprofessional support network that's in a soup and probably in red. As a former V2 owner who bought the car in its heydays, I can very well imagine their predicament.

[rajshenoy]

Jet another Joke from TATA motors !! These pics should be shared as part of Official jokes thread.

I dont see anything different in this car. May be Tata is launching refresh version by putting a "Refresh" Sticker along with Indica badge

[saket77]

REWARD: RS. 10, 00, 000/- for giving any information/ pointing any facelifted features on the car.

One more useless version to add to the list of versions on a Tata car. BTW, is Indica by far the vehicle with maximum number of versions & models? This is only confusing the customer. Though, I am no expert, but have more than average knowledge about automobiles, but if I am (forced) to buy a Tata car (no offence to the owners please) , I would be so confused which model to buy. Imagine the plight of the general people who do not have too much knowledge.

And seriously, is this a facelift? Please 'pin'-point it if any one finds something new in it.

[CARDEEP]

Hi @saket77,

Please pay off the reward to @JayPrashanth, as he is listed everything in the original post.

Jokes apart... either Tata needs to work more on this car rather than this nip & tuck, which is barely visible or sell this car at Alto price point to offer value to customer rather than this bullshit.

They need to learn that they have little reputation in non-commercial small car market, & are losing market share like never before before. So, these baby steps are not sufficient in the race to top. IMO, they should do the following for the car:
1. Reduce the weight of the body shell.
2. Improve the dash design which is almost 2-decades old & a decade past its expiry.
3. The front is OK with the Indigo inspired headlamps, bumper & air dam, but, at the rear the Christmas Tree tail lamps must go. These are again a decade past the expiry.
4. Continuing with the rear, the 2-decade old roundish rear design should also go & be replaced with a slightly sharper design.
5. They can also move from the softest suspension to marginally harder one so that it can be appreciated both by enthusiasts & families at the same time.
6. The door handles should also be changed to grab rails.
7. The fit & finish needs working on, though not drastically at this price-point, but still .

Lastly, BD Sir please read this post & share with honchos in TML.

Last request for BD Sir (again), could you pass on my suggestion to the Board to have the QC Department in Tata sent for "Kaala-Pani" sentence, so that they are unable to ruin the company's reputation & buyers trips again.

[Pandher]

The camouflage is as poorly thought of as the facelift itself. Its high time the biggies at Tata realize that thier future is being handled with crude levity by their innovative management.
They should ditch the Indica/Indigo platform completely and come up with something new if they want to hold a future position.

[sunny310c]

What the hell is Tata doing? Is this the best they can come up with? They haven't put out a new model in the market for years now and are just trying to keep their ship afloat on facelifts. Even for a facelift, this is a pathetic attempt. Have they got no designers left anymore? They seem unable to rise to the challenge thrown by Maruti and Hyundai. Their cars are dull, drab, with unimaginative designs, made with little regard to what today's customer wants, light years away from what is hot in the market. Maybe they should just concentrate of making commercial vehicles cause they clearly have no clue on how to make a popular passenger vehicle. Karl Slym really has his task cut out. If they continue along the path that they are on, soon TATA Motors will only be known as the company that owns JLR (they are almost there now).

Came across a nice article. Not sure if this has been posted already but here it is.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...cle4721051.ece

[samya]

Tata's, need to improve the following essential things to stand Indica in the market otherwise, they go for better new vehicles.
1. Suspension both front and rear
2.Cooling system
3.Wheel alignment issues
4.Service intervals