[drsingh]

I wanted to check out the refreshed sumo but the local tata showroom has been shuttered down . Are they pulling of a make over on their showrooms? Or perhaps new product training?

[Mirage]

has the Tata Motors workshop at worli shut down ?

[Dry Ice]

While I appreciate the effort TML is making to keep itself relevant in the market, they have to understand, in these fiercely competitive times, reactive approach doesn't work. They should be proactive with their launches. Look at M&M.

[Mad Max]

Again, IMO, they wasted all this money re-working some old designs with chrome and touch-ups. I'd have rather invested only in the face lift of the Nano and Indigo / Indica and left the Sumo and the Safari re-work out. Tata needs a new car. Period. Any amount of subtlety will not work in its favor.

Dear Tata, please hire one of your Jag designers for your passenger cars and a LandRover designer for your SUV division. It would do a world of good. I am not expecting a sleek Jag badged as Tata and sold at 5L.

All I ask is that you don't bolt on a cardboard box behind an Indica and call it an Indigo. Or slap weird garish-pattern stickers on a thoroughly outdated design and call it Sumo Gold.

Still have faith in you. But you seem to have lost faith in yourselves.

[arup.misra]

Good to see some facing saving changes. Move in the right direction given that they dont really have anything to be launched in the next two years. This move will atleast help instill confidence amongst buyers that they are being heard. Hope this quality improvement exercise keeps improving and peaks at the time of their new launch.

Amongst the lot, think Nano (especially the Alpha edition) looks the best and will surely attract more buyers.

[ku69rd]

Refreshed wine bottles, somehow felt that this is a short gap arrangement by TMIL. They should go in for a complete revamp of their model cause they are now quite outdated with their looks. Some more neutral designed cars with more emphasis on quality of engine & Interiors.

Anyways all the best hopefully this gives them the much needed boost. Hoping that their ASS is now better tuned and an orientation towards customer care is present.

[lifebuoy]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

The display showcase included an Indigo and a Sumo Gold cut into two:

Great report. In quite detail, along with pictures to visualize. Great Going TATA Motors ! Hope it infuses some life and keeps the good products going !

Wonder why the ARIA does not figure here in their refreshed cars' list ?

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by lifebuoy

Wonder why the ARIA does not figure here in their refreshed cars' list ?

I read somewhere that the Aria is having problems with the Gearbox.. precisely the quoted output (160 bhp) is not being produced because of the gearbox. I may be incorrect (thanks to my online source), but, I sincerely hope this one repeats the Indica V2 story (success after initial setback).

[rkg]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

I read somewhere that the Aria is having problems with the Gearbox.. precisely the quoted output (160 bhp) is not being produced because of the gearbox. I may be incorrect (thanks to my online source), but, I sincerely hope this one repeats the Indica V2 story (success after initial setback).

I have heard that the new gear box is very good and will last long compared to the present one. time frame quoted was 3 months

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by jkdas

moralfibre: can you confirm that you found the fit and finish ( gaps etc) better?

JK, the display cars did not show gaps and inconsistent fittings. However, we should wait for real world users to confirm the same as it has been time and again proven that a short drive on a bumpy road is good enough to unsettle what is initially a good factory finish. The polished dash and well presented interior did come out as "better" to me. I have been in an Indica several times and this appearance was a welcome change to me. Wonder why manufacturers choose stupid colours like Brey (Beige + Grey) for their cars when simple Black + Silver combo suits most cars.

[CARDEEP]

Originally Posted by rkg

I have heard that the new gear box is very good and will last long compared to the present one. time frame quoted was 3 months

The gearbox is of good quality, but, matching output with emissions is equally important, & I believe TML is fine tuning the best combination for Aria Refersh.

[desertfox]

The rules of the game are changing very fast.

Toyota Etios and Etios Liva Diesel is here to stay and commercial taxi operators are fast taking to the superior and more economical product.

Tata motors can no way match the Toyota Qality, reliability and economy.

I see very bad days ahead for Indica and Indigo.

The world has changed and so has India.

[djpeesh]

Tata Motors' 'launching 8 new models' is like your local bania taking old products and sticking a new expiry date on them. It's still the old stuff that's gonna make you sick.

Also, the stock of chrome that Tata bought by the container load needs to be finished, hence every car must now sport so much chrome that Tata Motors can change its name to Chrome Motors.

What Tata really needs is a brand new (not brand new second hand fourth facelift) model with ZERO niggles to show customers they're absolutely cracking the whip on their well-known quality issues.

A friend bought a Storme as Tata claimed to have solved all the niggles from the old Safari on the Storme, which was absolute doss, given the problems he seems to be having. Then last week, I met someone from Tata Motors who said that post HorizonNext, the problems on the Storme have now been solved. So its a never ending saga which ultimately kills your brand.

When a customer buys a Maruti, he doesn't wait for the niggles to settle down. He's confident that the product will by-and-large be niggle free from the get go. So why have different standards for a Mahindra or a Tata. At least Mahindra is responsive in solving problems. Dealing with Tata is almost as bad as dealing with IRCTC. Enough said. Let's see what they've got up their sleeve.

[And before anyone flames me for bashing Tata, I've owned THREE generations of Safaris, and while the product has improved, the problems are still as bad as the first Safari we bought in 1998]

[desertfox]

That is the point, in finesse, technology and niggle free customer experience Tata motors need to match at least maruti levels first then think of taking on Toyota, Nissan and Honda.

What comes out of their production lines are very crude products indeed.

Today if I am a taxi operator why should I buy an Indigo XL when I can get a Toyota Etios at the same price. Say + or _ Rs. 50,000 to 70,000.

Toyota is a far superior product, better finish which will give absolutely niggle free service till 4 years or 300,000 KM I would have recovered my money twice over if i rent out such a vehicle at Rs. 15 / Km.

An Indigo will go kaput at 150,000 Km vibrating and shaking, rattling from every corner, the engine will emit black soot, expensive engine re boring will happen at 100,000 to 110,000 KM, there will be oil leaks, oil seal leaks, suspension replacements, 10 instances of failed electricals, doors rattling, poor airconditioning.

Compare it to the world leader, In the Toyota Etios diesel, fuel filter is replaced at 150,000 KM. Can you imagine the confidance these things promise!

The path is clear now, innovate, lead or get out.

[gauravdgr8]

Originally Posted by desertfox

Today if I am a taxi operator why should I buy an Indigo XL when I can get a Toyota Etios at the same price. Say + or _ Rs. 50,000 to 70,000.

Indigo XL? Which year are we living in. With the Manza launch, normal Indigo & XL range was stopped around 20009/10. It's only the eCS and Indica that people buy for taxis & eCS is easily cheaper by 1.5-2 lacs than the Etios. Only of you drive the Toyota for half a million kms, you will be able to recover that amount.

Yes, Etios is surely a better product than eCS, but that's comparing apples to oranges.

Etios can be compared to the Manza. Manza is super spacious, engine is proven and Tata service is improving by the day.