[JayPrashanth]

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Tata Motors is on a major drive to refresh its existing line of products. These refreshes form a part of the HORIZONEXT strategy that the automaker is betting big on, in order to turn around its passenger car business. The refreshing of Tata Motors' existing line of products will continue until a new range of cars under the Advanced Modular Platform (AMP) arrive to take over the mantle from existing offerings.



While the likes of the Nano, Indica, Indigo and Sumo Gold saw the first round of refreshes, the second round is expected to touch MUVs and SUVs such as the Sumo Grande and the Aria. Team-BHP has just scooped the Sumo Grande Facelift, caught testing close to the Tata Motors factory at Pimpri, off Pune. The facelifted model shows new styling details, which suggest that it is a refresh we're looking at.



The new styling details include a bumper applique on the front, blacked out window-line, blacked out B, C and D pillars (previously, only the B and C pillars were blacked out), new reflectors atop the tail lamps and a black sticker finish that runs across the car body's bottom to give it a more butch look. Details about the interiors and mechanical changes if any, remain unknown at this point in time.



These changes seem similar to what the facelifted Mahindra Xylo, the Grande's direct competitor, features. In its current guise, the Grande features a 2.2 liter DICOR turbo diesel engine that outputs 120 PS-250 Nm. This engine drives the rear wheels of the Grande by means of a 5 speed manual gearbox. The Grande is available in both BS-III as well as BS-IV guises. 7, 8 and 9 seat options are available on the MUV.



Once a leader in the MUV segment with the Sumo, Tata Motors has steadily ceded market share to newer entrants such as the ertswhile Toyota Qualis, and the Mahindra Bolero. Currently, the Bolero has trumped the Sumo in the MUV segment while MPVs such as the Toyota Innova and the Mahindra Xylo run rings around the Tata Sumo Grande. With the refreshed model, Tata Motors will take yet another stab at the MPV segment. Only time can tell how effective Tata's latest stab is.

[karpusv]

A great scoop indeed. Looking at pictures, cannot really say that it is an altogether new thing, but that black taping throughout and at the bottom does help to shed the visual bulk that the earlier one carried.

But then, the tail lamps with that reflector patches on top look very distasteful.
Also surprised that the badge on the rear says GX (Top end) but the wheels are not alloys which are available on the current one.

When the Sumo was launched, it was the first vehicle in the country to come with a Bull Guard as a Standard. Seems this one will try to carry on with that tag.

[amtak]

Tata, please get rid of that door protecting beading. it looks utterly ugly on a vehicle of this size. Add some side claddings as you have in accessories as standard fare on this vehicle. Ged rid of the round foglamps and get a new front bumper. Anything else, is a wasted effort.

[performance plumbing]

Those alloy wheels look a bit too generic. Tata Motor's will have to do some sheet-metal changes as well if they really want to see this one roll off the showrooms fast.

When carmakers like Ford are trying to add "rugged" looks to softroaders like EcoSport by adding a rear-door mounted spare wheel. Conventional "rugged" MUV/SUV maker Tata is trying otherwise and making their cars look more tame. For Example the Sumo Gold, Safari Storme and the Grande. IMO Grande would look better if they put some thick body cladding and a rear-door mounted spare wheel, what say guys?

[extreme_torque]

They are not alloy wheels, they are steel wheels which look like alloys and hence look generic.

[benbsb29]

Clearly another wasted effort as far as exterior looks are concerned for the Sumo Grande. Even that bullguard somehow does not match the vehicle's aesthetics. From a previously boring rear, it appears too confused now.

[condor]

I'll stick to my original views of the Grande - the looks are kind of depressing. If only the Grande had more well-defined lines, it would have been something. But it's kind of soft, un-inspiring, doubtful of it's target market .. The design never excited me. It cant evoke a second look now, and definitely not in future.

[sajands]

the tail lamps with that reflector patches on looks very bad, almost like TATA have taken the idea from Nissan Terrano :(

-Sajan

[Dry Ice]

The problem with Grande is it tries to mix sharp lines and curves. Starts off with sharp lines at the front, loses them midway through the sides and the rear is all curvy!

They should have used the black stickering a little more judiciously. Add ski rails and a spoiler maybe to break some of the visual bulk. Instead of the regular aluminium sidesteps, maybe they could have added the tubular - rock slider types.

Let's see where they price it.

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by karpusv

.
Also surprised that the badge on the rear says GX (Top end) but the wheels are not alloys which are available on the current one.

When the Sumo was launched, it was the first vehicle in the country to come with a Bull Guard as a Standard. Seems this one will try to carry on with that tag.

May be there is a VX in offering with ABS and Airbags with all the goodies like reverse camera, steering mounted controls etc

[eq24]

Is it just me or does that car look really ugly. The original Sumo was a really pleasant thing to look at. It looked so much like the G Wagen and that made it all the more beautiful in its own little industrious way.

Since then TATA has clearly lost the plot, I even saw Carlos Slyym's interview on ET NOW, he did not sound confident about any of their new plans. This is yet again another wasted effort.

[arulpeem]

The changes are too superficial to interest any new buyer. If they change the interiors, especially to a much better dashboard in terms of design and finish, then it may draw a little more attention. Hope they have improved the gearshift to shorter throws. But one thing I can vouch for is the excellent engine,space and seating comfort. I also hope they don't remove many features like puddle lamp, theater dimming, follow me home lights, power to the windows even after switching the engine off, driver side auto window roll down, etc in the name of cost cutting.

[mallumowgli]

This vehicle will definitely make the old Grande look good!!

Going for refresh is good - till you know strategically what purpose it serves in the overall scheme of things. Here it's like Slym wanted some activity in the market, and someone down the line said "ok, lets go for some refreshes!'. And then they threw lots to decide which model to refresh. Their history of half-baked and slow attempts continue...

[arjab]

This is a nightmare from a vehicle stylist's point of view.

It looks like a high school kid has run amok with a set of black and silver sketch pens and also cut up a few red plastic sheets to stick them on the tail gate.
As a Class - 10, ICSE, SUPW project, this can probably pass muster.
But this coming from an OEM?

It's high time Tata killed off the Grande. If they want to they can do a nip and tuck of the original Sumo - which still looks nice and simple in my opinion - or get the SIERRA back !

[nskumar]

what is happening with the tata's design team?Sumo grande needs a complete make over.This facelift is not going to help them in increasing the numbers.they have to bring in few design engineers from JLR and modify the shell