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-   -   Designer Pratap Bose quits Tata Motors. EDIT: To join Mahindra! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/236303-designer-pratap-bose-quits-tata-motors-edit-join-mahindra-8.html)

Off topic - That's a sexist joke mate, though its fictitious, I personally do not endorse it. With women on the forum, I strongly condemn such stereotyping of women.

Like I always say, it's sexist only when you make it sexist, racist only when you make it racist and ugly only when you call it ugly, the PC culture has brought free speech to a grinding halt and now we're left with only social justice warriors and progressive militants jumping on their heels trying to censor everything in sight.

Would the same story portraying Marie Curie and Ramon Novarro be any different? Or should I say with men being the overwhelming majority, we should take offence?

Before anyone says it, this is off-topic, but request all not to become SJWs without a strong reason for it, jokes are always offensive, laugh at it rather than trying to make this forum into what India and America have become today via carefully planted divisive movements.

I think it would be wrong to credit JLR for all the good design work (in my opinion) Tata has been putting out in the market in recent times. From what I know, most of Tata's design output is indigenous, and from their own studios.

While your opinion on the way the Indica, Sumo and the old Safari look, is entirely yours - please bear in mind that it's also subjective at the same time. But blaming Pratap Bose for how ugly these vehicles are without verifying whether he did have a hand in designing all those vehicles might be premature.

For example, the original Indica was designed by IDEA Institute in collaboration with Tata's own design team. In the '90s. Much before Pratap Bose joined Tata.

There's merit in having experts come from all over the world to help you fine-tune your product, but claiming that "He’s lucky to have got the UK guys to come over and design the rest of the cars" might not be the right thing to do.

Finally officially confirmed!

While Mr Bose comes aboard, Ms Ramkripa Ananthan who used to head M&M Design hangs her boots after a 24-year long stint!

OFF TOPIC

Don't think it's sexist at all. Unless you are implying that men are smart and women are dumb.

The original joke referred to real people, one who was known for his intelligence and the other who was known for her beauty.

If at all, the stereotyping makes it sexist. Which the joke never did.

I wonder where she will be going next. Her portfolio is pretty impressive, I would say.

Regarding Pratap Bose, while on the whole I like the design of the current generation of Tata cars, I find their design too busy - the back of the Nexon being a perfect example of that. Give me the clean lines of the original Safari and Indica any day. While those designs were a product of their time and are dated today, they were still pretty ground breaking then, I would say. The appeal of the current set of Tata cars is not just because of how they look, but their overall package, imho, but competent looks and a modern (if overdone) design language have also helped.

Hence it will be interesting to see what design language Mr. Bose brings to Mahindra - hopefully we will not get to see cars that are similar to the Tata design in terms of number of cuts and creases.

Impressive only to the extent of the XUV siblings, Scorpio and maybe Marazzo. There is also the other side of the coin in the form of KUV, TUV, Nuvosport which were disasters in terms of basic proportions. And to think of such designs entering production is another level.

But credit given where due - The Scorpio and XUV have greatly contributed to the growth of M&M as a car manufacturer and the Bolero still holds its ground tight. So I guess Ms. Ramkripa does deserve an applause for how these products have evolved over time.

As to Mr. Pratap Bose, I think he has a good opportunity in turning around things for M&M at the lower price brackets, and develop a good lower end portfolio especially after contributing to cars like the Altroz, Tigor or Tiago. That can further strengthen M&Ms presence in the market and create some additional volumes for them.

I don't know if the same design team is responsible for their commercial vehicle design. Some of them (ex: there was a Tata Ace sized utility truck I have seen) look as if the designer deliberately wanted to bring Mahindra down. In general I am not a fan of Mahindra designs. I am seriously considering and waiting the XUV700, mostly for the specifications and the features I am looking for at that price range but I am keeping my fingers crossed hoping that they don't throw up too many quirky bits (I have set my expectations somewhat low).

Mahindra is no Hyundai. It already has good designs. The XUV was ahead of its time and still wears well. The TUV and Marazzo were not too bad and the Thar (assuming FCA does not deflate it) is a pretty good job.
The KUV was a damp squib though, but on the whole, ALL CREDIT to Ms. Ramkripa for a stellar effort.

Note well, a SEA change from the MM Jeep and Bolero, to the current portfolio, at an enterprise like Mahindra is credit itself.

Bose would have had much more to do at Hyundai, given the blingy, overblown, tasteless Creta / Alcazar / Aura being in such desperate need of a tasteful makeover

Sharing the press release -

Anand Mahindra Welcomes Pratap Bose as Group\'s Chief Design Officer. He took to Twitter to congratulate Bose for his new position. Through his tweet, Anand Mahindra also has bid adieu to Ramkripa Ananthan.





Pratap Bose will report to Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director, Auto and Farm Sectors, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.

Clearly Tata’s loss. Loved some of Bose’s designs - the Altroz and Tiago. This would turn the tide around for Mahindra what with past creations like the KUV, Quanto, Xylo etc. Good luck to Bose and the design team!

Wow. This is a BIG win for Mahindra. I really love what Pratap Bose has done to Tata on the design front. Mahindra has some great engines in its armoury. Combined with some Pratap Bose magic on the design front they could come out with some killer looking products in the coming years.

Of course most of their major new product line ups have just been launched or are about to be so we’ll only see the effect of this for consumers in 3 - 4 years from now. Hopefully the 5 door Thar will get a little bit of his influence if its not too late.

IMO post XUV300, Mahindra has cleaned up their design language. And if the scoop pics of the XUV700 and Scorpio are anything to go by they have already left their weird design years behind. What Pratap Bose needs to do, and he will, is to inject that bit of desirability. Just hope it doesn't lead to neutering of the SUVs like Tata did.


She is no doubt a good designer and the XUV500 is the perfect example. But the first thing that comes to my mind is the Xylo launch.

Journalist: "So what is your favourite part of the Xylo?"

Ms Ramkripa looking at the grille :eek: of the Xylo lovingly. "The grille. The grille is my favourite part of the car." :Frustrati