Team-BHP - The Best moments of the Decade (2000-10)

I wanted someone to start a discussion about the best moments in Indian auto industry for the near ending decade 2000-10.The industry made some good transitions in products.
I am also keen to know which can be regarded as the best car of the decade(silly question but tough to answer) also the best moment .For me it would be TATA taking over Jaguar and Rover.

The launch of NANO can be one of the best moment of Indian automotive history. Nano is turning out to be a bigger brand than TATA world wide. Nano has showed the world that India is capable of doing much more in a much better way than the world perceives.

I would definitely rank Nano launch as the most important activity of the decade for the Indian Automotive Industry.
2nd would the gain of International Recognition for Indian Auto Component Supplier like Kalyani Forge et al who are now regarded amongst the best in the world.
3rd would be increasing International Footprint by the Indian Manufacturers like TATA acquiring JLR, M&M acquiring tractor plants in China et al.

Overall the decade can best described as the time when Indian companies went Global in their aspirations and achieved it.

Tata Nano launch and Tata taking over JLR.

As an aside - I was in Detroit on official work along with my team and was staying in Hyatt. Was standing in the lobby when we see Ratan Tata walking in. Went up to him and wished him. He enquired as to what we were doing in Detroit and we replied that we were there to meet some people in Ford. He replied that he also was in town to meet Ford management. Later came to know that he was in town to finalize the JLR deal !!

Tata Nano
Tata Motors making global acquisitions of Jaguar & Rover, even some hydrogen power research agency in France
Indian Auto ancillary units getting global recognition
Indica Vista marking a quantum improvement in quality for Tata

So far only these come to mind, i'm sure there are more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chennai-indian (Post 1637574)

As an aside - I was in Detroit on official work along with my team and was staying in Hyatt. Was standing in the lobby when we see Ratan Tata walking in. Went up to him and wished him. He enquired as to what we were doing in Detroit and we replied that we were there to meet some people in Ford. He replied that he also was in town to meet Ford management. Later came to know that he was in town to finalize the JLR deal !!

Neat! :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by trinadha (Post 1637392)

I am also keen to know which can be regarded as the best car of the decade(silly question but tough to answer) also the best moment

My personal options would be
Launch of Type -2 OHC VTEC
Lauch of Maruti Swift

Quote:

Originally Posted by sushrutha (Post 1637877)

Lauch of Maruti Swift

^^ Correct. League of the premium hatches begins.
What about 2 wheels ? Is that counted too ?
IMO Yaam R-15 and Baby Ninja made 2 wheels turn
towards low end performance biking.

TATA all the way.

1) TATA Nano launch 2009
2) TATA acquiring JRL
3) TATA Indicruz Launch 2010
4) Swift Launch
5) TATA Manza Launch 2009
5) New Look Scorpio Launch
5) Xylo Launch
6) NHC Launch
7) ANHC Launch
8) Accord India Version 2 (2003-2007) Launch
9) Linea Launch
10) Yet to come in 2010

My take on this:
Top three things are: 1) Birth of TATA Nano 2) TATA acquring JLR. 3) Launch of Mahindra Scorpio

All the above show that we are capable enough if we believe in ourselves.

I would also like to add launch of Fiat Palio hatchbacks in 2001 in the list. This single car changed the definition of hatchbacks for ever in india.

Cheers
Pratim

Many happenings like

- Swift starting the era of premium hatchbacks.
- Maruti starting to provide basic luxury features at a much lower price point, other following, or forced to follow
- FIAT coming back to the market, and providing the JTD engine, which is now more or less the most common diesel engine
- German companies showing more interest in India, esp VW
- many more

to top it all, Tata creating a niche for itself by launcing the NANO, which is now compared to the Ford Model T and the VW Beetle. Way to go Tata.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pratim (Post 1638286)

I would like to add launch of Fiat Palio hatchbacks in 2001.

Correct! This was quite a big moment in the auto industry.

TATA should learn the true quality contemporary car making / automobile engineering skills from JLR and reflect them on Indian domestic product offerings such as Indica/manza/safarie etc.

Like NANO tata must show contemporary technology at its best cost effectiveness on all its offerings.

In 2010 both Tata / Mahindra waking up from its slumbler to consolidate and match its product and services quality on par with international level will be the big achievement