[amitoj]

US and Canada have very strict Lemon Laws.
For example, in New Hampshire:

A vehicle is considered to be a "lemon" if:

•The new vehicle is substantially impaired in use, value, or safety due to a defect covered by the manufacturer's warranty that the manufacturer or its authorized representative has not fixed.

In order to qualify for arbitration, a consumer must ordinarily show either:

•The manufacturer or its representative has made at least three unsuccessful attempts to fix the motor vehicle; or
•The motor vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more business days (cumulative) due to defects or nonconformities covered by the warranty.

Source: http://doj.nh.gov/consumer/sourcebook/lemon-law.htm

Tatas will be very busy with the MV Arbitration Board unless they drastically enhance their QC.

Cheers
Amitoj

[rameshnanda]

I would never dare to buy a Tata in India itself. It is terrifying to think about a Tata car in US. When I get used Hondas/Toyotas/Nissans for cheap, how would one even think about buying a Tata in US which absolutely has no brand value?

[Harbir]

The current model line up not only has no chance of making it in the US market, the cars will also dig a huge hole for the image of TATA in the minds of customers that will then have to be reversed, such as Hyundai, which did not become respectable in the US for 20 years.

The current products are all absolutely HORRIBLE. And that includes the Nano and the aria.

Tata needs new product, but so far it is looking like TATA motors engineering has not been able to absorb much learning from JLR.

THe pace of progress that Indian companies have shown in the growth of their engineering sophistication is depressing compared to that shown by Korean companies in their era of of development. I am sorry to say that we lack the professional and cultural perspectives that it is going to take to equal the best in the world.

The values, methods and objectives of our education system are all wrong, even at the IITs, and it doesn't get much better in the professional world. The result is that we are unable to develop not just the skills but the VISION of what we need to do.

I understand that Ratan Tata has spoken of this and said it remains the thing that he would have liked to have resolved before he retires.

[volkman10]

Can't imagine a Tata car in US with the current range of products.
It would rather dent the Jaguar brand image.

Cheers!

[mgh]

Originally Posted by Harbir

I am sorry to say that we lack the professional and cultural perspectives that it is going to take to equal the best in the world.

The values, methods and objectives of our education system are all wrong, even at the IITs, and it doesn't get much better in the professional world. The result is that we are unable to develop not just the skills but the VISION of what we need to do.

Dignity of labour is a concept missing in India. Many Indian Engineers are unwilling to work with their hands.

With the habit of Indian mothers to clean up after their sons, workers do not consider it their job to maintain the workplace clean and neat. The first requirement for quality is not met as a result.

Foreign manufacturers, who come in and try to instill proper work culture are demonized for 'not understanding Indian culture.'

Unfortunately, Indian Workers' Unions are against improving work culture.

As a result, Indian manufacturers setting up plants in countries with better work culture, should be able to get better quality in those plants.

[bigron]

TATA in their current shape/form of portfolio cant crack any developed automotive market . They simply do not have the engineering finesse to take over American brands forget the Europeans. I personally do not take TATA as a passenger vehicle manufacturer .
Their forte is limited to commercial sector. Over a decade and they still cant match quality of other indian manufacturers leave alone the CBU/CKD. They sell junk and its good that with a population so massive and our skewed income distribution ensures that they always find customers.
I have yet to come across one person who would buy a TATA car for PERSONAL USE if he could afford or had an option of picking up any thing else.
With the acquisition of LR/J i think TATA now has access to much superior technology which they should apply /adopt in their own products. I see no reason for them not to use the technical know how these big brands have bough with them.

[Harbir]

Originally Posted by mgh

Dignity of labour is a concept missing in India. Many Indian Engineers are unwilling to work with their hands.

That is very true and a huge factor in many economic dynamics in India. But my point was somewhat different.

It is that in our culture, we don't breed, inculcate, expect or reward creativity. When some other creative society tells us what to make and how to make it and how to ensure that its made correctly, our workers can do a good job, as the japanese cars built in India attest to. But we can't do it ourselves.

This is an indictment of the educated classes, not the blue collar workers. It is an indictment of our engineers and of our executives who manage the engineers, and of our culture that produces these kinds of severely limited engineers and executives. This is not to question their intelligence. But it is true that their culture and capabilities are tuned to what it takes to succeed within this society and its idiosyncrasies, rather than what it takes to create a leading economic power in the world.

We have lots of brilliant and ambitious people, but we don't have the perspective and the culture to use them to compete with the developed world except as coolies.

Tata needs a Skunkworks team.

[HammerHead]

Latin America? Why not? If they can buy Chinese then why not Tata?

Article from LA times for reference:
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb...-cars-20120210

As far as North is concerned, Tata is not there yet.

[subratasenn]

Just a question. Why single out TATA in this thread? Who will buy a Maruti car in US, even with Suzuki branding?

[Harbir]

Indeed. Suzuki cars are doing very badly in the US market. 60% of Suzuki dealers sell less than 5 cars a month. Suzuki sales have been sliding for 7 straight years. It has lost many dealers. Rumors are flying that Suzuki is preparing to pull out of the US market completely (suzuki denies it).

In a market that tough, what hope has Tata?

[athanedar]

Originally Posted by subratasenn

Just a question. Why single out TATA in this thread? Who will buy a Maruti car in US, even with Suzuki branding?

Suzuki sells SX4, Kizhashi, Grand vitara in US . They are seen few and far in between. The sales are very low.

[shortbread]

Firstly I seriously doubt if there is any honesty in the report. Tata's model line up is primarily meant for the Indian market and not the american one. Secondly they must have already seen and learnt from M&M's ghastly attempt.

Tata should concentrate on its strengths small cars, diesels, value and obviously improve on quality. There is plenty of demand in developing markets in Asia and Africa. Also the mainstream car market in usa is cut throat with diminishing margins. Leave the american market to the high value JLR products.

[wantarangerover]

The US is a market driven as much by the attitude that a car exhibits as the quality of the vehicle. The former means ridiculously big pickups sell well, along with muscle cars and big sedans; but then the japanese cars also sell well, owing to their quality. Since Tata cars do not have any image or quality, nobody will touch it with a long pole let alone buy it.

[blackasta]

With the current lineup - no chance.
TATA cars lack that bare minimum finesse which is required in personal transport. They feel like something to be 'used', not 'enjoyed'. I personally would not buy any TATA car from the current lineup in India.
In a 99.99% self driven market the US is - TATA cars do not stand a chance.

Interestingly, TATA actually has a brand recall in a small % of US population - achieved via TCS.

P.S - The only TATA car that can be sold in US is the yet-to-be-built-if-built-at-all - The TATA pixel (based on nano). May find market as a niche / lifestyle vehicle.

[chennai-indian]

The plant is meant to cater to South America and not North. I have seen Tata dealerships and Tata vehicles (207's and 407's) way back in 2002 when I was in Argentina so they already have a presence there.