Ratan Tata's cars

ritayan · 16th April 2008, 09:18

I have seen and known he has a passion for Jeeps & Range Rovers. For the formal settings he uses the S class. For daily office duty there is the Indigo which he drives sometime. (In a 5 day streach I have seen him drive twice, once he got off at Bombay house the driver took over.) He has no personal cars in other cities and mostly uses rented cars. Mostly old model merc.

vcash · 16th April 2008, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by iraghava

A certain Mr. Vcash might be of help here!!

Drive???? psshhh......He has one of the hottest ride's in the country - A Dassault Falcon 2000.

Pre-Indica days, he had an Esteem in Bombay. Not sure now.
In Jamshedpur he is usually driven around in a black W211.
In Calcutta, you will see him either in a black Accord or a silver Camry, both are parked at Tata Center.

Bimster · 16th April 2008, 09:45

An XF or RR is on the way perhaps?
Not that he couldnt have afforded these cars in the past but now-these are HOME BRANDS!

prabuddhadg · 16th April 2008, 09:50

He is supposed to be a very down to earth man. A friend of mine used to work at the Taj, and once he followed a man into a lift and the man turned around and asked my friend, which floor? and pressed the lift button for him. Ratan Tata. My friend was in awe for quite a while.

liv2drv · 16th April 2008, 09:56

I can't remember what it was... but i remember being impressed with one of his cars parked in Goa. I'll find out...
Didn't he drive a convertible MG when he was young?

TRANSAM · 16th April 2008, 11:00

surprisingly, saw him self drive into thne Taj Colaba recently, in a White Honda Civic!!he used to also have the Lemon E 124 Import, which was frequently used by the late JRD, when he was staying at Altamount road, in Mumbai

spadival · 16th April 2008, 11:11

Dunno about cars, I believe he pilots his own Bell helicopter!!

typeOnegative · 16th April 2008, 11:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by prabuddhadg

He is supposed to be a very down to earth man. A friend of mine used to work at the Taj, and once he followed a man into a lift and the man turned around and asked my friend, which floor? and pressed the lift button for him. Ratan Tata. My friend was in awe for quite a while.

He has done the same for me while I was on assignment at Bombay House. Very unlike a lot of 'corporate types' that I come across. With regards to cars, I think he used to drive down to Bombay House in a dark blue EClass Merch W211 I think.

dinar · 16th April 2008, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by khanak

I believe he really loves flying and flew a F16 recently.

He has a helicopter pilot license...he had a bell jet ranger couple of years back for himself..now he may be having a fleet of those...I know for sure he likes convertibles and had a couple of American stuff in his place in the pimpri plant.

directinjection · 16th April 2008, 11:38

He discosed in a recent interview to a British publication that though he doesn't own a Jaguar or a LR yet, he's planning to buy them shortly.

karanj · 16th April 2008, 11:39

i had read somehwere that Mr. Ratan Tata loved the bentley so much, after driving it he decided to buy two of them.(I think it was the continental gt not sure though)

iraghava · 16th April 2008, 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mpower

There was an interview with him in ACI where he poses with his SL500..silver with red interior IIRC. I've heard about the Sebring too.

Quite a few years back he had also done an interview with either ACI or Auto India (Don't remember which but this was around the time of the Indica's launch) and was photographed with his Red Sebring convertible. I distinctly remember a comment from him in that interview saying that when he saw an Indica user on the road he had a strong urge to roll down the window & ask him what he thought about the car & get a first hand opinion from people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinar

He has a helicopter pilot license...he had a bell jet ranger couple of years back for himself..now he may be having a fleet of those

He also has a Plane license. IIRC, a couple of years back he flew in from SL for an interview with an Auto magazine and he piloted his plane himself.

Vikash, am I right on this??

vcash · 16th April 2008, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRANSAM

surprisingly, saw him self drive into thne Taj Colaba recently, in a White Honda Civic!!

Bombay House has recentley purchased a few Civic AT's (All white I believe). I know of a few super senior execs using these. You will also find a few parked at NCPA where a lot of senior management live.

Quote:

Originally Posted by typeOnegative

I think he used to drive down to Bombay House in a dark blue EClass Merch W211 I think.

Yup - remember this one but I think it is a 210, not 211. It is now being used by another director who is on the board. Tata's traditionally always had a Garage Pool in every city and a lot of the cars were interchangeable. Even today in Jamshedpur, if you go into their main garage - you will find about 50 to 60 cars at any given time - mostly domestic with the exception of a late 40's Austin Princess / A White E34 / A Red W123 Coupe (Maybe Sold and in Calcutta now).

Quote:

Originally Posted by iraghava

He also has a Plane license. IIRC, a couple of years back he flew in from SL for an interview with an Auto magazine and he piloted his plane himself.

Vikash, am I right on this??

Yes - he does have his PPL and CPL. I think he has trained on a Citation Jet. Not sure if he has the requisite hours to fly the Falcon, but it is quite probable.

Jayabusa · 16th April 2008, 12:41

The pics of his Cadillac have been posted in the 'Multiple imported cars spotting at one spot' thread along with Sachin Tendulkar's previously owned 360 and a Maserati Gransport.

straight6 · 16th April 2008, 12:42

I have seen him driving something that most people here won't believe so I'm not sure I should name that car. Unfortunately, I was riding and couldn't take pictures as it was on the highway in Bombay being escorted by bodyguards in Merc's and Safari's. There's already been some debate over that car but no one has been able to get pictures of it. Damn!!

16th April 2008, 09:18	#16
ritayan BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Back in Delhi Posts: 228 Thanked: 46 Times View My Garage	I have seen and known he has a passion for Jeeps & Range Rovers. For the formal settings he uses the S class. For daily office duty there is the Indigo which he drives sometime. (In a 5 day streach I have seen him drive twice, once he got off at Bombay house the driver took over.) He has no personal cars in other cities and mostly uses rented cars. Mostly old model merc.
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 09:45	#18
Bimster BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston Posts: 112 Thanked: 4 Times	An XF or RR is on the way perhaps? Not that he couldnt have afforded these cars in the past but now-these are HOME BRANDS! Last edited by Bimster : 16th April 2008 at 09:47.
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 09:50	#19
prabuddhadg BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 812 Thanked: 81 Times View My Garage	He is supposed to be a very down to earth man. A friend of mine used to work at the Taj, and once he followed a man into a lift and the man turned around and asked my friend, which floor? and pressed the lift button for him. Ratan Tata. My friend was in awe for quite a while.
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 09:56	#20
liv2drv BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Delh Posts: 494 Thanked: 89 Times	I can't remember what it was... but i remember being impressed with one of his cars parked in Goa. I'll find out... Didn't he drive a convertible MG when he was young?
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 11:00	#21
TRANSAM BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 705 Thanked: 247 Times	surprisingly, saw him self drive into thne Taj Colaba recently, in a White Honda Civic!!he used to also have the Lemon E 124 Import, which was frequently used by the late JRD, when he was staying at Altamount road, in Mumbai
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 11:11	#22
spadival Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 1,773 Thanked: 26 Times View My Garage	Dunno about cars, I believe he pilots his own Bell helicopter!!
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 11:38	#25
directinjection Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Faridabad/Delhi Posts: 1,703 Thanked: 780 Times	He discosed in a recent interview to a British publication that though he doesn't own a Jaguar or a LR yet, he's planning to buy them shortly.
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 11:39	#26
karanj BHPian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 58 Thanked: 68 Times	i had read somehwere that Mr. Ratan Tata loved the bentley so much, after driving it he decided to buy two of them.(I think it was the continental gt not sure though)
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 12:41	#29
Jayabusa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,448 Thanked: 69 Times	The pics of his Cadillac have been posted in the 'Multiple imported cars spotting at one spot' thread along with Sachin Tendulkar's previously owned 360 and a Maserati Gransport.
	() Thanks

16th April 2008, 12:42	#30
straight6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bombay Posts: 2,548 Thanked: 296 Times	I have seen him driving something that most people here won't believe so I'm not sure I should name that car. Unfortunately, I was riding and couldn't take pictures as it was on the highway in Bombay being escorted by bodyguards in Merc's and Safari's. There's already been some debate over that car but no one has been able to get pictures of it. Damn!!
	() Thanks