Tata Motors will purchase the 49% shareholding for Rs. 99.96 crore.

Marcopolo S.A. has decided to exit from the joint venture (JV) with Tata Motors and has offered to sell its 49% shareholding in the JV to the company.

According to a statement released by Tata Motors, the company will be purchasing the 49% shareholding in Tata Marcopolo Motors Limited (TMML) for a cash consideration of Rs. 99.96 crore, to become the wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

Tata Motors has stated that all technologies pertaining to existing bus body products manufactured will continue to vest with TMML. Marcopolo S.A. will continue to license the “Marcopolo” trademarks to TMML for a minimum of 3 years with a non-compete provision in India for a corresponding period.

Marcopolo S.A. is one of the largest bus and coach manufacturers in the world. The 51:49 JV with Tata Motors was formed in 2006. TMML has manufacturing facilities in Dharwad and Lucknow, where bus bodies under the Starbus and Starbus Ultra brands are built.

Tata Motors has revealed its line-up for Bus World India 2018 that will be held in Bangalore from August 29-31. The company will showcase five new transport vehicles ranging from a 12-seater Winger to the Magna intercity coach.

The Magna is claimed to be India's first Bus Body Compliant (BBC) luxury intercity bus. It can seat 35-44 people and has 7.5 cubic meters of luggage space. The bus is powered by a Cummins ISBe 5.9 engine, which is offered in two states of tune - 178 BHP and 227 BHP. The engine is mated to a Tata G750 transmission and comes equipped with a VOITH retarder. The bus body is built by Marcopolo.

The Starbus Ultra AC 22-seater Push back and Starbus 12-seater AC Maxi cab are aimed at the staff and tourist segment. Built by Tata Marcopolo, the buses offer features like individual charging points, push back leather seats with hand rests, power steering, air brakes and LED lighting. The 22-seater variant is powered by a new 138 BHP Turbotronn diesel engine offering 7 lakh km first overhaul life and reduced NVH. The 12-seater AC Maxi cab comes with a 4SP CR engine mated to a GB-550 gearbox, radial tubeless tyres, parabolic suspension and tiltable steering.

The Winger 12-seater is aimed at tour operators and is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine. Finally, the Tata 1515 MCV bus is based on the 1515 chassis and is powered by a Cummins ISBe 5.9 engine paired with a Tata G600 gearbox. The bus body is built by Tata Marcopolo and comes equipped with features like 3-point seat belts, reverse camera with display, USB mobile charging points, GPS and Wi-Fi.

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Tata Motors has been working on public transport solutions powered by alternate fuels since 2006. A prototype of the Tata-Marcopolo Starbus Fuel Cell was recently spotted near Sanand in Gujarat which suggests that the hydrogen fuel cell powered bus could be in its final stages of development. 

A hydrogen fuel cell powered bus uses compressed hydrogen in liquid form to power fuel cells. The hydrogen is stored in roof-mounted cylinders. Inside the fuel cell, hydrogen is combined with oxygen to produce electricity, which powers an electric motor. The only emission is water vapour. Hydrogen is produced as a byproduct at refineries and fertilizer plants which can be used to power future buses. 

Tata first showcased the hydrogen fuel cell powered Starbus concept at the 2012 Auto Expo. The powertrain was developed in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

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A vehicle testing fleet from Tata Motors has recently been spotted doing rounds around Pune. The fleet includes the upcoming facelift of the Tata Super Ace light commercial vehicle (LCV), and a Marcopolo Magna bus.

Tata Motors currently sells the Super Ace Mint in India, which competes in the 1-tonne payload capacity segment. Powering the Super Ace Mint is a 1.4-litre, DICOR (Direct Injection Common Rail) BSIV diesel engine that is rated at 69 BHP and 140 Nm of torque. With the upcoming facelift, Tata appears to be adding some cosmetic updates to the Super Ace, along with a new interior.

The other vehicle spotted in the fleet is the Marcopolo Magna bus. Tata Motors will likely be launching it in India in the near future. It is expected to be manufactured at the company's production plant in Dharwad, Karnataka. The Magna is a two-axle AC bus with a seating capacity of 30-50 passengers.