Tata Motors`6 New Model trucks and Telematics services

 

 

Tata Motors has launched six new trucks in India. These trucks include the 10x4 LPT 3723 37-tonne 5-axle, Prima 4938 tractor and 3138K tipper, LPK 3118 tipper, Prima 4923 and 4023 tractors. The company claims that all these trucks have been designed to offer the lowest cost of ownership, good driver comfort and best-in-class fuel efficiency. Along with the trucks, the company also showcased the Tata Fleetman services. Targeted at commercial vehicle fleet owners and large consigners of goods, the service offers advanced Telematics solutions, which will help in increasing productivity and profitability. The client can track his truck whereabouts and other details with the click of a button.

Speaking on the occasion, Ravi Pisharody, executive director - commercial vehicles, Tata Motors, said, Tata Motors has been in the Indian commercial vehicle space for over six decades. Over this period, we have developed a very deep understanding of the Indian market, bringing world-class technologies at world-class prices, having always paced ourselves one step ahead in meeting our customer needs. The six first-of-its-kind trucks bear testimony to that tradition of the company. Besides products, we have also developed a host of innovative service offerings, which will further our dominance in the Indian market. Tata FleetMan, completely developed in-house, further affirms our expertise in offering solutions which can transform the dynamics of the transport industry.

 

Here are the prices of the trucks ex-Mumbai

 

Models Prices

LPT 3723 Rs 25.5 lakh

 

Prima 3138.K Rs 52 lakh

 

Prima 4938.S Rs 55 lakh

 

Prima LX 4023.S Rs 21.5 lakh

 

Prima LX 4923.X Rs 25 lakh

 

LPK 3118 Rs 29 lakh

 

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OPTARE Plc <> ASHOK LEYLAND ENTERED IN SMALL BUS SEGMENT

Optare Plc, a UK-based bus manufacturer in which Ashok Leyland Ltd. holds a 75% stake, will exit the small luxury coach segment and enter the small bus segment this year.

Optare’s first small bus, Bonito, which can accommodate as many as 16 passengers, will start selling in the UK in June, and may be exported to other European markets later, the company said in a statement.

“We have been looking at a number of routes to enter the important small bus/accessible vehicle market and are convinced that the fully developed Bonito is the right answer,” Glenn Saint, Optare’s chief operating officer, said in the statement on the company’s website.

Simultaneously, Optare is looking to hive off its Mercedes-based small luxury coach brands, the Soroco and Toro, which have been manufactured for it by Spanish coachbuilder Ferqui, S.L.

“I am pleased to say that we are in negotiations with a number of parties which may lead to the two current models, the Soroco and Toro, continuing to be available in the UK, though outside the Optare brand,” Saint said.

The moves are part of a comprehensive product portfolio review, Saint said. The company came into Ashok Leyland’s fold in January when India’s second-largest commercial vehicle maker took control of Optare in return for helping generate working capital for the cash-strapped British bus-maker. Ashok Leyland already had a 26% stake in Optare, acquired in 2010.

The flagship company of the Hinduja Group, which hopes to enter the ranks of the top five bus manufacturers globally with the help of the Optare stake purchase, introduced an Optare-manufactured low-floor bus, the Solo SR, for the Indian market at the Delhi Auto Expo in January.

AMW eyes 5-fold growth in truck sales in 3-4 years

Commercial vehicle maker Asia MotorWorks (AMW) aims to grow its truck sales five-fold to

50,000 units per annum in next 3-4 years. The Gujarat-based company is getting ready to sell trucks in overseas markets such as Africa and West Asia by March next year. The firm also plans to debut in the luxury bus segment by the year-end to take on Volvo and Tata Motors.

“We are now getting lot of sales traction with the acceptance of our products and their value propositions becoming fairly demonstrative. We are hoping that we will continue to grow 50 to 60 per cent every year to notch sales of 50,000 trucks per annum. It would take three to four years to do so,” Anirudh Bhuwalka, MD and CEO, Asia MotorWorks told Financial Chronicle.

AMW, currently the third largest player in heavy trucks segment, aims to sell 10,000 trucks in 2011-12, Bhuwalka added. This would represent a growth of over 65 per cent compared with about 6,700 trucks sold last year. The sales boost came from 14 new truck models launched by the company last financial year mainly in 16 to 25 tonne mass truck segment.

Largely the top two players — Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland dominate the Indian truck market with a combined market share of over 70 per cent. Annually, 250,000 units are sold by all players, according to Bhuwalka. AMW that came into operation in 2005 backed by Shashi Ruia promoted-Essar Group, has sold 25,000 trucks since inception. The firm, currently, has a market share of five per cent in the heavy commercial vehicles segment.

“Indian truck market is the only market in the world with two players dominating. Globally, there is space for four to five companies in every market. We feel that there is room for more players here,” Bhuwalka said. The firm is also looking to export its models that it claims are built in accordance with global standards.

“We will look to export our trucks to African and the Middle Eastern markets at the end of the next financial year,” Bhuwalka added. The company is also preparing to enter luxury buses with its ‘luxury liner’ range of buses by 2012-end positioned between competitors Tata Motors and Volvo buses in the Rs 66 to 80 lakh price range.

PRESSURE FOR RETAIL DEALERS COZ A.L STILE & PARTNER(LCV) ENTERED IN MARKET

• Dost LCV to be joined by a STILE, Multi-Functional Vehicle and PARTNER, a 6-tonne LCV

Two new-generation LCV platforms from Ashok Leyland were revealed today at the Auto Expo. The Multi-Functional Ashok Leyland STILE and the contemporary 6-tonne LCV Ashok Leyland PARTNER represent very different faces of the LCV spectrum. Following on the heels of the Ashok Leyland DOST, which has seen very strong response in the market, these new products will allow the Company, over the coming years, to address a very wide range of customer needs and applications.

STILE, is a modern Multi-Functional Vehicle (MFV) and will usher in a new class of vehicles for the Indian customer. It has been specially developed to address various applications like people carriers in the urban and rural areas, hotel shuttles, taxi services, ambulances, panel vans, courier services, inter-city and intra-city travel.

STILE sports a classy, sophisticated look with its sleek contours and structured edges. The monocoque body construction makes for a lower kerb weight contributing to its fuel efficiency, while for passengers, it translates into greater safety and excellent ride quality. The interiors wear a pleasing look with dual-tone treatment and superior ergonomics.  The low floor feature makes for easy entry and exit, while sliding doors on both sides allow for easy access in tight parking spaces. STILE will be available in both CNG and Diesel versions, with a wide choice of seating options of 2 and 3 rows.

PARTNER is the new 6-tonne LCV platform that was launched globally by Nissan Motor Company very recently, which has helped them gained precious market share in several global markets. The cab has a modern Euro-look, is spacious with advanced ergonomics, power steering and air-conditioning while a well-appointed interior has ample room for occupants and their belongings. The cab is also tiltable for easy serviceability. PARTNER is powered by a contemporary 120 hp ZD30-DDTI Common Rail Diesel (BS 4-complaint) engine that gives the vehicle excellent pick-up and good gradeability for faster turnaround. On display is a Refrigerated Truck which represents one of the application variants, some of the others being steel and aluminium containers and tippers.

The company has seen solid bookings for the recently launched Ashok Leyland DOST. To keep up the momentum in the small LCV segment, the company also showed its new DOST-CNG variant. This product will also enter the market shortly, catering to those markets where CNG is preferred or mandated.
“Right from the outset, we were determined not to remain a one product/platform or niche player in the LCV space. We are delighted to present two brand-new concepts on our two new-generation platforms that have been developed, close on the heels of the launch of our DOST platform,” said Dr. V. Sumantran, Non-Executive Vice Chairman, Ashok Leyland and Chairman, Nissan Ashok Leyland Powertrain Ltd. “Both these new vehicles maintain our focus on offering Japanese technology and quality at Indian cost. Together with the addition of the DOST-CNG, expected to be launched in 2012, we hope to cater to a wide range of needs, and at the same time, address the growing expectations of the Indian consumer. ” he added.

The STILE and PARTNER platforms are scheduled for launch in mid of calendar year 2013. The Dost-CNG will reach the market in 2012.

Ashok Leyland Jan Bus (Public)

Low floor buses invariably meant integral construction and a rear engine not to mention a big cost outlay. Not any longer if one has to go by Ashok Leyland's novel approach with its Jan bus...

There is something about the 'can do' spirit which has been imbibed by many of our Indian OEMs as they grapple with the onerous task of delivering worthwhile solutions to mobility while forsaking outright tech for smart thought. Much that very essence pervades the very concept of the Jan Bus (Jan as in janata, public) that has surprisingly come from the uber staid and not to mention, ultra conservative Ashok Leyland.

This is certainly a good time for one of the country's pioneer commercial vehicle manufacturers to stand up and not just be counted but also spearhead thought and energy into a direction, which can only benefit mass transit public movement.


The Jan Bus is, according to Dr V Sumantran of Ashok Leyland, the world's first front engine, single step entry fully flat low floor bus and that is something that somehow has never entered the mind set of the big MNC CV specialists.

Today urban mass transit systems need easy ingress and egress, also an unhindered approach to get to seats or to standing positions without fuss or bother and all of this means an integral-type coach construction and an ultra low floor (sometimes almost to kerb or footpath height, with or without height levelling suspension). To get that ultra low floor inevitably means a move to a rear engine, rear-wheel drive configuration which as has been noted seems to be the way the western world has gone about doing city buses.

However, Ashok Leyland would beg to differ. Using a bit of Indian ingenuity, the engineers at this venerable CV giant have come up with a most striking solution which is cost-effective to boot yet strong and familiar enough for most of our public transport utilities to take to. The basic concept revolves around a front engine layout with clever packaging that gives the bus a complete flat floor beginning from the driver's office and moving right to the end of the vehicle. Of course there is a slight rounded bump on the floor where the large axle sits but one can make out the gradual slope to shroud that as well in a simple yet intelligent manner