How Tata can regain the UV crown.
Tata Motors was once touted as the competitor to Hyundai for the title of the second largest car maker in the country. There were a couple of months when Tata played hide and seek and sold more vehicles than Hyundai. The Indica and Indigo sold more than the Accent Getz and Santro combined.
Fast forward to today and Tata is sitting at the sixth place lagging behind the likes of Japanese sisters Toyota and Honda, Indian Sibling Mahindra and Hyundai. While Hyundai today has 5 hatchbacks in its lineup averaging around 30000 units is sales per month, Tata is battling with the Indica and Nano averaging around 4500+ units a month. The engineers and designers and marketers are working at Tata, but most people would wonder if they are working togather as a group. It is a clear sign that if Maruti Suzuki sells about 62000 odd units from its five hatchback lineup and Hyundai sells 30000 units from its five hatchback lineup, it is a clear sign of the way forward.
But if we remember TaTa as a car, the image of Sumo and Safari will come to mind. Some will even recall the Sierra. What happened to the leading UV seller of India? Especially at a time when even small cars have to build muscle to sell. (Ecosport, Avventura, Rio, Quanto, Etios Liva cross, Cross Polo)
1. Bring actual Concepts to the market: Tata motors has showcased some heart stopping concepts at the auto shows. Here is how the TaTa launched the Movus concept.
Here we have the xenon pickup when shown for launch at the Australian Market
It is no wonder then, how the papers and news shows and internet is full of praise for Tata motors. We see articles titled 'tata has finally arrived', 'tata is now a world player' etc etc. But in a quest for cost cutting and profitability and trying to make a value for money proposition, the concept cars get turned into boring people movers. The company head honchos need to understand that while improving the quality (tata's horizonnext plan) is definitely a yes, a company also needs signature vehicles to build on its brand image.
Tip: Bring the Tata Xenon Tuff concept and Ladakh concept into the market even if it means selling at a higher price. Skoda Octavia Vrs didnt sell in lots but etched the car as a performance car to have.
2. Position the cars correctly: Tata has a history of positioning the cars incorrectly. Safari Storme, Aria and the Nano are supreme examples. Tata Aria has the longest wheelbase in its segment and is loaded with features. But for a cool 15 odd lac rupees, Indians are not willing to buy a fully loaded MPV from tata. The same is the case with Safari, While those at a budget look at the Mahindra Scorpio, Those with a higher budget go for the XUV500 thus leaving Safari Storme's eating dust at the showroom floor. The Movus name hardly has any bearings in the market.
The 2.1 LTR Varicor engine can be retained although in the previously showcased 160PS of tune. It can power the Sumo Extreme, Xenon Tuff, Safari Ladakh, Safari Storme, Tata Movus and Tata Aria for platform sharing benefits alongwith an AT option.
3. install the right amount of kit: The Safari from tata is a big bad brute of a SUV. But it lacks features which Mahindra offers on both Scorpio and Xuv500. The list begins from things like LED DRL's, Climate control, Touchscreen audio system, cruise control, MID system and ambient lighting and goes on and on. But when you want to corner a big chunk of market, catching up doesnt help. I would suggest adding a sunroof and providing 17-inch alloywheels to the cars along with an AT gearbox (before Mahindra does it.). Using the same JBL system it once advertised for Safari in all the other cars along with similar steering with audio and cruise control buttons will cut costs while helping the vehicles fight their battles in sales units.
and on a closing note, please ask your Marketing, R&D and sales departments to work with each other rather than independant units.
Fast forward to today and Tata is sitting at the sixth place lagging behind the likes of Japanese sisters Toyota and Honda, Indian Sibling Mahindra and Hyundai. While Hyundai today has 5 hatchbacks in its lineup averaging around 30000 units is sales per month, Tata is battling with the Indica and Nano averaging around 4500+ units a month. The engineers and designers and marketers are working at Tata, but most people would wonder if they are working togather as a group. It is a clear sign that if Maruti Suzuki sells about 62000 odd units from its five hatchback lineup and Hyundai sells 30000 units from its five hatchback lineup, it is a clear sign of the way forward.
But if we remember TaTa as a car, the image of Sumo and Safari will come to mind. Some will even recall the Sierra. What happened to the leading UV seller of India? Especially at a time when even small cars have to build muscle to sell. (Ecosport, Avventura, Rio, Quanto, Etios Liva cross, Cross Polo)
1. Bring actual Concepts to the market: Tata motors has showcased some heart stopping concepts at the auto shows. Here is how the TaTa launched the Movus concept.
It is no wonder then, how the papers and news shows and internet is full of praise for Tata motors. We see articles titled 'tata has finally arrived', 'tata is now a world player' etc etc. But in a quest for cost cutting and profitability and trying to make a value for money proposition, the concept cars get turned into boring people movers. The company head honchos need to understand that while improving the quality (tata's horizonnext plan) is definitely a yes, a company also needs signature vehicles to build on its brand image.
Tip: Bring the Tata Xenon Tuff concept and Ladakh concept into the market even if it means selling at a higher price. Skoda Octavia Vrs didnt sell in lots but etched the car as a performance car to have.
2. Position the cars correctly: Tata has a history of positioning the cars incorrectly. Safari Storme, Aria and the Nano are supreme examples. Tata Aria has the longest wheelbase in its segment and is loaded with features. But for a cool 15 odd lac rupees, Indians are not willing to buy a fully loaded MPV from tata. The same is the case with Safari, While those at a budget look at the Mahindra Scorpio, Those with a higher budget go for the XUV500 thus leaving Safari Storme's eating dust at the showroom floor. The Movus name hardly has any bearings in the market.
- Mahindra has done an excellent job with the Bolero and Tata needs to follow suit with its Sumo brand. And, no Adding Gold and Grande and Spacio won't work like a good mechanical reliable job.
- Redesign Movus as a competitor to the Scorpio with proper high profile alloy wheels, Led DRL's, Projector lamps, climate control and loaded stereo system alongwith optional AT system and a 4wd.
- Strip Aria of the luxurious interiors and position it as a bigger, better built and cheaper alternative to the Innova, Xylo, Enjoy and other MPV's. Stripping weight and kit will make it a better proposition.
- Work on the Aria platform to mask its MPV's face with the safari Ladakh front and rear to position it against the XUV500 leaving the interiors stock hence competing on the full levels of features and kit.
- The venture should be positioned below the Aria as a people mover to take on the likes of Mobilio, Ertiga and others. Car like dynamics and the multijet engine will help bring in numbers for this vehicle.
- With a new safari Ladakh on the higher end and Movus on the lower end, the safari storme gets a clean run without competition in the 10-12 lacs price bracket.
- Introduce the Sumo Extreme concept with a soft top option and 4wD (offroaders love soft-tops). This is the car which will not sell in numbers but build image for the company. Part sharing with the Sumo will make sure that the costs remain low.
- Introduce the Xenon Tuff concept as is in the 14 lacs price range for limited units as a brand building exercise It is also important to make sure that the vehicle has high levels of kit including stereo, climate control, led DRL's and Projector lamps.
- Bring the Tata Nexon as a competitor to the likes of Ecosport, Duster, Tarrano and Avventura.
The 2.1 LTR Varicor engine can be retained although in the previously showcased 160PS of tune. It can power the Sumo Extreme, Xenon Tuff, Safari Ladakh, Safari Storme, Tata Movus and Tata Aria for platform sharing benefits alongwith an AT option.
3. install the right amount of kit: The Safari from tata is a big bad brute of a SUV. But it lacks features which Mahindra offers on both Scorpio and Xuv500. The list begins from things like LED DRL's, Climate control, Touchscreen audio system, cruise control, MID system and ambient lighting and goes on and on. But when you want to corner a big chunk of market, catching up doesnt help. I would suggest adding a sunroof and providing 17-inch alloywheels to the cars along with an AT gearbox (before Mahindra does it.). Using the same JBL system it once advertised for Safari in all the other cars along with similar steering with audio and cruise control buttons will cut costs while helping the vehicles fight their battles in sales units.
and on a closing note, please ask your Marketing, R&D and sales departments to work with each other rather than independant units.
Comments
Post a Comment