Tata
The Tata brand may not sound familiar to many of you, but the company is the biggest player in the Indian automotive industry and builds car, commercial vehicles and even trucks.
The company has interest in over 100 countries and its vehicles are starting to be sold in more and more countries with every year that passes.
The TL model is a pretty basic pickup, designed to get the job done without all the bells and whistles that can be seen its Japanese or American rivals. The TL it’s also among the cheapest pickups you’ll ever find in this segment and comes in both 4x2 and 4 x4 configurations.
The 4x4 model bares the TL4 badge and is priced from $14,000, while the 4x2 version is known as the TL2 and cost from $11,670. The single cab TL models can deal with a maximum payload of 1,280kg, while the five-seater double cabs can hold up to 1,030kg.
The Tata Xenon is based on a heavily modified TL chassis. The vehicle uses a body on a ladder frame chassis combined with a live axle at the back, leaf springs and a pretty high ground clearance announcing us that it’s build to tackle the harshest terrains. The Tata Xenon is available in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations, but it’ not quite in the same league as its strong Japanese rivals.
Due to its serene character it can be considered more like a lifestyle vehicle that a genuine work horse. The Xenon is powered by a 2.2 VTT DICOR engine that develops a maximum output of 140 hp. The load body is 1518 long, 1414 mm tall and 405 wide, the pickup being able to carry 260 kg.
In the world of trucking there are a few brands which are instantly put into the “not good” category and don’t even get the chance to prove themselves. Of course that everyone loves the well known and proven European models from DAF, Mercedes, MAN and so on, but what about the less known trucks? Are those trucks that bad to deserve to be treated with ignorance?
Let’s take a closer look at Tata’s Novus model, which is part of the heavy duty league and it’s the first Indian truck that passed the 300 hp barrier and went against the legendary European giants.
After has acquired the truck section from Daewoo, the first model launched by Tata was the Novus. The new truck is based on the Daewoo Novus model which is sold in South Korea.
The Tata Novus features a cab over engine configuration and is available in a wide range of version being able to suit various heavy duty applications. The truck is powered by a Cummins C8 engine which develops between 320 and 420 hp.
Most of the current trucks in Tata’s lineup are rugged and solid vehicles build to deal with the harshest working conditions without breaking down. Besides their proven reliability, the Tata trucks are also pretty cheap and easy to repair which makes them the favorite choice in rural zones or isolated areas.
The SE 1613 is a medium duty truck built for short or regional haul operations and it’s equipped with a Cummins 6BTAA 5.9 liter engine that churns out 125 hp.
Unlike most of the Tata’s trucks which are using a cab over engine construction the SE 1613 features a conventional cab configuration which makes it look significantly different from its siblings.
The LPK model is part of Tata’s Construck range of trucks so the vehicle was especially built for construction sites and different harsh working conditions.
The LPK isn’t at the same level with the European and Japanese trucks when it comes to build quality and reliability, but it comes with a fairly cheap price tag.
Thanks to its versatile platform, it can be used for a wide range of applications and it’s offered with GVWs (gross vehicle weight) ranging from 16200 kg to 25000 kg. With a wheelbase of 3880 mm and an overall length of 6830 mm, the Tata LPK is a pretty big medium duty truck and it’s usually used for light mining, construction and road work.
Under the cab, the Tata LPK can be equipped with two Cummins engines which develop 183 hp and 235 hp.
Tata decided to take a stab at the heavy duty segment and has come up with the Prima truck which will compete in the 40 tonnes segment with famous names like Scania, Volvo, Iveco and even Mercedes.
Tata plans to sell its heavy duty truck globally and not only in India and this is why it paid maximum attention in the developing process. The Tata Prima’s main objective is to combine strong performances with lower prices featuring strong engines and a generous load capacity. Tata claims that the Prima can cover 600 km with a single driver and 900 km with two drivers in a day.
At this year’s Indian Auto Expo, Tata has revealed its totally fresh LPT 3723 medium duty truck. The truck was presented together with the new Ultra model and features a host of high end technologies which make it stand out from the crowd. The most striking feature offered by the new LPT 3723 is its five axle configuration which is seen for the first time in an Indian rigid truck.
The truck was developed for different medium duty applications such as cement and steel movement and has a maximum payload of up to 25 tonnes with a GVW (gross vehicle weight) of 37 Tonnes. For the moment, Tata didn’t reveal any price specification for its new LPT 3723, but we can expect to a pretty competitive pricing.
The Tata LPT 2723 is powered by a 5.9 l Cummins 6BT engine and will be launched on the market later this year or at the beginning of 2013.
The Tata LPT was designed to provide solutions to a wide range of urban and regional transportation. The LPT is the bigger brother of the SFC and it has a highly versatile character being available with various wheelbases and engines.
The main advantage of the Tata LPT is its cheap price and the strong workhorse character being also easy to repair and cheap to maintain.
With GVWs (gross vehicle weights) of 5500 kg, 7200 kg, 7500 kg, 8720 kg and 9600 kg and a 3 years warranty, the Tata LPT is a good option if you are searching for a basic and cheap LCV.
Tata’s range of light commercial vehicles was definitely starting to show its age, but the company was fully aware of this fact and decided to take some action. As a result, it presented a new truck named Ultra at this year’s New Delhi Auto Expo.
The new Tata Ultra was designed to replace the existing SFC range and features a modern design and contemporary technologies.
The LCV will be offered with in a wide range of models with GVW (gross vehicle weights) ranging from 5 tonnes to 14 tonnes. The new Ultra represents a big step forward for Tata, as it has anything it needs to compete with success against the best models in LCV the segment.
The Tata SFC is a highly versatile LCV built for light commercial applications. Designed as a pickup, the vehicle is available with GVWs (gross vehicle weights) between 3800 kg and 9050 kg.
In its home market the Tata SFC is very successful and it’s specially appreciated for its generous payload capacity, small fuel consumption and the low costs of ownership.
The Tata SFC is offered to a very competitive price ($10.200 starting price) and comes with a service interval of 20,000 kms and a 3 year warranty. The truck is available with a choice of three engines which develop 75 hp, 90 hp and 102 hp.
The Tata Ace Zip is a small LCV based on the Ace model, but it also uses components from the Nano. Powered by a 611cc water cooled engine, the Ace zip is by no means a sporty vehicle, but it receives high marks in the functionality department as thanks to its generous load area it can be used for a wide range of commercial applications. Resembling a conventional pick-up truck the small Tata Ace Zip has a payload capacity of up 600 kg. There is also a passenger version of the Zip and is named the Magic Iris.
The Tata Ace Zip is in the same class with models like the Daihatsu Hijet, DFSK Loadhopper and Piaggio Porter and comes with a warranty of 36000 km/ 12-month.
The Tata Ace was born in 2005 and was designed mostly for the Indian market. While other countries looked with skepticism at the mini trucks segment, India was the perfect market for this type of vehicles as they were cheap, efficient and also very practical.
With a length of only 3800 mm and a width of 1500 mm, the Tata Ace is the smaller brother of the Super Ace model and is positioned in the same segment with models like the Daihatsu Hijet, Piaggio Porter or Suzuki Carry.
The vehicle is available only in dropside guise and is powered by a tiny 700cc engine which develops only 16 hp. The Tata Ace is offered with a warranty of 36.000 km or 12 months.
Tata has started to be known worldwide after they’ve announced the production of the Nano which is the cheapest passenger car in the world. However, besides passenger cars the company is also building LCVs and trucks and some models are even sold globally.
The Tata Super Ace is a versatile LCV build for short distribution applications and is available with a practical chassis cab configuration. Launched in 2005 the Tata Ace was India’s first four-wheel mini truck. At that time the sub 1-tonne mini truck was a major step ahead for the company, as it received a very good feedback from the market.