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Page 1: Strides Dec11
Page 2: Strides Dec11

04| COVER STORY At home in AfricaBy offering a portfolio of transport solutions, Tata Motors is leading achange in the way Africans drive

VOL 2 | ISSUE 3 | DECEMBER 2011

36| TATA STORYTata: The salt to software brandA photo feature on the seven sectorsthat Tata group operates in

40| CUSTOMER SPEAK} The right fit

Djibril N'diaye, Secretary General of the Senegal transporters union AFPTU, speaks about Tata buses

} Incomparable mileage A customer from Nepal speaks about Tata Nano

43| T RAVEL AND LIVINGEnchanting Egypt Exploring majestic pyramids andcruising the Nile makes for a uniquetravel experience

46| INTERACTIVITYSpot the vehicle

Contents

} Green buses for a green futureTata Motors is being recognised as an international supplier of environment-friendly technologies

26| EVENTS} Johannesburg International

Motor Show} AidEx 2011 Show} Enterprise India Show in Yangon,

Myanmar

32| INTERVIEW} Foray into green

Interview with Dr John Richmond, Head of Advanced Engineering, Tata Motors European Technical Centre

} From tokunbo to TataInterview with Sudeep Ray,Executive Director, Tata Africa Services (Nigeria) and Regional Director for West Africa at Tata Africa

14| NEWSIn the newsNews about Tata Motors fromaround the world

18| SPOTLIGHTPrime truckingWorld-class technology and low-operating costs makes TataPrima a complete package fortruck owners

22| IN FOCUS} The tough and easy ride

Tata Xenon with its sleek looksand safety features is an idealoutdoor vehicle

EDITORIAL TEAM

Anisha AshokanGayatri KamathMaya GunavantheMedini BhatwadekarNithin Belle Roxana CooperShalini MenonShubha MadhukarSuchita Vemuri

DESIGN TEAM

Ashwini Baviskar Sonal SonavaneSudipta Sarkar

A Tata Motors International quarterlyContent and design by The Information Company

Websites:www.tatacarsworldwide.com,www.cvglobal.tatamotors.com

Page 3: Strides Dec11

To a marketing person, Africa is like a giant jigsaw puzzle · where the pieces sort of fit

together, and the picture makes sense when seen as a whole. Africa is the world's

second-largest continent (after Asia) and home to one billion people spread across

60-odd, vastly-diverse countries. To make sense of Africa, one has to take it a piece at a

time, and be willing to spend time understanding each piece. That is what Tata Motors is

doing since it renewed its focus on Africa about 7-8 years ago · going in deep and

understanding the nuances of each market.

And that is the way Strides is covering the Africa story · a piece at a time, and with

enough depth to make each story worth lingering over. Readers may remember that the

last issue covered South Africa, one of the company's major markets in the region.

In this issue, our cover story takes you on a whirlwind tour of several north and central

African countries, bringing in a bit of local flavour and a few tantalising glimpses of their

exotic terrain. What makes the Africa story an interesting read is the different insights

that emerge from each locale. Strides will be happy to portray more such tales in

future issues.

Moving on from Africa to another region of the world, we visit Chile where Tata Xenon is

making waves along with big wave rider Cristian Merello, and is also being used as a

winter rescue vehicle in that country of icy mountainous roads.

One of Tata Motors' vectors of evolution that Strides is especially pleased to cover is the

company's increasing ÂgreennessÊ. This issue has a story on Tata Motors' new range of

hybrid buses that are a part of Madrid city's carbon reduction efforts, and an interview

with John Richmond, Head of Advanced Engineering at Tata Motors European Technical

Centre, UK, on new developments in green automotive technology.

We're also giving readers a quick tour of Tata Prima, one that visually explains all the

global inputs that go into its making and why it well deserves the title of the world truck.

There are plenty of other nuggets in this issue, such as the travel and living piece on

Egypt that provides a quick look at that land of sphinxes, pharaohs and pyramids.

So do dive in for more stories of people making tracks across the world. As 2011 draws

to a close, the Strides team wishes you all peace and prosperity in the new year.

Regards,

The Strides editorial team

Editorial

03StridesDECEMBER 2011

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COVE

R ST

ORY

Tata Motors has made itself a vital part of the African continent by embedding itself into local economies

At home in Africa

Th ere has been a quiet but highly significantchange happening in Africa, one that ismost visible on the roads of this huge

continent. What's changing is the way Africans aredriving. The old veterans of the roads · the carrapide of Senegal, the tokunbo of Nigeria and thedrudruni of Mali · are giving way to a resurgenceof new auto brands, new vehicles and newapplications. The old, dilapidated, European cast-offs that formed the main transport for Africannations are now being replaced with spanking newcars, buses and trucks bristling with moderntechnology. And one of the bigger automanufacturers driving this change is Tata Motors.

Tata Motors has been in Africa for decades now, butits reach and spread across dozens of countries inthe northern half of Africa has increased dramaticallyin the last few years. From a level of exports thathovered around 1,500 in 2005, the demand for TataMotors vehicles in northern and central Africa hasquadrupled to as many as 6,000 vehicles in thecurrent year, and is expected to touch 25,000 in thenext couple of years.

Today the emblem of Tata Motors can be seencruising down roads in as many as 34 countriesacross North, Central and West Africa · from upnorth in Algeria and Libya, to down south in Angolaand Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and fromEthiopia and Sudan in the east to Senegal and Coted'Ivoire in the west.

PERFECT MATCHThough the factors that make Tata Motors vehiclespopular are different from country to country, inessence its success comes down to a combinationof three key elements · products, positioning and presence.

One of the main positives that Tata Motors is able tooffer its Africa customers is a portfolio of transportsolutions · both commercial and passenger · thatare designed and developed to suit local road,

weather and usage conditions: these cars, busesand trucks are affordable, robust and low onmaintenance and operating costs, in addition tooffering safety and comfort features. In thepassenger car segment, for instance, Tata cars offera high value proposition as compared to the secondhand cars that are predominant in the region,because of their ruggedness and ability to handleunder-developed roads.

In fact, the biggest challenge in the region has beengetting customers to move away from used orsecond-hand trucks and opt for new vehicles, saysAnil Sekhar, regional manager (North and WestAfrica) for Tata Motors. In response to localdemand, Tata Motors is offering complete transportsolutions that combine attractive financing optionsfor new vehicles along with value-added serviceslike extended warranties, easy availability ofgenuine spare parts and annual maintenancecontracts to its customers.

The icing on the cake is the support of an extensiveafter sales and service network. In several countries,Tata Motors has put down physical roots in the formof local representative offices and warehouses withthe help of Tata Africa (the Tata holding company inthe region). The sales base has been furtherstrengthened through a network of channelpartners, distributors and dealers who offer salesand after-sales support. Some of the bigger bases,such as Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria also supportsales in neighbouring nations in a hub-and-spokearrangement that has worked very well inestablishing new markets in Liberia, Togo, Gambia,Chad, Benin, Gabon, Mauritania and so on.

LOCAL IMPACTBut what is common across these countries is theimpact that Tata Motors vehicles have on localcommunities. In Senegal, Tata buses have visiblyimpacted the lives of commuters · so much sothat irrespective of the actual brand, all buses arenow simply called Tata. In DRC, the local mining

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industry has got a huge boost through Tata vehicles.Local governments in Nigeria are consulting TataMotors on ways to optimise their wastemanagement systems (See box: Managing wasteon page 10). Ace pickups in Sudan are enablinglocal entrepreneurship by being used as mobilecanteens and shops. In Algeria, Tata buses havebeen a part of the earthquake rehabilitation effortand are known as Bonne Conception autobuses(good concept buses).

In several places, Tata Motors has gone the extramile by training local staff and customers in lookingafter Tata vehicles. In Senegal, for instance, thecompany has partnered with the government to setup a Technical Training Institute, which will createnew jobs and improve employability in the country.This type of deep engagement and connections inlocal economies goes a long way in building strongrelationships on the ground.

In most of the countries, Tata Motors has madeclear its intention to be a long-term partner inbuilding local economies · wherever possible, the company has bonded with local partners toadd new jobs and new investments to theeconomy. In Senegal, Tata Motors has partnered

with Senbus Industries to build a bus assemblyplant that will take care of that country's long-termtransport requirements.

The company is also planning to set up newassembly plants in Morocco and Egypt through localpartnerships, and is setting up bases in Libya andTunisia. A big plus is the support of the Indiangovernment through a line of credit that helpsAfrican nations build much-needed infrastructure.This strategy of local connections has helped TataMotors establish itself as a local brand.

Yet the fact remains that the story of Africa is afragmented and complex one. Several countries ofArab Africa are currently facing political turmoil withthe spread of the Arab Spring movement. At thesame time, countries such as DRC, Algeria andNigeria are making big investments in infrastructurewith road transport being a big component. Theseemerging markets are growing steadily, thus makingAfrica an attractive destination for automakers.

In order to convey this diverse array of marketcharacteristics, Strides presents a selectedcompilation of countries that form a part of thehistory of Tata Motors in Africa. £

05StridesDECEMBER 2011

Tata Motors buses are a part of the history ofAlgeria as they were used as rescue vehicles afterthe devastating earthquakes of 1980 and 1993. Infact, old Tata 1612 buses can still be seen on theroad, and in the kasbahs of Rouiba and Algiers,wearing a shirt with the older Tata emblem means

Tough times never lastbut tough buses do!

ALGERIA

Tata Motors present since: 1973

What's popular:w LP 613 buses (called Bonne Conception autobus or good

concept buses)

Milestones: w 2,300 vehicles, primarily Tata Safaris, supplied to the

Algerian armyw 40 per cent market share in urban transport sector in the

capital city AlgiersTata Motors continues to introduce new models in Algeria

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an automatic invitation to tea or lunch withveterans who will share their memories of howTata buses helped them during the tough timesafter the earthquake.

Today Tata buses are popular not only because oftheir robustness and suitability, but also becauseof the steady infusion of new models with newfeatures and the strong bonds with local channelpartners. There are about 2,000 Tata Motorsvehicles in Algeria, with Tata buses being mostvisible in Algiers.

Algeria is in the midst of a modernisationprogramme and is seeking to diversify its economy(which is heavily reliant on hydrocarbons) bydeveloping other sectors such as agriculture andservices. Job creation is a priority and Tata Motorsand its channel partner have started a majorprogramme to help the educated unemployed inAlgeria. Tata Motors distributor in Algeria Sarl CVMMotors has launched a new initiative that helpsunemployed youth get 50 per cent interest-freecredit to buy a bus, with the balance coming fromgovernment self employment schemes. £

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06

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the 12th

largest country in the world and the second largestin Africa. The nation has huge resources of mineralwealth; it is the worldÊs largest producer of cobaltore, and one of the major producers of copper,coltan and industrial diamonds. Construction andmining are expected to be growth drivers in theimmediate future.

Tata Motors is represented in DRC by Zahira sprl, anassociation that dates back to 1993. At that time,Zahira sprl had just 30 employees and the annualturnover was $2 million. Today it has 300 employeesand fully-equipped facilities in Kinshasa and in themining city of Lubumbashi. With Zahira sprl, TataMotors business has grown 15 times, from annual

Passenger cars were launched in Democratic Republic of Congo in 2008

Wealth from the earth

Tata Motors present since: 1993

What's popular:w LP 613w LPO 1316w LPO 1318 busesw LPK 2523 tippers

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Milestones:w 228 urban transport buses to state

transport authority of Kinshasaw More than 150 tippers and 40 buses

to mining companiesw More than 200 buses and tippers to

Katanga governor's office

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07StridesDECEMBER 2011

retail levels of just over 50 units in 2005-2006, toabout 750 units this year.

Tata Motors has over 30 models in DRC, rangingfrom small commercial vehicles and pickups (TataAce, Xenon, Telcoline, 207 DI) to heavy dumptrucks. The most popular tipper is the LPK 2523;there are more than 80 units plying in the mines ofDRC, with another 100 more expected to be retailedthis year. There are nearly 3,000 Tata buses andtrucks in the country today.

Passenger cars were launched in DRC in 2008.Apart from the Indica, Indigo and Safari models thatare in demand, Tata Motors has developed a Sumo10-seater model specifically for the DRC taxisegment that offers air-conditioned and comfortabletransport as an option to older vans and pickups.This has now become the company's largest sellingpassenger car product in DRC.

Tata buses are the most popular urban carrier inDRC, being used by government bodies,companies, schools and universities, and intercitytransporters. Sale of buses has doubled over thepast two years, with LP 613, LPO 1316 and LPO 1318 being the most popular models.

The success of the Tata brand in DRC is mainly dueto the strong after sales support from Zahira sprl,along with good supply of spare parts at veryaffordable prices, Tata Motors-trained technicians andthe 24x7 onsite service support to clients. Frequentservice campaigns wherein the vehicles are checkedand serviced with huge discounts, have led to greatertrust in the brand. The campaigns have an addedhumanitarian aspect · to help curb accidents, driversget a free eye check-up from qualifiedophthalmologists and also spectacles, free of cost. £

A Tata Motors-Zahira felicitation function

Tata trucks are a popular choice for mining industry in Congo

One of Africa's poorer nations, Ethiopia isdependent on grants and donations from thedeveloped world and has been badly affected by theglobal economic meltdown. But the Ethiopiangovernment is now focusing on building the roadnetwork and Tata Motors is one of the partners inthis process.

The government is also exploring financing optionsfor improving its public transportation. For instance,the government is now encouraging banks toprovide finance for purchasing buses. This move hasencouraged locals to consider going in for newermodels such as the Tata range of buses. The fact

The need for transport

Tata Motors present since: 2002

What's popular: w 207 DIw Xenonw LPT 709w LPT 1618w LPO 1618

ETHIOPIA

Milestones:w Tata Motors is an approved vendor to

the governmentw Tata buses are the most preferred

buses in Ethiopia

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that Tata Motors is an approved vendor has helpedboost local confidence in the brand. Apart frombuses, Tata pickups and trucks are also in demand.Affordability is a big factor in Ethiopia and Tatavehicles, being priced at two-thirds the costs ofJapanese, Korean or European models, are popular.

Moreover, Tata vehicles also offer high durability, awide range of products, customised options and

low operating costs. Another reason is theavailability of spare parts and service touch points infour different regions · Addis Ababa, Mekele,Awasa and Bishoftu.

But one of the biggest factors that has made Tata arecognisable brand in the region is the backing andafter-sales support from Paul Ries & Sons, a very oldand highly-respected business house. £

Armed with the financing option, Ethiopians are now choosing newer models from the Tata range of buses

Akwaaba! Welcome to Ghana, formerly known asthe Gold Coast, a country that has attained politicalstability after several years of civil strife. In 2011,an International Monetary Fund study listed it asone of the world's fastest growing economies,with an economic growth rate predicted to beabout 20 per cent.

Tata Motors exports to Ghana were sporadic untilTata Africa Holdings Ghana, a subsidiary of TataInternational, was appointed as distributor in 1998.Currently, the company has its corporate and salesoffice in Accra, and a state-of-the-art workshop,showroom and three warehouses in the port cityof Tema.

PHC Motors was appointed as the Tata dealer in 2003and they have helped Tata Motors build the mostextensive network in Ghana (See box: An experience

An island of peace

Inaugurating the 3S facility: (From left) Tata Africa Holdings MD Raman Dhawan; Ghana’sMinister of Trade and Industry Hannah Tetteh; Paramount Chief of Kpone Traditional AreaNii Tetteh Otu II and Indian High Commissioner to Ghana Ruchi Ghanshyam

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09StridesDECEMBER 2011

„beyond expectations‰ on page 13). Apart from thefacilities present in Accra and Kumasi, PHC Motorshas six service centres across the country.

The company launched its passenger cars in Ghanatowards the end of 2006 and has been a prominentplayer ever since. Currently, Tata passenger carsenjoy 15 per cent market share and have securedseveral prestigious institutional orders that havehelped to increase the visibility of the Tata brand inthe country. The 600-odd Indigo vehicles supplied totaxi operators can be seen plying all over Accra aswell as in other prominent cities and have reallyestablished the robustness of the cars in thecountry. Tata Motors has just launched the IndicaVista and will be launching Manza in early 2012.

Although used vehicles dominate Ghana'scommercial vehicle market, Tata Motors has carvedout a 25 per cent market share of new vehiclessold, with the LPT 709 as the highest selling truckin the market. Tata Ace is very popular with morethan 300 vehicles being sold in two years. TodayTata Motors ranks third in the market after Toyotaand Nissan, and its current vehicle park size ismore than 10,000 vehicles. £

Although Tata Motors has been supplying vehiclesto Nigeria since the late 1990s, the sales efforttook on focus only after Tata Africa Services Nigeriawas appointed as distributor in 2008. The sameyear, passenger cars were also launched in the

country and have proved to be very popular. Since2008, about 2,000 commercial vehicles have been sold in Nigeria till present. The autoindustry is dominated by pickups and lightcommercial vehicles with popular Tata vehiclesbeing the LPT 709, SFC 407 and LPT 1618 trucks. Inthe heavier range, the LPK 2516 and 2523 tippersare in demand in the construction business; bottlingcompanies ask for the LPT 1618 truck.

A major order was the supply of 100 LPK 1618garbage compactors to the state of Lagos for wastemanagement. In spite of stiff competition from low-priced Chinese brands, Tata Motors won the orderbecause of the complete package offered, ie,reliable vehicles backed by strong service, an offerthat could not be matched by the competition.Today other Nigerian states are also showing aninterest in this service.

The Nigerian economy is growing at a rate of around7 per cent, driven mainly by crude oil exports andtrading. There are several distribution companiesbased here that are expanding their operations. Oneof their challenges is managing their fleet of vehiclesand controlling maintenance costs and downtime ofvehicles. Here Tata Motors has stepped in by

On the upswing

Tata Motors present since: 2008

What's popular:w LPO 1318 busw LPT 709, SFC 407 and LPT 1618w LPK 2516 and 2523 tippers w Indigo sedans and station wagons

Milestones: w Supply of 100 LPK 1618 garbage compactors to

Lagosw 100 buses to a church in Lagosw More than 700 passenger cars soldw About 200 trucks sold to leading bottling companiesw About 400 trucks and pickups sold to major

distribution companies

NIGERIA

Tata Motors present since: 1998

What's popular:w LPT 709w Acew Indigo

Secondary markets:w Burkina Fasow Togow Beninw Liberia

GHANA

Milestones:w About 600 Indigo cars

for taxi servicesw 140 buses to Metro

Mass Transitw 200 vehicles to

Ministry of Interiors

Promoting Tata Ace applications

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offering solutions such as annual maintenancecontracts (included in the cost of the vehicle),quick response service, towing vans, mobileservice vans, training through a dedicated team oftrained technical staff, etc.

Tata Motors and its channel partners alsoundertake corporate social responsibility initiativessuch as ÂGrow more treesÊ, support education for underprivileged children through donation of books and other educational tools anddistribution of free medicines to drivers duringservice campaigns. £

Amidst the many exotic nations of Africa liesSenegal, a country that nestles in thewesternmost tip of Africa. Capital city Dakar is

well known for its international flavours in terms ofcuisine, nightlife and interactions and also itsexcellent infrastructure as compared to most otherWest African countries. Being Âwell-connectedÊ isa prerequisite for any cosmopolitan city and Dakarboasts of an excellent public transport system.

What is unusual about Dakar's public transport isthat the buses are simply known as Tata. "I come towork by Tata," says Marie, a 25-year-old womanwho commutes 25km by bus to the city. Althoughthere are several brands of buses on Dakar roads,including Chinese, Iranian and Swedish makes, thename Tata has become a generic term for buses inthe country's vocabulary.

Apart from Dakar, Tata Motors has also made itsmark in Touba, a popular religious destination inSenegal where the religious guru (or Marabout)enjoys tremendous influence especially in the publictransport sector. Tata Motors is currently supplying

A symbiotic bond

SENEGAL

Tata Motors present since: 2003

What's popular:w Tata buses

Secondary markets:w Maliw Mauritaniaw Guineaw Gambiaw Sierra Leonew Cote d'Ivoire

Milestones: w 350 buses to Dakar Dem Dikkw 500 buses to transport association

AFPTUw 200 LP 709 buses to transporters of

Touba cityw New agreement for supply of 200

Tata LP 913 buses to AFPTUw 400 pickups for village heads

MANAGING WASTE

Going well beyond the sales and service relationship, Tata Motors is now offering transport consultancy to severalcustomers. One sterling example of this deep engagement is the work that the company is doing in Nigeria in wastemanagement.

The company's first in-depth consultancy engagement waswith the State Government of Lagos for a supply of 100garbage compactors. Subsequently Tata Motors is nowproviding consultancy on mass transit bus solutions andwaste management to several other state governments.

Some of these smaller states are less evolved in systems ofoperations and planning, and are looking for inputs for theentire waste management package, including vehicle types,finance for the vehicles, model for public-private partnershipoperation, model for cash flow and finance management inthe project, after sales and planning in terms of design forinfrastructure, training for manpower, tools and parts, sharingof knowledge on refuse management techniques, etc.

In each case, Tata Motors participates in the techno-commercial study and in the end, provides a package dealthat starts with the ideal mix of vehicles · garbagecompactors, skip loaders, hook loaders, tippers, garbagecontainers, etc · and ends with a fully-operational wastemanagement system. £

Value-added transport solutions

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about 200 buses to Touba city, of which the first lotof 50 buses have been handed over in a ceremonyattended by the President of Senegal himself.

NEW FOR OLDIn 2001, the transporters of Senegal decided toreplace their traditional public transport buses, calledcar rapide, with new vehicles; one of themanufacturers to be approached was Indianautomaker Tata Motors. In 2003 an internationaltender for supply of new buses was floated by theGovernment of Senegal and financed by the WorldBank. Tata Motors won the contract because inaddition to its competitive pricing, it was the onlycompany offering to assemble buses locally. Thelocal bus assembly plant was to be set up inpartnership with Senbus Industries. To mark theevent, several heads of states participated in theinauguration of the new plant, making the occasiona West African regional affair rather than a local one.

A SLOW START In the early days, Tata Motors, being a new andunknown player, faced some scepticism from localtransporters. Circumstances also led to a delay inthe project. At this point, the Indian auto majorapproached the Government of India for a line ofcredit for about $17 million and then supplied 350units of LPO 1316 buses to the state transportauthority Dakar Dem Dikk (literal translation ·Dakar to-fro).

Once the new buses started plying, theytransformed the look of public transport in Senegal.The country's transport changed from wobbly oldbuses to new and more comfortable ones, a factorthat helped the private transporters to gain

confidence in the Tata brand. The next step was thelocal assembly of about 500 LP 613 buses, alongwith training the Senegalese workers in industrybest practices.

PUTTING DOWN ROOTS Although Tata Motors had been doing business in West Africa for some time, it was only in June2003 that the company deputed its first-everresident marketing representative to Senegal. Thedecision to set up base in West Africa, however, hadits own complexities. As a continent, Africa has hadmore than its fair share of strife and turmoil, rangingfrom rampant poverty to widespread civil wars.Secondly, this base in West Africa had been aFrench colony, making it an even more difficultterrain with linguistic and cultural barriers. A biggerchallenge lay in the fact that Senegal had for long

Building a strong relationship: Ousmane J Diop (second from left), Chairman, Senbus, and RT Wasan, Head of Tata Motors Commercial VehicleBusiness Unit-International Business, signed the agreement for supply of 200 Tata LP 913 buses to AFPTU

Tata Motors has made its mark in the religious city of Touba

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been a captive market for European brands. TataMotors had to build its identity, ensure brandawareness and work out a strategy to carve outmarket share from the competition, mainly on thestrength of its affordable and appropriate productsand services.

Yet another impediment was the consumer mindset.Senegalese operators were so used to therefurbished European vehicles, that it wasnecessary to explain how to work with newvehicles. For instance, they had neither heard of, norunderstood, the importance of warranty on avehicle. Nor had they felt the need to use genuinespare parts as their traditional car rapide and otherEuropean vehicles normally performed ontemporarily managed ones.

Another obstacle was that Senbus, having made ahuge investment in the assembly plant, ran short of

funds to manage further investment in the after-sales support. Knowing the value of an effectiveafter-sales support, Tata Motors had to come upwith a solution. One of the Indian channel partners,Unitech Motors, rose to the occasion and acceptedthe challenge to provide a five-year or 200,000kmwarranty · something that was unheard of in thispart of the world.

The Tata Motors team in Senegal had yet anotherdetail that needed attention. The communicationbetween the team of technicians from India andtheir Senegalese counterparts was difficult becausethe former did not speak French and the latter didnot understand or speak English, making this anoperational obstacle.

HAPPY TRAVELS However, despite every holdup, the Tata Motors-Senbus project was a success. And today inSenegal, where people earlier travelled on 15- to20-year-old vehicles on bad roads, making the dailycommute a tedious chore, the nature of publictransport has changed. The blue-yellow Tatamammoths (LPO 1316) dotting the roads of Dakarhave altered the lives of the people drastically, bymaking every part of the city and its suburbsaccessible for as low a price as $0.25. Therelationship between Tata Motors and Senegal istruly symbiotic. Every bus of Tata Motors in thiscountry, by way of assembly and operation,creates eight to ten direct employmentopportunities and three to five indirectemployment opportunities, thereby contributingdirectly to the economy.

Yet, it has not been easy for the Indian auto major,what with competition from big players and pricepressure from competition from the Far East. For the past couple of years, the auto market inSenegal has been flooded with cheaper options. A case in point was the private sector transporters'association called AFPTU who bought buses ofother brands for their fleet.

Tata Motors however stood firm and focused onemphasising its strengths. Subsequently, theassociation, having looked at other alternatives,came back to Tata Motors with an order of 700more buses.

As it stands today, the Senegal transporter is aninformed citizen of the world and despite therebeing cheaper options available, remains loyal toTata Motors and continues to express faith in theirproducts owing to the companyÊs quality assurance.After all who would not want to associate with aconglomerate whose Chairman Ratan Tata is famousfor having said „A promise is a promise‰. £

New and swanky buses have changed the way of travelling on Senegal roads

Tata LPO 1316 participating in the Independence Day parade of Senegal

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Tata Motors is a new entrant into the Sudan market,having tied up with the Central Trading Company(CTC), one of the leading business houses ofSudan, in August 2010. Through CTC, the companyhas secured some big orders from the state ofKhartoum · 70 garbage compactors and 100buses. Another unique initiative was the effort toincrease self-employment among the citizens. HereTata Motors offered the sub-tonne Tata Ace withdifferent applications to the Ministry of SocialWelfare. The applications selected were cafeteria,mobile shop and containers. As many as 1,000 Acemodels are being supplied to Khartoum on a highlycompetitive price; deliveries will go on untilFebruary 2012. £

Growing againstall odds

Tata Motors present since: 2010

What's popular:w Garbage compactorsw Tata busesw Tata Ace

SUDAN

Milestones: w 70 garbage compactors for

Khartoumw 100 buses for Khartoum

Ace: Enabling entrepreneurship in Sudan

Could you describe your experienceworking with Tata Motors?When we signed the dealer agreementwith Tata Africa Holdings Ghana inOctober 2003, there was a bit oftrepidation on how this associationwould pan out. However, it hasexceeded all our expectations. Withintwo years our retail level touched a

record 800 vehicles per annum. Nowwe consistently average around 600vehicles every year. The journey hasnot been easy; when we startedawareness of the Tata brand wasquite low among Ghanaians. It took alot of hard work from all the channelpartners to become the countryÊsthird biggest player.

Earlier, Tata Motors used to sell busesonly, but over the past decade it hasexpanded. Today, it is has the mostextensive range of commercialvehicles under one brand. In 2006, welaunched Tata Motors passenger cars.Until then, we were present only in thepremium car segment but with Tatapassenger cars we could offerproducts in the high volume segments,thus rounding off our portfolio nicely.We did exceedingly well for the firstthree years and we have sold over3,500 cars in the last five years. It hasbeen a wonderful experience with itsshare of highs and lows, and we arelooking forward to the future.

How big is your Tata Motors business?PHC Motors has been in the

automobile business for the past 43years. When we started in 2003, TataMotors contributed close to 65 percent of our total turnover. This hasgrown to 90 per cent now. Tatavehicles have had a dramatic impact onour scale of operations and we havegrown along with the company.

What is the current situation in theGhana automobile market?The competitive landscape lookstougher than before as new productsare being launched every year. In thecommercial vehicle segment, we haveembarked on a new challenge calledProject 2C to increase our marketshare in the trucks segment. We willbe launching two new trucks (LPT 407and LPT 1116) to complement ourflagship brand, the LPT 709. In thepassenger car segment, thecompetition is from Chinese andKorean vehicles at lower price points.There are opportunities also. Theupcoming general elections hasmobilised economic activities. With oilmoney coming in, the government hasstarted loosening its purse strings. Weare quite bullish about the future. £

· Gayatri Kamath with inputs from Anil Sekhar,Bobby Salwan, S Roy, Gyan Prakash, Rahul Nazareth,Giridhar Gatte, Waris Imam, Abhishek Singh, SKNijhawan and Sanjeev Sharma, and special thanks toShambhavi Singh for Senegal

AN EXPERIENCE "BEYOND EXPECTATIONS"Says Paul Pepera, MD of PHCMotors (authorised dealer ofTata Africa Holdings Ghana)

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STRIDES WINS ABCI AWARD Strides won the gold award formagazine design at the 51st AnnualAwards Nite of the Association ofBusiness Communicators of India(ABCI). ABCI is India's largest non-profit organisation of businesscommunication professionals and isthe leading resource for effectivecommunication practices. TataMotors bagged six awards in all for excellence in businesscommunication.

NANO STARS IN NEPALTata Motors exhibited itscommercial and passenger vehiclesat the Nepal Automobile DealersAssociation Auto Show 2011 atKathmandu in September. Thepassenger vehicle pavilion displayedthe Aria, Tata Nano, Vista and ManzaElan, while the commercial vehiclestall showcased the Tata Ace Zipand Telcoline.

The exhibition had as many as 100different stalls and featured 43companies. Vehicles from Nepal,

India, China, South Korea, Malaysia,the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy,Japan and the US were on display.The Tata Motors stall was one of thebiggest and Tata Nano was theundisputed star of the expo. The Tatastall recorded around 15,000 footfalls,with over 2,000 enquiries. The autoshow was attended by more than40,000 visitors and auto enthusiasts.

STATE-OF-THE-ART DRIVINGSCHOOL AT DHAKATata Motors Commercial VehicleBusiness Unit Customer Supportteam, in partnership with theBangladesh distributor Nitol Motors,has inaugurated a commercial vehicledriver training school (DTS) inKishoregunj, Dhaka. A driver trainingmanual and the DTS website(www.dts.com.bd) were alsolaunched. DTS has a training centre,driving track and hostel facility, thatcan accommodate 200 participants,built over 15 acres of land in theNitol-Niloy factory. The centre hasfive big classrooms fully equipped

with visual training aids, LCDprojectors and television.

One of DTS's key attractions isthe state-of-the-art, fully functional,pre-configured driving simulator that contains all necessary hardwareand software modules, visualsystems, visual databases and afully functional driving cockpit,with instrumentation to provide areal-life driving environment. DTS isa part of the Customer SupportDivisionÊs initiative to train drivers togenerate employment and promoteroad safety.

In the news

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The commercial vehicle driving school in Dhaka

Aria at the Tata pavilion

Footfalls and eyeballs at Nepal Automobile Dealers Association Auto Show

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JAGUAR XKR-S SPORTSCAR OF THE YEARJaguar XKR-S has been named the'2011 Sports Car of the Year' byGerman motoring magazine AutoBild Sportscars, following a pollamong more than 70,000 readers.

The XKR-S · the most powerfulproduction car Jaguar has built ·competed in the 'Production SportsCar Coupes' category, where itcollected 14.3 per cent of votes,ahead of Mercedes C63 AMG andAudi RS5 in their home market.Competing for the 10th 'Auto BildSports Car of the Year' awards were173 cars in 17 categories.

FULL THROTTLE TEAMWINS EASTERN MOUNTAINSAFARI 2011The Tata Motors Full Throttle teamÊsTata Sumo Grande, driven by AdityaAnthony and Mohammed Musthafa,won the Eastern Mountain Safari2011. The team garnered firstposition, bagging a trophy and prizeamount of `500,000.

Riding on the success of the 2011Raid De Himalaya, Desert Storm2011 and the Dakshin Dare 2011rallies, the Tata Motors Full Throttleteam entered the Eastern Mountain

Safari 2011 with six vehicles (twoTata Safaris, two Tata Xenons andtwo Tata Sumo Grandes).

TATA HISPANO ISAMBASSADOR OFZARAGOZATata Hispano was awarded the titleof ÂAmbassador of the City ofZaragozaÊ by Juan Alberto Belloch,Mayor of Zaragoza (capital ofAragon, Spain). The mayorpresented the title to MV Raja Rao,CEO, and Javier Garcia, DeputyGeneral Manager, Tata Hispano.

Mr Belloch said that Tata Hispanohas been one of the ''most active''collaborators of the city and itrepresents ''as very few do'' thevalues that the capital of Aragonstands for: commitment to theenvironment, focus on innovation,

improvement in the quality of lifeand corporate social responsibility.

TATA MOTORS WINS DIECASTING COMPETITION2011 AWARDTata Motors won the North AmericanDie Casting AssociationÊs (NADCA)Die Casting Competition 2011 awardin the aluminium category forexcellence in aluminium die casting(over 10lb). NADCA represents thevoice of the die casting industry.

NADCA has instituted the award tohonour and publicise outstandingdesigns and promote increased useof die castings. An independentjury assessed the nominees onfour equally weighted criteria ·ingenuity of casting / productdesign, overall quality, cost savingsand contribution to expanding themarket for castings.

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Jaguar power

The rally being flagged off

Tata Hispano, a representative of Zaragoza values

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TATA 407 CELEBRATESSILVER JUBILEELaunched in 1986, the Tata 407portfolio has vehicles ranging from2.2 to 4.2 tonnes, available indiesel and CNG variants, with closeto 75 per cent market share atpresent. The Tata 407 vehicles hasbeen regularly upgraded, based on research and development, andcustomer feedback on operatingeconomy, cabin convenience andsafety.

The range has been expanded toinclude trucks, tippers, pickups andvehicles for agri / food products,construction, light mining and otherservices. The Tata 407 platform hasalso resulted in the development ofTata Motors fully-built city-ridebuses in 12-to-24 seater variants.

Following the companyÊs jointventure with Marcopolo of Brazil in2006, the platform was included inthe Starbus range as a 24-seaterand 12-to-18-seater luxury variants.

GREAT SHOWING AT 2011RAID DE HIMALAYA RALLYThe Tata MotorsÊ Full Throttle teamsuccessfully completed the 2011

Raid De Himalaya Rally and endedits maiden participation by snappingup two podium finishes. Tata Safarifinished second in the ÂPro StockExpert SUVÊ class of the rally, whileTata Grande Dicor claimed third spotin the ÂStock Expert SUVÊ class. This year, the rally covered over 2,000km. The participants covered atreacherous route over the greatwestern Himalayan ranges wherethe cars traversed through some of

the highest passes in the world.Tata Motors had announced thelaunch of Tata Motors Full Throttle,a platform for steering thecompanyÊs participation in motorsports and allied activities, onFebruary 15, 2011. Tata Motors hasparticipated in several internationalrallies such as the London-CapeTown Rally in 1998, ASEAN Rally in2004 and the SAARC Rally in 2007,with the Tata Safari.

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The versatile Tata pickup traversing the Himalayan passes

The ever-popular 407

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WINNING SILVER FOR THEGREEN EFFORTThe Lucknow division of Tata Motorswon the silver award for itsoutstanding achievement inenvironment management in theautomobile sector at the GreentechEnvironment Awards 2011. TheGreentech Foundation instituted thisaward to acknowledge companiesdemonstrating the highest level ofcommitment to environmentalmanagement and corporate socialresponsibility. The GreentechEnvironment Award is supported andrecognised by the Ministry of HeavyIndustries and Public Enterprises,Government of India.

CUSTOMER CARE DAY ATTATA MOTORSIt was on October 23, 1954, thatthe first commercial vehicle rolledout of the Tata Motors plant atJamshedpur. For more than half acentury now, Tata Motors has

established a relationship of deep-rooted trust and confidence with itscustomers. To celebrate thisrelationship, it was decided tocelebrate October 23 as NationalCustomer Care Day.

This year, customer-centricactivities were held at all TataMotorsÊ customer touch points inIndia and abroad and several newinitiatives were announced. A freeservice campaign was organised in969 workshops in India and 32workshops abroad. About 5,100customers participated in 95customer meets in India and 500customers attended 49 such meetsin other countries. More than 5,100drivers were trained in India andabout 250 in the overseas markets.

JOY OF GIVING WEEK ATTATA MOTORSEmployees participatedenthusiastically in the Joy of Giving

week celebrations at Tata Motors.As part of the initiative, more than15 tonnes of clothes were donatedto Goonj, a Delhi-based NGO. Theyalso donated more than `300,000for sponsoring education of under-privileged children and for cataractoperations of the rural poor.

Nearly 100 units of blood weredonated to help patients sufferingfrom diseases such as cancer and thalassemia. £

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Do not drill holes or extend the chassis frame of your vehicle. Do not reinforce chassis frame, spring oraxles for carrying higher payload. It may result in premature failure of aggregates.

The spirit of giving

Answers to the puzzle on page 46: 1: C | 2: A | 3: D | 4: B | 5: E

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If there can be one single reason for Tata Motorsachieving the position of world's fifth-largestcommercial vehicle manufacturer, it is the

emphasis on technology and quality. When thecompany started operations more than 60 yearsago, it tied up with Daimler Benz to produce a rangeof commercial vehicles that eventually elevated TataMotors to India's top automaker. That samephilosophy has driven the development of TataPrima, the world truck from Tata Motors that meetsworld-class standards of drive quality, road-worthiness, safety and passenger comfort.

The Prima range of trucks, tractor-trailers, tippers,mixers, cranes, etc was launched in India in 2009,and in South Africa in October 2011. In keepingwith the company's quality consciousness, Prima isbeing tested in several markets across the world sothat it can be certified as a vehicle more thancapable of meeting all possible local conditions.

For instance, in South Africa Prima has been testedfor long haulage application on the Johannesburg-Durban and Johannesburg-Cape Town routes thatare well known for their steep gradient. It has alsobeen tested in Bhutan for hydro-electric projects. In

Nigeria, the truck is to be tested under localconditions where the fuel quality is low due tohigher sulphur content. Prima will also be tested onthe Russia-Siberia route where night temperaturesdrop to -20oC and in Kuwait where daytemperatures cross 55oC. In addition, the range ofPrima trucks would be tested for specificapplications such as construction use in Qatar.

THE COMPLETE TRUCKPrima is the culmination of a journey thatmarshalled the best of technology from resourcesacross the world. The truck cabs have been styledin Italy, and know-how for the chassis frame hascome from Mexico. The engine technology is fromthe US and Europe and gearbox expertise from boththe US and Germany. While the suspension has itsorigins in the US, the sheet metal dies have beensourced from the best manufacturers in Japan andSouth Korea.

More important, the trucks have been designed tomeet safety regulations and emission norms thatvary from country to country. Not only are they Euro III and Euro IV compliant, they are also Euro Vready. In addition, the Prima models have

The world truckBuilt to world-class standards of technology, designed for lowoperating costs and customised to meet country- and customer-specific requirements, Tata Prima is a complete solution for truckowners around the world

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At the Johannesburg International MotorShow, 103 customers participated in a surveyon Tata Prima. A few findings:

w Eighty-five per cent respondents rated PrimaÊs performance as 3 or more out of 5.

w Horse power of the Prima 4038S 4x2 truck tractor was considered ideal for 4x2 application.

w Prima 3138K was considered a sturdy tipper and highly suited for mining.

SETTING APART

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undergone globally-accepted validation methods forperformance and reliability. Some of the tests were: w Cabin shake durability test. w Accelerated full chassis fatigue test to ensure

the structural integrity of the cabin, etc.w Noise, vibration and harshness test.w Climatic tests in hot and cold chambers for

performance under extremes of temperature.w Shower test to ensure the cab is fully

waterproof.

HEAVY-DUTY TRUCKING With a loading capacity ranging between 25 and56 tonne GVW/GCW each, these heavy-duty, all-terrain trucks have traversed the world,commanding some of its most challenging roads.Specifically designed with expectations of driversand haulage companies in mind, Prima targets tohave the lowest total cost of ownership in order toremain an ideal business asset that provides acompetitive edge in the market.

TECHNOLOGY COMMANDPrima is a combination of engineering systems thathave been designed to reduce life cycle cost whileimproving reliability and drive quality. Powertrainoptions range from 280 PS to 480 PS with a suitablerange of engines, transmission and axle systems.

The engines are state-of-the-art. All Prima trucksare fitted with the Cummins-ISBe or the Cummins-ISLe engine. Other features include a waste gateturbocharger, the latest engine filtration systemand an in-built Jake brake. The gear box is either the compact and light ZF-9S1110 or the low-weight Eaton-FSO 10309, with nine-speedmanual transmission, low installation weight andminimum noise emission, power take-off facilityand a servo shift.

Multiple axles allow for heavy-duty service for thetransport of heavy materials as well as high degreeof on-road control. Axles have also been designedfor specific applications, as in construction, mining

and so on. Sheet metal composites for externalbody parts have been designed to offer strengthand lower weight at the same time. As strong assteel, the composites weigh 30 per cent less thansteel and offer greater resistance to corrosion anddents. The chassis frame uses rolled-frametechnology with long members and reinforcements.

The cabins, all air-conditioned, come in a range ofwide and narrow designs and are available in threedifferent heights and lengths and two trim levels.Each cab is fitted with a global positioning system foreffective vehicle tracking. While the steering systemis designed to reduce effort and road shock, the four-way adjustable seats for both drivers and co-driversare unique. Also unique to the Prima cabins isstanding space! While tractor trailers have sleeperberths, all have room to stand and move around.

AN EYE ON SAFETY Prima trucks are built for maximum safety. The high-power H1 and H7 lamps for high and low beam,supported by the auto light mode, increase drivervisibility. LED lights are fitted for rear views andillumination of steps and the Âdoor ajarÊ lampensures enhanced driver safety.

New generation truck brakes with anti-lock brakesystem and Jake brakes ensure safe braking on wetcurved roads; the Jake brakes also help conserveenergy. The differential lock feature ensures safetywhen driving on slippery surfaces and also allowsthe vehicle to be operated in rough terrain, offhighways and in rugged conditions.

Prima has already begun its international journeyin South Africa. Soon the truck will be in thehands of customers in the Middle East and SouthAsia. With its unique set of offerings · totaldriver comfort, low cost of operation, high safetyand emission standards · Prima is slated to takeover the global highways. £

· Suchita Vemuri with inputs from Arpan Biswas

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Prime truckingw Made in India and South Korea

w Designed to meet world-class standards, norms and regulations

w Customised to meet needs of customers based all over the world

An unprecedented level of teamwork has gone into creating the new Prima range oftrucks. A sharing of resources on a truly global scale marks the making of these trucks. A result of global intelligence, the truck’s cab has been styled by one of Italy’s best designhouses; engine technology has come from the US and Europe; gearbox expertise from theUS and Germany; know-how for the chassis frame has come from Mexico; the tried andtested suspension has its origins in the US; the sheet metal dies have been sourced fromthe best in Japan and South Korea; and the cab has been fabricated with Swedishprecision on a robotic weld line.

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CAB STYLEDIN ITALY1

Prima cabins are designed for safetyand comfort and feature spaciousstorage spaces, all-weather heatingventilation and air-conditioningsystems, air-suspension ergonomicseats and anti-roll sleeper berths,standing space, convenientinstrument cluster with multi-functionLED display, and an innovativesteering system with audio controls.

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GEARBOX EXPERTISE FROMGERMANY AND THE US2

Compact and light, the ZF-9S1110 and the Eaton-FSO10309 have nine-speed manual transmission,minimum noise emission, power take-off facility andservo shift with optimum torque rating.

ENGINE TECHNOLOGY FROMTHE US AND EUROPE3

Prima trucks are fitted with the Cummins-ISBe or the Cummins-ISLe engine, the former has a Boschhigh-pressure common rail injection system, four-valve cylinder head and rear gear train; and thelatter has a cylinder block with integrated fluid lines,high-strength tensile steel forged crankshaft andhigh-durability pistons with special surface finishmid-stop cylinder liners.

SHEET METAL DIES FROMJAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA4

Sheet metal composites used for external bodyparts offer the strength of steel along with greaterplasticity even while weighing 30 per cent less thansteel. Composites also offer greater resistance tocorrosion and dents.

CHASSIS FRAME KNOW-HOWFROM MEXICO5

Manufactured using rolled frame technology, everyPrima chassis undergoes the accelerated full chassisfatigue test, ensuring the structural integrity andfatigue life of assembly frame, suspension and axle,as well as noise, vibration and harshness tests.

SUSPENSION EXPERTISEFROM THE US6

The suspension system is designed to increasedriveline life. The 6-rod tandem bogie suspensionreduces overall vehicle stress and wear and tear ofthe tyres, and the pivot arrangement ensures equaltransfer of load on each axle.

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Tata Xenon is conquering the land of theIncas. Across ChileÊs mountainous reachesand coastal plains, through icy terrain and

rugged sandy stretches, the Xenon is making itsmark as the ideal outdoor sports vehicle. Not only isit being used by the Chile Ski Patrol as anemergency rescue vehicle at several ski resorts, it isalso being promoted by Cristian Merello, Chileanfilm director and a top international big wave rider.

It was Xenon's design, high-performance and high-power traction characteristics that led Mr Merello, aprofessional surfer and avid sportsman, to chooseXenon as his vehicle of choice to accompany himon his outdoor adventures and far-flung sportschallenges. Tata Motors Chile supports the young

surfer, who currently holds the number eightposition in world surfing rankings, through his 4x4Xenon, a vehicle that can handle remote locationsand harsh off-road conditions.

Ben Diaz, Commercial Manager of Tata MotorsChile, talks about the Xenon-Merello sportingpartnership, explaining that it showcases a brandthat stands for reliability, even as it supportsactivities that go hand in hand with „youngerpeople, sportsmen and adventurers‰.

A SAFE RIDEAnother role that the tough 4x4 Xenon plays is inemergency and assistance services, especiallyduring Chilean winters. The Chile Ski Patrol, which

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A high-powered engine combined with sleek looks and extensivesafety features makes Tata Xenon an ideal outdoor and sportsvehicle for traversing every type of terrain, from rugged mountainstretches to smooth city roads

The tough andeasy ride

Tata Xenon performs as a rescue vehicle in Chile

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specialises in outdoor emergency rescues androadside assistance, needs reliable vehicles toaccess remote · and often dangerous ·mountainous reaches. Their selection of Xenon wason the basis of its unique technical features, highpower engine and large load capacity, as well as forits excellent performance and comfort, especiallywhen driving through rural areas, long trips anddifficult routes.

The Chile Ski Patrol's choice of Xenon for its fleet ofroadside assistance vehicles underlines the fact thatthe vehicle has the capability to handle diverseharsh terrains · icy heights, rocky stretches, roadsthat are snowed under, and so on. „Through thisalliance we have gone one step ahead in ourcommitment to peopleÊs security as well as oursupport to extreme sports,‰ says Mr Diaz.

Chileans, ski enthusiasts and tourists alike can seethe Xenons at work throughout the winter monthsin ski resorts at Valle Nevado, Pucon, La Parva, ElColorado and Chillan.

TOUGH TRAVELLERSince the Xenon was launched in Chile inSeptember 2009, the utility vehicle has grownsteadily in popularity, with as many as 1,000vehicles already on the roads. What makes the four-wheel drive ideal for local conditions is that it hasbeen designed to provide a high-poweredperformance on a rugged and robust platform. Its2.2 litre engine and turbocharger reaches 140hp,giving it the pulling power necessary to handlemountain roads and climbs. The five-gear box canbe manually adjusted for four-wheel or two-wheeldrives, depending on terrain conditions.

Just as relevant is the welding engineering andsuperior quality of steel that has gone into theXenon's body, giving it greater structural rigidity andthe ability to take on tough and rough drivingconditions. The vehicle comes equipped for powerfulbraking and exceptional stopping power, even at fullload. Safety features have been of paramountimportance in the design of Xenon and the body hasbeen specially designed to provide maximum impactresistance. A collapsible steering column, intrusionbars on the doors and stops on the wheels have beendesigned to reduce damage from a frontal impact.

SLEEK AND SMOOTHBut the tough and rugged vehicle also has smoothaesthetic lines that convert the pickup into the idealutility or sports vehicle. Features such as powersteering, height adjustable steering wheel, centrallocking, adjustable door mirrors and a roomy cabinwith pleasure gadgets such as a CD player, go a longway in making sure that the driver gets an easy ride.

Other innovations include an integrated bumper thathouses fog lights, headlights, turn signals as well asa mechanism for air intake, combining with the grilldesign and high clearance, oversized wheel arches,and the upward trend of the waist-alloy wheels, tomake for a sporting look. Remarkably, it still meetsthe most stringent of anti-pollution regulations andperforms better than most in fuel efficiency in alltypes of terrain.

Xenon is a dream ride even on city roads, as theengine powers up to rapid acceleration and thebraking system is smooth enough for urban roads.Moreover, Xenon's flexible 2/4 wheel gear systemgives the driver the option to switch to rear wheeldrive on good roads. As Mr Diaz puts it, „TataXenon is perfect for Chile, with its emphasis onenjoying the outdoor life and its wide open spaces.It allows a reach to almost every corner of thecountry.‰ Xenon seems to be made for Chileanbeaches and chilly winters, both. £

RELIABLE SUPPORT

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Tata Motors Chile supports CristianMerello · who currently holds thenumber eight position in world surfing ·through 4x4 Tata Xenon, a vehicle that canhandle remote locations and harsh off-road conditions. Talking about the support,Ben Diaz, commercial manager of TataMotors Chile, explains that it showcases abrand that stands for reliability, even as itsupports activities that go hand in handwith "younger people, sportsmen andadventurers".

Cristian Merello with the Tata Xenon

· Suchita Vemuri with inputs from Santiago Kegevic

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In a world that is becoming increasingly carbon-conscious, Tata Motors has added two newgreen offerings that are ideal for safe city

transport · CNG-hybrid and diesel-hybrid buses.These green buses have already receivedrecognition: In 2012, there will be as many as 50CNG and CNG-hybrid city buses operating in Madridthat will come from the Tata stable, that is, TataMotors and Tata Hispano.

The new hybrid models from the Tata stable are abig step forward in the companyÊs green productstrategy; these buses offer the best city mobilityoptions in terms of optimal ecological efficiency, thatis lower running costs, higher savings on fuel use,lower emissions, greater passenger comfort, etc.

FULL SPECTRUMThe hybrid buses form just one part of the widerange of bus offerings from Tata Motors thatincludes standard and luxury buses, inter-city andintra-city coaches and even small feeder vans thatseat as few as seven passengers.

In the last few years, Tata Motors has built upon itscapabilities to become the world's third-largest busmanufacturer. The Tata range of buses leverage thefull strengths of its global partners: Tata Hispano ofSpain (formerly Hispano Carrocera) is one ofEurope's top bus builders; Tata Motors also has ajoint venture with Marcopolo of Brazil. By combiningthe strengths of its partners, Tata Motors busesnow offer world-class engine systems, European

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The latest hybrid buses from Tata Motors offer as much as 30 per cent savings on fuel and much reduced carbon emissions

Green buses for agreen future

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styling and design, and the ultimate in passengercomfort and experience.

THE GREEN ROADThe Madrid order for hybrid buses is extremelysignificant as it underlines the fact that Tata Motorsis getting recognised as an international supplier ofenvironmental-friendly technologies.

From Tata Hispano, Empresa Municipal deTransportes de Madrid (EMT Madrid) is purchasing40 CNG buses and 10 buses that will have the Tata Motors chassis propelled by CNG and electrical batteries.

The buses meant for Madrid will be customised tooffer features such as spaces for shopping trolleysand small suitcases, a seat with belt for children upto the age of three, and double centre platforms sothat a wheelchair and a childÊs pushchair can travelat the same time.

The green buses for EMT Madrid are in keeping withthe new environmental policy of the city council. Thecity has ordered as many as 142 new CNG busesand 23 hybrid CNG-electric buses for 2012.

SUCCESSFUL PILOTAnother of Tata Motors' green buses was runningon the streets of Zaragoza in August-September2011 as a pilot study. TUZSA, the public transportoperating company of Zaragoza, was presenteda diesel-electric Tata Hispano bus with Tata Motorschassis, so that the city could experience andappraise hybrid technology as an environment-friendly and ecologically efficient means of transport.

TUZSA and Zaragoza City Council wished to try outthe latest hybrid bus technology to study thefeasibility of incorporating them into future fleetrenewals. Other cities too have requested trials ofthe diesel-electric technology buses, which offersseveral benefits such as up to 30 per cent

improvement in fuel economy, zero emissionoperation for short distances, lower noise levels andexceptionally smooth operation and comfort forpassengers (as the vehicle does not have a gearbox).

With green solutions much in demand in a worldthat is keeping one eye on global temperatures andthe other on efficient and ecologically friendlytechnologies, Tata Motors green buses will surelypave the way to a better future. £

WIN-WIN

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The Tata Hispano CNG-hybrid model offers several benefitsto customers, operators and passengers, and to theenvironment:

w Much higher fuel economy compared with a normaldiesel vehicle. This is due to the electronic brakingsystem that uses regenerative braking to capture energyand maximise fuel efficiency.

w The overall cost during the lifetime of the vehicle islower due to savings in running costs.

w The buses operate at much lower greenhouse gasemission levels because for short distances they canbe run in full electrical mode, which gives zero emission operation.

w The same chassis can be integrated with other options,such as the purely electric model, diesel-electric, CNGmicro turbine or with hydrogen cell, according tocustomer requirements.

w Lower internal and external noise levels of the vehicle dueto the reduced size of the engine.

w Versatile energy management systems that can beadapted to the customerÊs specific demands and thebus routes.

· Gayatri Kamath, and special thanks to Sonia Ubeda

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Tata Indigo Manza and Tata Prima launched during the show

JOHANNESBURGInternational Motor Show

Tata Motors launched luxurious Tata IndigoManza sedan and Tata Prima range ofpremium commercial vehicles at the Johannesburg International Motor Show2011. Debutants in commercial vehiclesincluded Tata Venture, Tata Super Ace, TataXenon CNG, Tata LPO 1623 CNG bus, TataLPO 1823, Tata Starbus Ultra range, V3TXF6x4 tractor from the Tata Novus range andthe Tata LPTA 1623 4x4 truck. Tata Xenon2.2 litre Cargo Box and Tata Xenon 2.2 litre double cab 4x4 were also exhibited at theshow. Passenger vehicles on display werethe Tata Indica Vista and Tata Aria.

EVEN

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From left: Kim Jong Shik, President and CEO, Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company;Raman Dhawan, MD, Tata Africa Holdings; Prakash Telang, MD, India Operations, Tata Motors;and Manny De Canha, CEO, Associated Motors Holdings

Dancers add to the ambience of the Tata Motors pavilion

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The Xenon-based economy ambulance at the AidEx 2011 show

Conrico International, Tata Motors' worldwide distributor to the aid and development sector,made a big impact at AidEx 2011 held at Brussels. Conrico International developed twopurpose-built Tata Xenons to demonstrate thesuitability and versatility of the product as a cost-effective purchase for operation in the disaster relief and long-term humanitarian aidsector. The Xenon-based economy ambulancewas a prototype vehicle based on a Xenon single cab pickup. A double cab Xenon wasmodified for heavy-duty tactical operations inremote locations.

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AIDEX2011 Show

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Tata Motors commercial vehicles displayed at the

outdoor area of the Enterprise India Show

The Enterprise India Show was held in association with the Confederation of IndianIndustry and the Embassy of India (Myanmar)from November 10-13, 2011, at Yangon topromote trade between India and Myanmar.Tata Motors showcased its commercial andpassenger range of vehicles at the exhibition.Tata Motors commercial vehicles on displayincluded the Ace, Magic, Xenon, LP 613 ACbus, LPT 407 Ex2 Truck, LPT 613 4x2 Truck,LPT 1618 4x2 Truck, LPT 2116 6x2 Truck, LPT 2123 6x4 Truck and LPK 2523 6x4 Tipper. The passenger cars displayed were IndicaVista, Safari and Aria.

Enterprise India Show inYANGON, MYANMAR

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Tata Aria and Tata Indica Vista lined up at the pavilion

The Tata Motors pavilion received enthusiastic response

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Foray into green

Since when has Tata Motors started developing anEV policy?We have been interested in it for quite a long time,but we started to look at it seriously in 2007.

What will be Tata MotorsÊ unique selling propositionin the EV sector once every major OEM is offeringEVs? How will you distinguish yourself from thecompetition in this field?For the current EV product we are introducing, ourtarget was to create an electric vehicle that wascomparable to a conventional internal combustionengine vehicle in terms of performance, comfort,drivability, etc. and I think we have achieved that.This will help establish Tata Motors as a credibleforce in the EV world, on par or better than some ofthe most established vehicle OEMs. In the future,Tata Motors will combine its creative skills and itsEV technical knowledge to develop electric vehicles

which are desirable, functional and affordable. TheTata Pixel concept car, introduced at the GenevaShow 2011, gives an idea of the sort of direction forour future products.

What kind of battery technology does Tata Motorsfavour? In which battery technology do you see thegreatest potential in the short and medium term?It is still very early days and difficult to say whichtechnology is going to be the winner. I think quitea few of the technologies around at the momenthave strengths and weaknesses. A lot dependsupon engineering and how the chemistry is usedby the cell manufacturers. At Tata Motors we have had good results with both iron-phosphatebased batteries and with nickel manganese cobalt(NMC) batteries.

Do you see a potential for ultracapacitor technologytaking up in mass marketed EVs? What are theadvantages and disadvantages of usingultracapacitors in EVs?At the moment, it is difficult to use ultracapacitorsfor several reasons. The control electronics to useultracapacitors in parallel with batteries are not welldeveloped yet. In addition the space needed for theultracapacitors is quite large. Space is already at apremium in an EV. Ideally, you would have a battery

Tata Motors European TechnicalCentre (TMETC) has developed anew generation of batteryelectric vehicles (EVs), includingthe Vista and Ace EVs. The TataIndica Vista EVX, a derivative ofthe production Vista EV, won theMost Economic Small PassengerEV and Most Economical andEnvironment-friendly SmallPassenger EV titles at theinaugural Royal Automobile ClubBrighton to London Future CarChallenge. In an exclusiveinterview, Dr John Richmond,Head of Advanced Engineering,TMETC, speaks to cars21.comabout Tata MotorsÊ electricvehicle technology and policy

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dealing with the steady state power requirementsand the ultracapacitors dealing with the peaks(especially regen). It is not so easy to do that in aconventional passenger car. To date the cost andother compromises that are necessary havediscouraged us from following this route but we arestill looking at it.

What are in general the areas that still needtechnological development for electric vehicles tobecome attractive for customers in your opinion?(Apart from battery technology.)The biggest limitations of electric vehicles are stillrange and recharging time. Apart from changing thebattery, range can be enhanced by minimizingenergy consumption in all areas of the vehicle. Weneed to contain or minimize as much as possible allthe parasitic losses in the vehicle whether this isin regard to heating or cooling, the infotainmentsystem and other things in this line. I do thinkthere is scope for us to reduce the parasiticlosses in electric vehicles by improving theseauxiliary systems.

Electric motors are already very efficient nowadays,so there the emphasis should probably be onreducing costs of production rather than increasingefficiency. In power electronics however, I thinkthere is quite a big scope to improve things. Wecan make the power electronics a lot smaller,possibly also allow to let them get a lot hotterduring operation which would mean that the wasteheat from power electronics could be used muchmore effectively.

Since the crisis in Japan caused by the earthquakeon 11 March, Mitsubishi and Nissan are consideringnow to upgrade their EVs to allow energy storagefor domestic needs. A solution that has beenadvanced by power utilities but has so far beendismissed by OEMs. What is Tata MotorsÊ view onthis subject?At this point in time the battery accounts for 50% ormore of the vehicle cost and has cycle life limits, sois there an advantage to the car user in terms ofproviding electricity back to the grid? I would saythat at the moment this is questionable if you lookat it from a cost degradation of the battery versusthe cost of the electricity point of view.

The other factor is whether it is worth the carmanufacturer putting all the necessary enablingstructure to allow the vehicle to charge back to thegrid and the communication protocols etc. in thecar. I personally think this may come in the future,because the grid systems around the world arereaching capacities, as in Los Angeles for examplewhere they are frequently going over capacitycausing power outages.

The cost of increasing the grid capacity isenormous. The cost of trying to use the localstorage in generation is lower. So from a globaleconomy perspective there are clear advantages tosmart grids using electric vehicles, but thequestion is how to get the economics to work atthe local level. £

This article has been reproducedwith permission from

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From tokunboto Tata

What are the challenges and opportunities in theNigerian auto market?The Nigerian auto industry is currently looking verypositive. The Nigerian consumer today understandsthe disadvantages of buying old vehicles (locallyknown as tokunbo vehicles) and is keen to invest innew vehicles. Although the lack of auto retailfinancing in Nigeria remains a major hurdle, we hopethat as the banking industry matures, financing will beeasier and will lead to further growth in the industry.

Major distribution companies have embarked onexpansion plans and are looking at changing orexpanding their fleets. Several state governments areconsidering mass transit buses, waste managementvehicles and car ownership schemes. With newinfrastructure projects kicking in, constructioncompanies are looking at tipper trucks, concretemixers and other application vehicles. All thesefactors are heating up the commercial vehiclesindustry, which is now witnessing major competition .The factors that will finally decide the market leaderare product quality and level of after-sales service

offered by the brand franchisee. The major challengesfaced by customers today are controlling costs ofmaintenance, reducing downtime of vehicles, quickresponse to critical requirements and accessibility toservice facilities; this is what auto companies have tohandle to win the hearts of Nigerian customers.

Can you highlight some of the achievements of TataAfrica Services (Nigeria)?Since sales commenced in 2008, the company hasbeen growing exponentially and has established itselfas a dominant player. We have sold around 2,000commercial vehicles so far, and are growing at a rateof around 100 per cent year on year. We arepatronised by most of the major companies inNigeria. We have supplied and successfullysupported mass transit buses and garbagecompactors to the state of Lagos. We have soldaround 700 units of passenger cars in Nigeria sinceinception. We have undertaken several initiatives toimprove and expand business to gain a respectablemarket share.

The automobile industry in Nigeria(the most populous country inAfrica) is witnessing phenomenalgrowth along with stiffcompetition. In an interview withStrides, Sudeep Ray, ExecutiveDirector of Tata Africa Services(Nigeria), TataÊs distributor inNigeria, and Regional Director forWest Africa at Tata Africa, talksabout the Nigerian market andhow a brand that differentiatesitself through high-level customerservice will be the winner

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The biggest challenge is that the local price of dieselis more than double that of petrol, which impacts thedemand for our pickup and diesel small commercialvehicles. However, the growth drivers for thebusiness have been light vehicles, medium andheavy trucks, tippers, special application vehicles andmass transit bus segments. We have been able tocreate a sustainable pan-Nigeria service network thatwill be expanded further in the coming year. And wehave invested in creating a successful Tata brandimage in Nigeria.

What are the new products that could be popular inthis market?Nigeria's pickup market segment is growing rapidlyand a petrol version of the 4x4 pickup would bepopular and help us increase volumes. In passengercars, our product range is limited. Customers preferpetrol engines and automatic transmission, thereforewe are able to market only the Indigo models. Weare currently addressing only 10-15 per cent of thetotal car market, but we hope to improve this byintroducing new models such as Tata Manza.

How does Tata Africa Services (Nigeria) differentiateitself from competition?With so many players in the market, itÊs difficult todifferentiate through product features and offerings.As Chinese manufacturers offer very low prices,commanding a premium on price is more difficultnow. The only way to beat competition is to buildand sustain a reputation of quick, reliable, affordableand innovative service delivery. We are learningthrough our experiences and interactions with ourcustomers regarding product acceptability, and aretrying to bring in products that are customised and

modified to suit theterrain of Nigeria. We areinvesting in the Tatabrand image.

What are the plans forthe future?Our future plans arebased on the targets weaspire to achieve. Ourtarget in absolutenumbers is to achieveretail sales of 5,000 Tatacommercial vehicles perannum in the next fiveyears; in doing so we would have achieved marketleadership in most segments. For passenger cars,we wish to introduce newer models to gainsubstantial market share. Our present and futurestrategy is completely aligned towards convertingthis aspiration into reality. We plan to continuouslyenhance and upgrade our infrastructure to achieveour ambition. This will be mainly concentratedtowards increasing our physical infrastructure andmanpower resources.

Our state-of-the-art showroom in Lagos should beready by next year and we plan to create at least 10Tata service network points at various locations inthe next two years. We will continuously augmentour manpower in our sales, marketing, spare partsand service departments to fuel this growth and willensure that the same is done by our dealers andother channel partners. Our aim is to become theNo 1 commercial vehicle company of Nigeria withinthe next two years. £

Tata Motors provides waste management solutions in Nigeria

The major challenges faced bycustomers [in Nigeria] today arecontrolling costs of maintenance,reducing downtime of vehicles,quick response to criticalrequirements and accessibility toservice facilities; this is what autocompanies have to handle to winthe hearts of Nigerian customers.

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A global conglomerate, the Tata groupcomprises over 100 companies in sevenbusiness sectors covering a wide range ofindustry segments. The group has operations inmore than 80 countries across six continents.The total revenue of the Tata group crossed$83 billion in 2010-11, with 58 per cent of thiscoming from business outside India.

Iron and steel was the foundation onwhich the Tata group was built. Today,Tata Steel has matured into one of theworld’s largest steel producers, whileother Tata companies are innovatingcomposites for new age applications

such as ceramics and personal armour.

MATERIALS

TATA

STO

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Tata: The salt to software brand

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The Tata group pioneered the infotech services industry inIndia when it established Tata Consultancy Services — now

India’s most valuable IT company and Asia’s largestsoftware house — way back in 1968. Today the group has

well-established enterprises in software andtelecommunications and includes companies such as Tata

Communications, Tata Technologies and Tata Elxsi.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY& COMMUNICATION

The Tata stable of auto companies includesJaguar Land Rover, Tata Daewoo CommercialVehicle, Tata Hispano and Tata MarcopoloMotors. With the launch of the Tata Nano, TataPrima and the Ace, Tata Motors has straddled thespectrum of automotive applications and grownto be one of the world’s top automakers. OtherTata companies such as Voltas, Tata ConsultingEngineers and Tata Projects provide world-classengineering services in diverse industry sectorsacross the globe.

ENGINEERING

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The seemingly simple but daring idea of harnessing waterflowing down the hills near Mumbai to create energy markedIndia’s entry into the league of nations capable of generating

hydroelectric power. Today Tata's range of power solutionsincludes thermal, geothermal, wind and solar energy.

Jamsetji Tata, the Founder of the Tata group, createdIndia’s first luxury hotel, the Taj Mahal Palace. TheTaj group of hotels today straddles several countrieswith over 90 premier hotels, including the iconicThe Pierre in New York. Animation, industrialdesign, global logistics and financial services arealso part of the Tata array of services.

SERVICES

ENERGY

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Consumer products bearing the Tata stamp ofquality and trust — from tea and salt to watches

and readymade clothes — have long been part ofmillions of Indian homes. With brands such as

Tetley, Good Earth and British Salt, consumers inover 70 countries across five continents enjoy

merchandise carrying the Tata name.

CONSUMERPRODUCTS

Cracking the code for making soda ash, a secret tillthen known to only a handful of companies outsideIndia, was the spark that ignited the Tata group’sinterest in the chemicals industry. That initial idea hasevolved into a business presence that today includesfertilisers and pesticides, and, most recently, drugdiscovery and research.

CHEMICALS

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The right fit

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Djibril NÊdiaye, the owner of Wakeur Serigne Touba Transports andSecretary General of the Senegal transportersÊ union AFPTU, hasbeen closely associated with Tata Motors since 2003 and has anunrelenting faith in the Tata brand. Dressed in a traditional, sky-blueboubou, he talks to Strides about why robust Tata Motors vehiclesare ideal for public transport solutions in Senegal

Please tell us about your association with thetransport sector and Tata Motors.The association dates back to 1955 when myfather started the business. During his time oldEuropean vehicles were used for public transport,mostly Mercedes 408 and Renault R 14, and thesector was unorganised. Since I joined thebusiness in 1997 the public transport sector inSenegal has seen some major changes. For a longtime we had aspired for the formalisation of thetransport sector. Then in 2001, 14 unions oftransporters got together to form Association deFinancement des Professionnels du TransportUrbain (AFPTU) and I was elected its secretary

general. Thereafter in 2002 and 2003 we visitedseveral countries, looking for the kind of busesthat would suit our requirements. In India, wevisited the Tata Motors plant and met theirexecutives. Finally in 2005 the formalisation of SenegalÊs public transport system becamea reality.

Since you were closely involved in theformalisation process, could you tell us of thedifficulties you faced in bringing about thisparadigm change?When the urban mobility improvement programme(Program de Amélioration de Mobilité Urbain or

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PAMU), which was a World Bank-funded project, saw the entry of TataMotors as vehicle supplier, the localtransporters were reluctant to put theirtrust in the company because it wasnot a known brand in Senegal. But Iwas part of the team that visited theTata Motors Pune plant and havingseen their technology, I realised thatthey could make aeroplanes if theywanted! Today the scene is differentand even those associations who hadnot favoured Tata then are keen to havean alliance. To reinforce our faith in TataMotors we recently signed a contractof 200 buses with them. We want tocontinue our relationship with thecompany and its representative UnitechMotors to see that more Tata busescome to Dakar.

What are the difficulties faced by the publictransport sector in Senegal and have you seen achange in the past couple of years?To begin with, the price of diesel here is very highand so we need to ensure that the buses in ourfleet are cost effective. Moreover, spare parts arenot easily available in this part of the world.Unitech Motors has eased that difficulty for us.Until the formalisation took place we had oldEuropean vehicles which did not earn muchrevenue as we had to spend on repairs. All thathas changed. Thanks to the vision of the SenegalPresident Abdoulaye Wade, the city now has goodroads, which means less wear and tear on buses.

In your opinion, what differentiates Tata Motorsfrom other brands?Tata MotorsÊ buses are original and well suited forSenegal; we know about the technology used andit fits the bill. We recently tried buses of otherbrands but have found that their fuel consumptionis almost twice that of Tata! This has seriouslydented our loan repayment capacity and we arelooking for solutions.

Do you operate on intercity routes as well?Yes, we are present in intercity operations. As amatter of fact I am the vice-president of the

Intercity TransportersÊ Union. We are now workingon formalising the intercity transport sector inSenegal, for which we have a project with TataMotors. We operate with 50-seater buses in this sector and the fleet includes the Tata Starbus range.

However, as we say in West Africa, on ne bougepas, on déménage (our travel is as though we arerelocating); this sort of transport requires the vehicleto be robust, along with high tonnage payloadcapacity to handle the excess baggage we travelwith. We therefore prefer the new model, the LPO1618, for intercity routes. My personal opinion isthat if Tata Motors could integrate the old metalface design with the new technology, we wouldhave a better adapted version of the bus.

Among all the attributes of a Tata Motors vehiclewhich one would you say is a ÂdealmakerÊ?Firstly, the buses are robust and hence have alonger life cycle, which makes them a profitableinvestment. Secondly, these buses have a lowdowntime, owing to the excellent after-salessupport given by Unitech. Lastly, and what we likebest, is that it is based on simple technology andtherefore can be repaired by anyone. ThatÊs whatis required in Africa and thatÊs what Tata Motors isable to give us! £

Always get genuine and approved parts for your vehicles and have it fitted by trained mechanics only.

41StridesDECEMBER 2011

Mbaye Amar, proud owner of a fleet of Tata LP 613 buses (AFPTU), poses with one of hisbuses that has covered 317,070km

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Incomparablemileage

I chose to buy Tata Nano because of its looks and fuel efficiency. ItÊs a cute car and ideal forthose who have just started driving in the heavy traffic of Kathmandu and other busy cities. The smallsize is perfect for small streets and parking lots. Turning radius is the most attractive feature of TataNano · it is as less as 4 metres, which is quite impressive.

The mileage offered by Tata Nano is incomparable. Fuel efficiency of this car is amazing. Interior andleg space is a lot more than expected and offered by competitors. Ground clearance is also quitegood. Tata Nano as a whole has much to offer to its customers at the price they pay. The car has notrequired after-sales services as it is very new. But the company constantly keeps in touch to ask aboutthe condition of the car, which is impressive. The car has brought happiness to my family.

NANO: FACT FILE

Engine 624 cc, 2 cylinder, MPFI

Max engine power(ps/rpm)

35 PS @ 5,250 rpm

Max torque 48 Nm @ 3,000 rpm

AC with heater (HVAC)

Front power windows

Driver seat with slider

Passenger side seat with slider

Low fuel warning lamp

Central locking

Booster-assisted brakes

· Akanksha Upadhya, Reporter, Republic Publications Features

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Small wonder Tata Nano is the ideal car for cramped city roads, saysAkanksha Upadhya, a Nano owner in Nepal

Specifications

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Holidaymakers and tourists looking for aunique travel experience need look nofurther than Egypt. What this ancient land

offers is a wonderful mix of history, culture andadventure, making it a favourite destination fortravellers from across the globe.

Egypt today serves up a host of fascinatingactivities for the itinerant visitor. And if you areenamoured by history, then Egypt is an absolutemust-see. Here one can travel back in history byvisiting ancient 4,000-year-old pyramids, catch aluxury cruise on the legendary Nile from Luxor toAswan and go deep into the desert to experiencethe life of a Bedouin.

ANCIENT WONDERSThe country's most famous label is, of course, theland of pyramids. There are several famous pyramids

to visit including those at Giza, the Meidum pyramid,pyramids of Abu Sir and the Saqqara Step Pyramid.Giza is located on the outskirts of Cairo, the Egyptiancapital, and is a must-see for every tourist. KhufuÊspyramid is the greatest in the complex and one ofthe seven wonders of the ancient world. For 4,500years, KhufuÊs pyramid was the highest manmadestructure, standing at a height of 146.59m. It wasonly in the late 19th century that a modern structuresurpassed it in height.

On the Giza Plateau, you will find the great Sphinxand the Solar Boat Museum. Near the Egyptiancapital is the pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara, a uniquestepped pyramid with six tiers. It is said to be theworldÊs oldest monumental masonry structure. Theblue tiles of DjoserÊs tomb, the hieroglyphs in thepyramid of Pepi I, and the Doors of the Cats (Abwabel Qotat) are fascinating.

43StridesDECEMBER 2011

The ancient land of Egypt has a lot to offer tourists, from itsmajestic pyramids and tombs, to fascinating desert safaris,thrilling river cruises and splendid beaches

Enchanting Egypt

The majestic Sphinx at Giza

TRAVEL AND LIVING

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A visit to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo is a must.The museum safely preserves 120,000 artefactsincluding mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewelleryand King Tutankhamen's treasures. The RosettaStone, discovered by NapoleonÊs troops in 1799, set the stage for deciphering the old Egyptianhieroglyphic script. This breakthrough led to abetter understanding of the 4,500-year-oldEgyptian culture.

CRUISING THE NILEFor generations, the Nile has played a veryimportant role in the lives of Egyptians. Take acruise on the river from Luxor to Aswan and embark on a unique journey. One gets to explore3,000-year-old temples, which were lost and thenrediscovered in Luxor, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Aswan andAbu-Simbel. These huge temples are spread acrossseveral kilometres.

You will come across the Valley of the Kings andQueens, the Luxor Temple, the Karnak Temple,HatshepsutÊs temple, the Horus Temple at Edfu, thetemples of Philae and Kom Ombo, besides thegranite quarries and the Aswan High Dam. Theevenings are enchanting on the cruise, as youexperience the galabiya party, with traditionalEgyptian belly-dancers entertaining you.

For those who are not much into history, Egypt hassplendid beaches along the Mediterranean coast, oralong the Red Sea coast in the east. Of all thebeaches, the most famous is Sharm El Sheikh,dotted with five-star resorts. The resort town offersfacilities for diving, snorkeling, sailing, wind and kite-surfing, sky-diving, or even parachuting from ahelicopter. The most happening place for watersports in Sharm is Namaa Bay.

One can also take trips or safaris into the nearbySinai desert, explore the majestic Sinai mountains,or visit the St Catherine Monastery, a Unesco WorldHeritage site. St Catherine is a place where earlyChristianity flourished and the orthodox monastictradition still continues.

LAND OF SANDThough Egypt sprawls over a million squarekilometres, only 4 per cent of the land mass isinhabited, with the rest being part of the western oreastern desert. A safari into the desert presentsstunning landscapes with mesmerising sunsets andnight skies.

A two-day desert tour takes you first to BahariyaOasis, a lush haven in the middle of the desertthat features date forests and hot springs and also

Egypt offers both desert and seaside experiences

Cruising on the Nile River

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has amazing ruins. The Bawiti museum has goldenmummies that were discovered recently. Theoasis is also home to the temple of Alexander the Great, beautifully painted Ptolemaic tombs andold churches.

South of Bawiti is the black desert, so namedbecause of the black powder and rocks that arespread across it. Black volcanic hills can be seen far away. The English Mountain is the highest pointin the Black Desert and the view of the setting sunis scintillating.

Driving across the desert, you come across steepsand dunes. During the trip, you can stop by at aBedouin village and enjoy a delicious lunch. Youfinally reach the White Desert, the most populardesert destination in Egypt. Here you will see wind-carved rock formations shaped as giant mushroomsor pebbles.

You spend the night in the desert, sitting in front ofa bonfire, with Bedouin music and food. Sleepinside a tent, and for the experience of a lifetimeyou can sleep under the open sky in the desert.With so much going for this wonderful country, it isa pity that it has been hit by political turmoil. Thecivil strife and agitations in Egypt have hit tourism

badly. Egypt has seen a 60 per cent fall in touristarrivals, and most hotels and resorts in the countryare today offering hefty discounts to attract the fewvisitors who are bold enough to travel there. Butthere is no doubt that once the dust settles, thiscountry will once again embrace history lovers andholiday seekers. £

To maintain your vehicle in optimum condition, use only recommended oils and lubricants. Usingthicker engine oil reduces engine life. Avoid mixing different grades of lubricants.

· Soumitra Roy

The Black Desert

Mushroom-shaped formation in the White Desert

45StridesDECEMBER 2011

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Tata Motors vehicles in Africa

1 In Senegal, all _____________ are now simply called Tata.

2 Youth in Sudan are finding new ways to becomeentrepreneurs with _____________.

3 The state of Lagos has ordered for 100 _____________ to improve sanitation.

4 Tata Motors has developed a 10-seater _____________ model for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

5 _____________ will be launched in Ghana in early 2012.

SP T

Answers on Page 17

THE VEHICLE

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