[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by julupani

Agreed that most suppliers will be shared by TML and DICV, but remember, it wont be the same parts.

Daimler unveils BharatBenz - The Times of India
According to the above mentioned TOI report (Not sure how correct it is...)

Daimler had initially joined hands with the Munjals of the Hero group for its India entry and they had originally formed a joint venture in 2008. But this fell apart in April 2009 as Hero pulled out. Daimler had then purchased Hero Group's 40% stake in the joint venture and said it will go ahead with the project independently. Zetsche said the company does not intend to have a new equity partnership with any Indian company for its commercial vehicle business, though it may partner Tata Motors for components.

May be some components from TACO or other TMs associated companies?

[julupani]

TACO and other TM associated companies, like HVAL and HVTL etc are fully free to become suppliers to DICV, but does not mean DICV will use the same parts in the same numbers.

And considering that companies like TACO, Tata Hendrickson etc are really good, why not buy from them.

[NSK123]

Good to see the name "BHARAT benz". Hopefully soon it will be exported to other Asian countries.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by julupani

The only thing to do with that market is to forget it and let it die a natural death, which should take about a decade, and not try to enter that market.

I'd say you are being optimistic. That market should have died its natural death long ago what with 9 out of 10 Indian CVs being completely unsafe for the road. But then human life is cheap in this country. Thanks to the powerful and well-connected truckers lobby, the long-pending truck body code (that was supposed to give us safer trucks) continues to remain in hibernation. I'd be happy to see this market die a natural or what's more likely, a legally-compelled death.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by directinjection

@ Anuj, Ford Escort had nothing to do with the Escorts group. There was nothing Indian about the "ESCORT" in "Ford Escort" a brand Ford used internationally, not just in India.

AFAIK, Escorts made Yamaha bikes (they still do ?) no way, they are connected with the Ford Escort saloon.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by julupani

If cowl options are launched, prices will fall a bit, but still not significantly enough to really compete with the level of prices that ALL and TML will be able to generate.

I fervently pray and hope that the HCV manufacturers discontinue the cowl option altogether, especially in the truck segment. Customisation requirements in trucks are very minimal (though not absent); and from the safety, standardisation, ergonomics and drivers' visibility PoV, truck cabs need to adhere to some minimum standards.

Regarding the Ford Escord branding,

1 The car model named "Escort" (like Suzuki dzire and Ford FIgo) from Ford, which is an international model / trademark owned by Ford and applied to a particular line of car models.

2. Escorts group, which if, IIRC, is owned by expat Swaraj Paul ( whose line up included the LCV Swaraj Mazda) which had multiple collaborations, and included Ford tractors.

Their company history:-

Escorts > Company History > Auto - Tractors > Company History of Escorts - BSE: 500495, NSE: ESCORTS

Wikipedia link to tractors in India.

Tractors in India - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But, we are seriously going off topic here. My point was - those Desi - Phoren brand combinations were once required by law; the law has changed, and if Merc has coined the desi-phoren (or phoren- desi, if you like it) brand, it is for a very good, valid reason. If I were a marketing type MBA, I would have liked the strategy, I am not a marketing type MBA, and I still like it (the new brand).

[jaseel]

Originally Posted by GTO

Just received, and added to the opening post, the official BharatBenz logo.

Is Benz planning to produce low quality vehicles for India? my travel from BLR - MYS was horrible in a MB bus, entire bus get vibrated when driver applies brake.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by jaseel

Is Benz planning to produce low quality vehicles for India? my travel from BLR - MYS was horrible in a MB bus, entire bus get vibrated when driver applies brake.

I'm not surprised; Benz bus bodies are built by Sutlej and, I hear, the overall quality is not a patch on the international Merc buses (unlike their Indian cars which have the same quality as int'l counterparts).

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by GTO

I'm not surprised; Benz bus bodies are built by Sutlej and, I hear, the overall quality is not a patch on the international Merc buses (unlike their Indian cars which have the same quality as int'l counterparts).

No where it can be a excuse.
After all "one crore" is paid only for the Brand Mercedes - which even they wanted to capitalise by saying "Travel with the star". So I would say Mercedes is failing in the bus segment.

[SAE40 in veins]

If Azad can get it right with Volvo, so can Sutlej. It's just a matter of time or probably the rattles are a one off.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by SAE40 in veins

If Azad can get it right with Volvo, so can Sutlej. It's just a matter of time or probably the rattles are a one off.

Volvo outsourcing bus-body construction to Azad and MB outsourcing it to Sutlej, both were interim measures since the two manufacturers did not have their own facilities ready. Eventually, they'll be making bus bodies in-hose only. Isn't Volvo doing so already? They were supposed to.

[ram_hyundai]

Is there any official site for bharath benz.Wanted to know more on the product line up.
ram

[julupani]

Considering that they are still a year or so away from actually introducing any products, let alone a line up of one, I dont think you will get to see a website from now on.

Though from the pics, news reports etc it seems like the first products to be launched will be 25 and 31 ton rigids and may be tippers of the same tonnage.

[ankurvirmani19]

In which city is this facility setting up? Seems to be huge investment.

[Zed]

Originally Posted by ankurvirmani19

In which city is this facility setting up? Seems to be huge investment.

Outskirts of Chennai.