pgsagar, thank you for summing up exactly what I wanted to say in post #574.
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Originally Posted by pgsagar As much as I would love to see them fight back, I do not see that happening. I am not like once-a-fanboy, now-a-harsh-critic. The ground realities have to be taken into reckoning. It is not alarming to see a bunch of teambhpians or any other group of auto enthusiasts huddling together and laughing at Tata cars (because compared to huuuuge population of this country, enthusiasts are in a tiny minority). But it is the perception of general populace that is worrisome. I see same perception among people of all walks, cabbies, villagers/small-town folks etc. that Tata cars are no good. Whoever I speak with seems to hold this opinion. |
Yes, that is what I've been trying to say in my previous post. As much of an improvement over their previous offerings the Bolt and Zest are, it is not going to be easy for Tata to make them fly off the shelves. Monthly sales
will definitely improve when compared to the paltry sales of the Vista & Manza of course, but those who think the Bolt & Zest are going to set the sales charts on fire are hugely optimistic, and it looks like Tata themselves are also quite optimistic if one were to believe the news report about the hiring spree.
Team-BHPians mocking or bashing Tata Motors is nothing for Tata to worry about, as you mentioned. It's not only about the minuscule numbers, but every brand (from Maruti Suzuki at the top to Mitsubishi at the bottom) is routinely bashed here on various threads.
If the bashing seems a bit more for Tata, it is because of their rapid slide. No other brand has seen such a decline, except for Škoda perhaps, and one doesn't even need to mention the extent of Škoda-bashing. There was even someone (permanently banned now) who created a thread claiming he and his brother bought two new Škoda Octavias and suffered massive problems with both. It turned out that he had never even owned a Škoda car. That is the extent to which bashers can go. So Tata are by no means alone in this.
The general public's perception about Tata cars is quite pathetic as you mentioned. It's not going to be easy to change this perception in a jiffy, if at all.
The cab/taxi market for cars (not UVs) was once a near Tata monopoly. Indicas and Indigos (including XLs, CSes and Marinas) used to completely dominate this scene. Now Tata Motors are only another player in an evenly distributed market, with Toyota (Etios & Liva), Ford (Classic & Figo), Maruti Suzuki (Dzire Tour) and Mahindra (Verito/Logan) all claiming an equal or bigger share of the pie. The situation is worse in the fleet market for UVs, where Tata have been reduced to being an also ran.
The Bolt & Zest face a huge task ahead. Tata may have pioneered the sub-4m sedan, but this space is quite crowded now (with more waiting to join), and the Zest may not have the smooth sailing that the folks at Tata expect. It's even tougher for the Bolt, because from the looks of it, it seems like the Bolt is going to move half-a-segment up. From competing in the segment of the Ritz, it's now going to move into that of the Swift.
Optimism and supporting a desi brand are excellent ideals, but the ground realities are quite harsh. This is what I meant by saying the game has moved on.
Where I differ with you is that you believe they should gracefully quit the scene. I think they need to do radical things now, and go into areas where there is almost zero competition. They have already developed the prototypes (and even competed in an event) for the EVs and they should look to put them into production as soon as possible. A radical shift to EVs and plug-in hybrids is the need of the hour for Tata Motors.
The Reva failed because it was expensive and more importantly, it was not practical at all. The E2O may be more practical than the Reva, but it still does not come close to the practicality of a normal car, and is quite expensive too. The upcoming Verito Electric may prove to be the most practical of the lot. Tata must beat Mahindra by coming out with practical and affordable EVs. With the Nano and Bolt EVs, they already have the shared infrastructure for the chassis and other components. Only the electric power-train and battery will add to the cost. Bring in leasing programs for the Lithium battery, and they can market the Nano EV and Bolt EV at reasonable prices. Completely practical and affordable EVs are bound to succeed when compared to the Reva and E2O. Perhaps that's why Mahindra are already planning to release the Verito Electric soon?
Of course, even practical all-electric cars will have some limitations, and Tata must offer plug-in hybrids for those who want more. Even the BMW i3 has a plug-in hybrid option for those who want more practicality (read as range). Tata Motors are a company who can make the required investment in electric and plug-in hybrid technology.
The bottom line is, the ground realities are very harsh for Tata Motors. In the current environment, they can succeed only by going in a radical direction, where there is almost no competition at the moment.