[gshanky]

Just stumbled upon this tidbit of news that GAZ Group Russia is in talks with multiple car manufacturers and most notably GAZ has reached out to TATA to manufacture and sell Indica in Russia on licensed production basis. Seems like TATA Rover flashback, but this time around IMO Indica as a platform is better suited for the venture.

Here is the excerpt from the Webpage

The Volga Siber plant can manufacture 100,000 vehicles a year. The source added that GAZ Group had also negotiated with India's largest carmaker Tata Motors and U.S.-based automotive giant Chrysler, its longtime partner. Notably, production of Tata Indica hatchbacks was discussed.

GAZ Group CEO Bo Andersson earlier said the company was looking for a strategic partner with which to launch production of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. He said Volga Siber production facilities were not operating at full capacity, and that talks on their utilization by several companies were underway.

Andersson said these facilities could assemble vehicles on orders from other unspecified companies.

Another quote from Autoblog:

The thing is, GAZ has also been spending late nights on the phone with the likes of Tata to produce that company's Indicar. At the same time, General Motors has been wooing Tata to manufacture any number of its vehicles. At this point, it's anyone's guess as to which company will win the GAZ plant's heart, but Inside Line seems to think that GM has the best bet out of the field of potentials. The reason? Bo Anderson, the new chairman of GAZ, used to be the head of worldwide purchasing for The General. How's that for a love trapezoid?

It is anyone's guess that what would GM want from TATA? May be Carl peter is using some old contacts from GM? However I do feel that TATA's quality has improved over the last year and a half and people have started noticing it.

If any one has additional news please share.

[CARDEEP]

This is good for Tata, as IMO, production in Russia (or as a matter of fact in any erstwhile Eastern Bloc country would mean cheaper production facilities & evading EU duties on outside production. This is why I believe even Hyundai has a a plant in Turkey & Suzuki in Belgium (or Hungary, not sure).

[Yeldo]

Excellent news. And what a partner, GAZ! Perfect. About time we gave back the Russians something in return for the dinosaur- age infrastructure & military equipment they pushed into India in the pre - 1990 times. Hope Tata give them the original Indica as launched first, the tyre- eater one with the falling- off suspension components and oil seal blow offs.

Edit: How I miss the "Soviet Union" free copies!

[chncar]

Originally Posted by Yeldo

Excellent news. And what a partner, GAZ! Perfect. About time we gave back the Russians something in return for the dinosaur- age infrastructure & military equipment they pushed into India in the pre - 1990 times.

You are entitled to your opinion and perhaps you meant it in the lighter vein, but let me remind you that:
>Russian hardware looks crude and had few creature benefits, but was extremely rugged and reliable and simple to use and repair.
>Most of it was free or provided in barter for foodstuffs when our country was too poor to buy them in hard cash
>They supplied us hardware that western nations would not
>We won 2 wars with the 'inferior' and 'tacky' Soviet hardware, though our friendly neighbour had the latest and greatest fancy western hardware
>To this day they collaborate with us on cutting edge tech that nobody else will share with us (Brahmos, Nuclear Submarine, cryogenic engines for GSLV, etc).
>Gaz/Kamaz/Tatra etc might not look as glamorous as the Volvos and Peterbilt trucks or have the cutting edge features and ergonomic cabins etc, but they are damm good at what they were designed for.
>Tatra (Czech but still SU bloc) still makes some of the very best 6x6 and 8x8 trucks in the world and is still chosen by the Indian military over other platforms for brand new requirements.
>KAMAZ trucks have won the Dakar rally with monotonous regularity.

It is this dinosaur-age infrastructure that saved our *** several times and kept our country still in one piece, so there is no need to mock them.

Anyways,

[diesel_head]

Interesting stuff! Anyone on board with some real news?
OT: Scorpio too was to be assembled in Russia in partnership with Sun group. Whatever happened to that JV?

[acidkill]

Well i am now visualizing Mithun Chakraborty in a Russian Indica singing "Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Aaaja, Aaaja, Aaaja"

All i can say is if can foreign manufacturers can come to India, then our manufacturers can go abroad too! heres wishing Tata and Mahindra all the best!

[aditya101]

I hope the Russian customers take to the Indica more kindly than the brits to the "CityRover". Moreover they overpriced the car in UK

[Car-Agey]

Originally Posted by aditya101

I hope the Russian customers take to the Indica more kindly than the brits to the "CityRover". Moreover they overpriced the car in UK

If this partnership happens, then most certainly it will be the Indica Vista which will be assembled and not the ragular indica hence the response can never be the same as in case of city rover.

[nickatnite]

I sincerely hope it's the Vista and not the V2. India needs the Russians to keep it's arsenal in working condition.

[gshanky]

Currently they are only selling Xenon and other CVs. If the number are good, they will definitely be looking to make passenger cars. Hope they start passenger car sales with Vista and Manza. They should compete well with the Logans and Accents on sale there.

[Rigid Rotor]

How about deep winter early-morning start in Russia for the Diesel V2?
-Or perhaps are Tata pushing their petrol version? Interesting to see how the Indica will fare in Russia!

[xingamazon]

In my opinion, Tatas have come a long way since the early Indicas, now they can confidently go and produce/ sell thier cars worldwide.
I am sure any car accepted by Indian market will surely appeal to all developing markets equally.

[TeddyBear]

Good Luck Tata,

The current Tata products offerings in Russia are Buses, Trucks & Xenon Pickup Trucks.

..:: Tata Motors Russia ::..

[dr.faramroze]

Tata is a global player of commercial vehicles. People thought after AMW launch in India, Tata will loose the market but it never happened. Tata has also been successful in light pickups, though Premier and Piaggio tried to disburb Tata's sales. Now its Mahindra's turn.

CityRover was overpriced by Rover and not by Tata. Moreover, the CityRover offered much more as standard equipment. The Style trim is much better than the V2 petrol we got in India during 2003-2005. They offered turbocharged petrol versions too. Brits drive the CityRover at 110 MPH on speedways. Its really unfortunate for Tata Motors couldnt generate Vista and Manza demand in UK. Some electricals are common with Citroen Saxa. CityRover drives superb with PRINS Sequential Gas Injection kit. Spares are available easily and even online in the UK. UK's leading vendors manufacture spares for the CityRover. They have a very good car security brand associated with CityRover. Alloys were supplied standard. Different set of tyres too. Top Gear reported seemed to publish an inferior product review, otherwise the car has received positive response.

New Indicas may not have cold start problems at all. I am proud of Tata's achievement to this pedestal, they have come up long way, good way, with hard work. I wish TASCs' stop being Tata's enemies. Tata's African region website needs some vitamin, it reminds me of old Indian shopping leaflet.

There are unreasonable comments pouring from all over about Tata Nano. Tata Nano has been partially inspired from Smart ForTwo which is a great success in the west and also considered among top 20 hatchbacks. I read on Top Gear a day before about a Lamborghini totalled after catching fire, so lets not blatantly criticize Tata.