Tata Xenon Pickup Truck

[phutoie2]

Good articles in Bangkok Post motoring section on the new Tata Xenon pickup truck.

Points that interested myself.

Introductory price

2.2 (140 hp) common rail diesel

Dealership to be established through out country (eventually!)

Built at factory that knocks out MB

Claims of tougher build quality than opposition (thicker steel).

Unlikely that I will change my 10 month Navarra, as I like to keep my vehicles for a few years.

Always keep a keen eye on new trucks/cars over here.

PS. New Honda Jazz looked good too.

[asiaworld]

hmm.. just out of curiosity, how much would that 'introductory price' be ?!? Must be good, if they plan to sell any !

[lost_in_isaan]

I agree. I would assume the price would have to be very low to be even slightly competitive with local product. The specs don't seem very appealing, its a new angle with thicker steel. Maybe something for the volvo set to consider. Other than that I don't think Tata could enter a more difficult market for light trucks.

OT but isn't this the company who are going to make these ultra-cheap cars?

[JonnyF]

I agree. I would assume the price would have to be very low to be even slightly competitive with local product. The specs don't seem very appealing, its a new angle with thicker steel. Maybe something for the volvo set to consider. Other than that I don't think Tata could enter a more difficult market for light trucks.

OT but isn't this the company who are going to make these ultra-cheap cars?

The leaflet handed to me at the motor show said that the top model (4WD, 4 door) starts at 599,000.

I had a look around it and to be honest I thought that it should have been cheaper than that. The interior is far worse than the Isuzu, Toyota, Nissan etc. and given the fact that it is unproven in Thailand I think it would be well worth the extra 100,000 or so to get one of the more well known brands, especially as I'd expect it to depreciate faster.

[phutoie2]

Apparently 539,000 baht for Extra cab and 629,000 baht for Double cab. There is to be a single cab version too. I notice there is only one drive train available- 4 x 2.

They are to built at the Thai Automotive Assembly plant in Samut Prakan which Tata has a 70% share.

They hope to build 35,000 units a year and have a 5% share of the Thai one ton pickup market by 2013.

An ambitious target since many Thai's prefer Toyota/Isuzu.

I think if you add up Nissan/Mitsibushi/Ford-Mazda monthly sales figures of pickups they still do not come near the top two!.

Last night on Thai TV the advertising has started, very similar commercial to the Colorado one I thought.

In my kitchen we have a wall clock, and I notice it has the brand name TATA on it!!!

Finally Tata have bought Jaguar & Landrover from Ford in the UK.

[Thaiboxer]

I heard the Malaysian Proton isn't so hot, despite the cheap sticker price compared to other brands. I guess we'll have to wait and see if these new trucks can prove themselves against the competition. A 4X2 Mitsu Triton double cab goes for just over 600,000 Baht brand new. That's a truck I'm interested in; the brand has been around a long time and four doors would be best for us now that we have a son.

[Tony121]

apart from price I reckon this will be at the bottom of the list for most thai buyers.

I think tiger bikes is an indian brand as well and look how well they sell here.

[Zeid]

TATA Bought Ranger rover and Jaguar

so i read in the news paper is that true?

[Zeid]

sorry missed the post by phutoie2,

wait wasn't landrover range rover bought by BMW

[phutoie2]

Not an expert on Tata, but I have just read an article on msn.co uk that are quite revealing.

1. Now own Jaguar & Landrover, purchased from Ford for US 2.3 billion dollars.

2. 5th biggest steel producer in the world, having bought Corus (British Steel)

3. Now own Tetley's Tea (2nd largest tea producer in the world)

[Plus]

Their pickup generates a lot of interest, a lot more than, say Hyundai. People are checking it out, knocking on doors and panels, form a que to sit in.

Good luck with sales.

[scn]

TATA is more like an MNC now than an indian company and a very well diversified company with interests in Chemicals, Tea, Automobiles, Software, etc., etc., even involved in a large way in charities and non profit work like funding for research work in physics. TATA group recently started some charity work even in the US where they are providing text books to school kids in the poor neighborhoods of cities like Detroit .

TATA motors is the second largest manufacturers of passenger cars in India now. (not very sure of this but maybe 3rd). They have brought over Jaguar as well as Range Rover as of last week. Tata Motors has quite a large presence in other countries outside of india like spain, italy, greece, russia, australia, and some african countries.

Since I did some case studies on TATA's Strategies in diversification as well as marketing of products. They are quite good at expanding into new markets and have been very successful in the past.

Personally i think their strategy for Thailand is not just as a market for them but a production base for expansion into south east asia. Also I foresee that they will expand their automotive offerings in thailand within a year.

I also see them largely being successful, although they might fine tune their strategies a bit.

[Plus]

I think they are doing the right thing - offering the cheapest pickup, there are more potential customers than for cheapest cars, and they need a largish customer base to form a general opinion that spreads throughout the country, something like "Hynudais are <deleted>" or "Isusus are better".

[Jonny B]

has anyone bought one of these, any reviews? how have they held up so far? cheers

[katabeachbum]

has anyone bought one of these, any reviews? how have they held up so far? cheers

the flatbed with CNG has sold a few hundred units. except for that, sales has been no show on stats

[MoonRiverOasis]

has anyone bought one of these, any reviews? how have they held up so far? cheers

the flatbed with CNG has sold a few hundred units. except for that, sales has been no show on stats

Average sales for 2010 was ~430 units/month, placing it in last place with 1.38% market share. Only 20% more sales and they'd be beating both the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 though

[lannarebirth]

has anyone bought one of these, any reviews? how have they held up so far? cheers

the flatbed with CNG has sold a few hundred units. except for that, sales has been no show on stats

I'm surprised to hear that. I have seen several hundred units in Chiang Mai alone. If they made a 4wd unit I'd probably be one of the buyers too.

[katabeachbum]

has anyone bought one of these, any reviews? how have they held up so far? cheers

the flatbed with CNG has sold a few hundred units. except for that, sales has been no show on stats

Average sales for 2010 was ~430 units/month, placing it in last place with 1.38% market share. Only 20% more sales and they'd be beating both the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 though

sorry, I wanted to say few thou units, but said hundreds

the CNG flatbed is popular in BKK and north only. until this model was released, sales was close to nothing. Here down south Tata dont sell at all, and no CNG available

selling more than Ford/Mazda hasnt been hard 2010

[MoonRiverOasis]

selling more than Ford/Mazda hasnt been hard 2010

LOL, yes, true.

Ford's situation will be changing soon (extra-cab version of new Ranger to be unveiled in March), but Mazda's new BT-50 is now delayed until 2012, and I just can't see it catching on in the Thai market with it's awkward, feminine looks even when it does arrive..

Then again, the highly feminine VIGO is TH's top seller, heh

Edited January 7, 2011 by MoonRiverOasis

[katabeachbum]

selling more than Ford/Mazda hasnt been hard 2010

LOL, yes, true.

Ford's situation will be changing soon (extra-cab version of new Ranger to be unveiled in March), but Mazda's new BT-50 is now delayed until 2012, and I just can't see it catching on in the Thai market with it's awkward, feminine looks even when it does arrive..

at least mazda dealers have the 2 to survive without a pickup. its a shame to build such a large dealer network and not supply them with products accepted by the market

tata is opposite, almost no dealer network, but have come up with a product desired in industy and agriculture where CNG is available. With nationwide CNG and Tata dealers they easily could have beaten Ford/Mazda combined

[transam]

It will fill a market hole, cheap and for those who don't care about resale or driving around with a bag over their head, well..

Pig ugly ride but then l don't use a truck for earning it's living.

[Jonny B]

i went to test drive one yesterday for the fun of it, everything seemed fine. im no car expert but it did seem better quality than i was expecting, it was nice and high and drive pretty nice. the main downside and the reason i wouldnt buy it howeveer was simply the fact that its full CNG, i thought it was petrol/cng. the fact that your only going to get a max of 240km out of both cng tanks is pretty bad, if u happen to run out somewhere then your screwed. they said they would send a tow truck and tow you to the nearest station but who wants that hassel. I think with the nicely hidden away tanks they would have sold far more by making it petrol/gas option, i definately wouldve considered it. oh well.

[jubby]

I've seen quite a few about. If I was in the market for a real work truck I'd be very interested. The flatbed is a great Idea. I actually like the look of the vehicle. Should offer the flatbed with 4x4.

[ignis]

CNG, i thought it was petrol/cng. the fact that your only going to get a max of 240km out of both cng tanks is pretty bad, if u happen to run out somewhere then your screwed.

Seen lots about, there is also the option of an extra tank fitted in the back, notice a few about with this extra tank, must be better than all the others with a single CNG/NGV tank in the back ? So you can drive 350km in the TATA all the other makes are something like 110km then use expensive petrol if you cannot find anywhere to fill up..

On the other hand a friend bought a Petrol Triton and fitted LPG, he drives to the South every month and LPG you can find everywhere in the South.

Edited January 9, 2011 by ignis

[katabeachbum]

CNG, i thought it was petrol/cng. the fact that your only going to get a max of 240km out of both cng tanks is pretty bad, if u happen to run out somewhere then your screwed.

Seen lots about, there is also the option of an extra tank fitted in the back, notice a few about with this extra tank, must be better than all the others with a single CNG/NGV tank in the back ? So you can drive 350km in the TATA all the other makes are something like 110km then use expensive petrol if you cannot find anywhere to fill up..

On the other hand a friend bought a Petrol Triton and fitted LPG, he drives to the South every month and LPG you can find everywhere in the South.

but no CNG between Chumporn and Songklan, including Phuket

the Tata CNG works for those with CNG around the corner and same route every day.

[ignis]

CNG, i thought it was petrol/cng. the fact that your only going to get a max of 240km out of both cng tanks is pretty bad, if u happen to run out somewhere then your screwed.

Seen lots about, there is also the option of an extra tank fitted in the back, notice a few about with this extra tank, must be better than all the others with a single CNG/NGV tank in the back ? So you can drive 350km in the TATA all the other makes are something like 110km then use expensive petrol if you cannot find anywhere to fill up..

On the other hand a friend bought a Petrol Triton and fitted LPG, he drives to the South every month and LPG you can find everywhere in the South.

but no CNG between Chumporn and Songklan, including Phuket

the Tata CNG works for those with CNG around the corner and same route every day.

ODD, looking at the 2009 Map PTT + NGV shows there are 9 after Chumporn and before Songklan

รายชื่อและแผนที่แสดงที่ตั้งสถานีบริการ NGV™ ที่เปิดบริการแล้วทั่วประเทศ

List and Location Map of Operating NGV™ Service Stations all over The Country

http://innovation.pttplc.com/gisinfo/

[katabeachbum]

CNG, i thought it was petrol/cng. the fact that your only going to get a max of 240km out of both cng tanks is pretty bad, if u happen to run out somewhere then your screwed.

Seen lots about, there is also the option of an extra tank fitted in the back, notice a few about with this extra tank, must be better than all the others with a single CNG/NGV tank in the back ? So you can drive 350km in the TATA all the other makes are something like 110km then use expensive petrol if you cannot find anywhere to fill up..

On the other hand a friend bought a Petrol Triton and fitted LPG, he drives to the South every month and LPG you can find everywhere in the South.

but no CNG between Chumporn and Songklan, including Phuket

the Tata CNG works for those with CNG around the corner and same route every day.

ODD, looking at the 2009 Map PTT + NGV shows there are 9 after Chumporn and before Songklan

รายชื่อและแผนที่แสดงที่ตั้งสถานีบริการ NGV™ ที่เปิดบริการแล้วทั่วประเทศ

List and Location Map of Operating NGV™ Service Stations all over The Country

http://innovation.pttplc.com/gisinfo/

yes, I have seen 2009 Ptt maps with hundreds of CNG in LOS, still not all build. Try calling any of them. Major problem is investing in trucks to transport CNG, no peanutmoney. There is one truck center in Prechuap Kiri Khan reaching as far south as Chumporn (or perhaps north of Surat).

I have not seen any in the mentioned area along the Highways, and the large trucks need thousands of liter CNG to go south. My Gf dad drives a cement 22 wheeler CNG

[MoonRiverOasis]

CNG, i thought it was petrol/cng. the fact that your only going to get a max of 240km out of both cng tanks is pretty bad, if u happen to run out somewhere then your screwed.

Seen lots about, there is also the option of an extra tank fitted in the back, notice a few about with this extra tank, must be better than all the others with a single CNG/NGV tank in the back ? So you can drive 350km in the TATA all the other makes are something like 110km then use expensive petrol if you cannot find anywhere to fill up..

On the other hand a friend bought a Petrol Triton and fitted LPG, he drives to the South every month and LPG you can find everywhere in the South.

but no CNG between Chumporn and Songklan, including Phuket

the Tata CNG works for those with CNG around the corner and same route every day.

ODD, looking at the 2009 Map PTT + NGV shows there are 9 after Chumporn and before Songklan

รายชื่อและแผนที่แสดงที่ตั้งสถานีบริการ NGV™ ที่เปิดบริการแล้วทั่วประเทศ

List and Location Map of Operating NGV™ Service Stations all over The Country

http://innovation.pttplc.com/gisinfo/

yes, I have seen 2009 Ptt maps with hundreds of CNG in LOS, still not all build. Try calling any of them. Major problem is investing in trucks to transport CNG, no peanutmoney. There is one truck center in Prechuap Kiri Khan reaching as far south as Chumporn (or perhaps north of Surat).

I have not seen any in the mentioned area along the Highways, and the large trucks need thousands of liter CNG to go south. My Gf dad drives a cement 22 wheeler CNG

..and 40+ PTT CNG stations were closed a few months ago.