Tata Motors’ world truck to replace current models
Tata Motors will replace its existing range of 100-180 horsepower (hp) trucks by September 2008 with the ‘world truck’ fitted with 200-500hp engines, aimed at tackling the competition from Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, MAN and others. “We will make the new vehicles in the old assembly lines,” said SB Borwankar, plant head, Jamshedpur. To begin with, it would produce the entire range from 100 hp to 500hp at its works here and phase out those of lower horsepower.
“Next year, the Jamshedpur plant is going to produce ‘world trucks’, which will be a totally different kind of modular vehicle where we are going to wipe out the impression of substandard quality,” Borwankar told members of the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce & Industry here recently. Besides these, the Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle and Afzal Motors in Pakistan have commissioned a new truck and bus assembling plant in Karachi to assemble heavy-duty trucks. Significantly, Tata Motors has been keen on launching a large truck for global markets for some time now. According to the company, its tie-up with Daewoo has given Tata Motors the confidence to build its own world truck.