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MOTORINDIA
l February 2012
most ideal for India, with scope for expansion in both the segments.
Commercial vehicle segment: The battle begins
The Indian commercial vehicle industry is now in its critical
phase. From three to four at the start of this millennium, there
are now more than a dozen major players in the truck and bus
segment. They keep expanding their product range by making
suitable portfolio changes. They are also preparing to stay on
top by launching vehicles which are contemporary but at the
sametime offering technology relevant to the Indian market and custom-
ers. Global players have realised the market dynamics and are developing
products which are more relevant and acceptable to Indian customers. It
will be interesting to watch the ongoing developments and see how the
Indian truck and bus majors withstand the stiff competition from global
majors, not just European and Japanese, but Chinese too.
Let’s look at some of the interesting launches in the commercial vehicle
segment at Auto Expo 2012. As the excitement started building up to the
big event, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) made best use
of the opportunity to provide a sneak preview to the BHARATBENZ
range of trucks that would be unveiled in India. The DICV management
team spoke about the company’s plans for the Indian market. A big-bang
launch is planned by DICV in Hyderabad in the first week of March. The
company has developed a completely new range of trucks for the Indian
market after an extensive study of the customer requirement. How these
trucks would make a mark in the Indian CV space will be watched with
interest.
Market leader Tata Motors had its complete range of trucks and buses
on display, right from the 0.5-tonner IRIS to the Prima. But the important
launch for Tata Motors was the new LCV platform ULTRA. The Tata
Ultra range offers future ready LCV & ICV trucks, ranging from 5-tonne
to 14-tonne GVW. The company also showcased Paradiso, a multi-axle,
inter-city luxury bus and a 5-axle 3723 truck.
Ashok Leyland had its interesting launches at Auto Expo, including the
JANBUS, a single-step, front-engine, fully flat-floor bus, which is the
first of its kind in the industry. AL also launched a 5-axle 10X2 truck and
the Solo, an LCV bus from the Optare range. Two new light commercial