Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Tata Indica
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Tata Indica | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Tata Motors |
| Production | 1998–present |
| Class | Supermini car/City car |
| Body style | 5-door hatchback |
| Engine | 1.2 L I4 1.4 L I4 1.4 L diesel I4 1.4 L turbodiesel I4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual |
| Related | Tata Indigo CityRover |
| Similar | Suzuki Swift Hyundai Getz Chevrolet Aveo Fiat Palio |
The Tata Indica is a small hatchback automobile manufactured by Tata Motors of India. The model is also exported to Europe as well as retailing in South Africa as from late 2004. In the UK it was imported by MG Rover and was called the CityRover.
Contents |
In 1998, Tata Motors(previously called TELCO) introduced the most modern car ever to be designed by an Indian company: the Indica. It was well marketed with slogans like "The Big.. Small Car" and "More car per car", the ad campaign focused on roomy interiors and affordability.
Partly designed and developed by Tata Motors, it is a five-door compact hatchback with a 1.4 L petrol/diesel engine, which was initially designed by French car manufacturer Peugeot. The Indica offered options like air conditioning and electric windows, which were previously restricted to only upmarket imported cars in India. Three years later the Indica was exported to European markets for the first time, and from 2003 the Indica was rebadged in Britain as the CityRover.
Contrary to popular belief, the car was not designed entirely in India. The outer body styling was done by an Italian design house called I.DE.A Institute, under contract from Tata Motors, with heavy interaction with Tata's in-house design team, and the engine design was sourced from Peugeot, although assembled and built by Tata Motors.
Recently, somewhere in last quarter of 2006, Tata Engineering announced the launch of the CNG version of the Indica in select markets of Delhi and Mumbai. The car is available in two models – standard and air-conditioned.
Running Tata Indica Xeta GLS model with CNG kit has one major drawback i.e. the ECM (Electronic Control Module) fails working and keeps on failing even after getting it changed.
Tata Indica with CNG kit is still not proven and recommended by the users yet.
In early 2004, Tata Motors attempted to seize a piece of the lucrative South African automobile pie, by releasing the Telcoline 2x4 and 4x4 pickup trucks at prices far below the market average. In late 2004, Tata released its Indica and Indigo range, aimed at the young driver demographic or those looking for an affordable yet reliable car. As of mid-2005, Tata reported that they were 'one of the fastest growing automobile brands in South Africa'. The Indian car manufacturer now commands a respectable market share in South Africa.
A varied number of professional test-drives and their subsequent write-ups have had a wide range of reviews, although almost all allow for the fact that whilst the 1.4l 8-valve petrol engine of the Xeta/Turbo Diesel is quite powerful for the price, the fuel economy - coupled with an accessible retail price - sets this to be bottom-range economy family car with 'excellent value for money'. Probably the most negative review came from the rebadged CityRover in the UK, where an undercover Top Gear episode proclaimed the car to be the 'worst ever driven on the show.'
Purchased new, the Indica offers a wide range of accessories and optional extras, including:
- Power steering
- HVAC - Heater Ventilator & Air Conditioner
- Alloy wheels
- Power windows
- Tubeless radials
- Central locking with remote keyless entry
- Ventilated Disc brakes
- 4 spoke steering wheel
- Tinted Windshields
- Audio warnings
When the car was first launched, it suffered from various performance and efficiency glitches, which caused persistent grief amongst the early customers. In response to the customer complaints, Tata Motors greatly re-engineered the internals of the car and lauched it as Indica V2 (or version 2), which solved most of the complaints and emerged as one of the most favored cars in the Indian automobile industry. An year back it was again updated, now marketed as "Refreshingly New Indica V2". The latest variant of Indica is the Indica V2 Xeta Petrol, which delivers 70ps of power at a fuel efficiency of 14 kmpl [1] under standard test conditions. In Indian city conditions, the consumption can drop to about 10 kmpl.
In India, 3 versions are available with 4 sub models each.
- Indica V2 - 1.4L Diesel (DLE, DLS, DLG, DLX)
- Indica V2 XETA - 1.2L Petrol (GV, GVE, GVS, GVG) and 1.4L Petrol (GLX)
- Indicab - A low price car with same framework but less features & luxuries aimed at cab & contract transport business. Very popular amongst the transport businessmen.
In its home market, the Indica offers loads of space inside and competes with the Maruti Swift, the Hyundai Santro and the Fiat Palio. There are two engines on offer- a 1.4-litre 70 bhp petrol as well as a 1.4-litre 62/68 bhp turbo-diesel. The slightly higher-than-average unladen weight makes for a relatively comfortable ride compared to lighter cars. Fit and finish continue to play catch-up with the Fiats and Marutis.
The Indica platform spawned off a number of variants, including the Tata Indigo three-box sedan and the Indigo Marina estate car.
During India's 2006 Auto Expo in New Delhi, Tata unveiled the Indica Silhouette concept car, a radical, high-performance Indica featuring rear-wheel drive, extensive bodywork, and a 3.5 litre 330HP V6. The car is capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds, and maxes out at 270 km/h. The Silhouette is currently only a concept vehicle, and is obviously a far cry from the standard Indica.