Tata Motors has launched a new product range – the Magic and the Winger – in yet another major initiative to change the way people in India travel. The Magic, developed on the platform of the stupendously successful Ace, now brings to urban and rural areas a comfortable, safe four-wheeler public transportation mode. The Winger range, India’s only maxi-van, offers a perfect blend of the comfort of a car with the spaciousness of a bus for intra-city and long-distance transportation needs. Both the Magic and the Winger will create new segments, and in a complementary manner help cover the entire spectrum of customer needs from basic mass transportation in rural interiors and cities as well as the top-end luxury mass transportation segment.
With an ergonomically designed all-steel cabin, the Magic has a flexible seating capacity of four-seven passengers, in pleasant and spacious interiors, including comfortable seats and ample legroom for an enjoyable ride for passengers. Powered by a 16 hp 700cc water-cooled diesel engine, it provides the vehicle owner with high fuel efficiency and very low maintenance. The 12" tyres provide higher ground clearance, and the rigid front axle can weather tough road conditions. The turning radius of 4.3 metres is agile enough to navigate narrow bylanes and dense traffic.
For the driver’s benefit, the Magic has a clearly visible instrument cluster, utility tray and a digital clock in the dashboard, as also a radio fitment provision.
The Magic also meets BS-III emission norms and has been developed for use in any market, be it urban, semi-urban or rural. It is backed by a 36,000 km/12-month warranty. The vehicle is priced at Rs. 2.68 lakhs (BS III version ex-showroom Delhi).
The Winger seats 9 to 13 passengers, with generous saloon space, spacious head and legroom and wide luggage space. Passenger comfort has been further enhanced with all front-facing seats, each with magazine pockets, bottle holders, spot lamps and grabs handles, besides a music system. The fully enclosed body, uniquely placed fuel tank, seat belt for every seat, child lock, fog lamps and a demister (compartment ventilation fan) provide complete safety.
The robust and rugged suspension ensures both ride comfort and load carrying capacity, while the monocoque design minimises NVH. The Winger is powered by a 2-litre turbo-charged diesel engine.
The vehicle’s versatility allows it to be deployed for both long-distance transportation across different terrains in all weathers and also intra-city needs and adaptation for staff vehicles, hotel and airport transfers, tourist usage, ambulance, and school van, among others.
The Winger has 11 variants, at three levels of comfort – standard, deluxe and luxury – meeting BS-III emission norms and backed with a 1.5 lakh km/18-month warranty. The Winger range starts at Rs. 5.91 lakhs (BS III version ex-showroom Delhi).
Tata Motors is India’s largest automobile company, with revenues of $7.2 billion in 2006-07. With over four million Tata vehicles plying in India, it is the leader in commercial vehicles and the second largest in passenger vehicles. It is also the world’s fifth largest medium and heavy truck manufacturer and the second largest heavy bus manufacturer.
Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and in Australia. Tata Motors and Fiat Auto have formed an industrial joint venture in India to manufacture passenger cars, engines and transmissions for the Indian and overseas markets. The company also has an agreement with Fiat Auto to build a pick-up vehicle at Córdoba, Argentina. The company already distributes Fiat-branded cars in India.
Tata Motors’ international footprint includes Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd. in South Korea; Hispano Carrocera, a bus and coach manufacturer of Spain in which the company has a 21 per cent stake; a joint venture with Marcopolo, the Brazil-based body-builder of buses and coaches; and a joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market pick-up vehicles in Thailand.
Tata Motors has research centres in India and the UK, and in its subsidiary and associate companies in South Korea and Spain.
