Thursday, August 7, 2008

Tatas Eye 30,000 Nanos A Month - Aug 07 , 2008

Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee notwithstanding Tata is staying the course with its Nano strategy and gearing up for the big rollout in the October-December quarter. The company wants to eventually look at selling up to 30,000 cars a month, a massive target given that the current bestsellers from Maruti at best manage a third of that tally.So hoping that the Singur row gets resolved, Tata is beginning its dealer network expansion inviting interest for new dealerships in high density areas like the national capital region.

New dealers are especially being sought where the demand for Nano is expected be high and these could be areas which may already have existing Tata dealers.Tata is expected to offer the Nano for sale through all its dealers. Only some dealers - or franchisee outlets may be exclusively for the Nano.The company will maintain only a select list of dealers that will sell Tata and Fiat cars alongside.But even as the official line remains diplomatic internally the company is readying a backup plan for the ''what if'' scenario. If Singur goes up in flames Tata will not be in a position to meet its commitment of rolling out the Nano in this calendar year.

Tata also has a relatively newer plant in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand where a new line could be introduced to manufacture the Nano.But the truth is that Tata needs Singur to fall in to place and quickly or else not only will its domestic volumes plan for the Nano go awry but its export model might also have to be pushed beyond 2010.

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