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Introduction to TATA Aria: The Tata Aria is already available in four-wheel drive, launched in October 2010 Tata Motors

has launched the Tata Aria 4x2, a luxurious creation with the finesse of a sedan and the muscle of an SUV all combined in one car with 4x2 option. The Tata Aria is already available in four-wheel drive, launched in October 2010. The car's three-row theatre style flexible seating ensures ample space. Both the second row and third row seats can be fully collapsed to make the car even roomier for accessories and luggage for that weekend sojourn. The glasshouse offers commanding visibility, aided by electrically adjustable ORVMs. There is no need to look back even to park - a Reverse Guide System helps do this with exactitude. The driver information system continuously indicates essential drive data, the automatic climate control, through roof-mounted AC vents, keeps the cabin temperature ambient.

Technical specifications:
The Tata Aria is a comfort and effort machine. Comfort because unlike any of its previous SUVs or UV this baby here is a class apart. If you have driven the Safari and Aria then you will understand the weight of the previous statement. The acceleration is really up there considering the machine weighs over 2.5 tons and the refinement is equally excellent, and thats quite an effort. The heavy beast clocks a sleek 60 kph in 6.0 seconds and 100 kph at a fair 15.8 seconds again only goes to prove that its a class apart. Finally one can say that Tata has come a long way, especially on the NVH. The Aria barely whispers even at high speeds or for that matter even when you are coming to stand still, it barely makes a squeak. No matter what the road conditions are, there are absolutely no squeaks; bleep or rattles either from the shock absorbers or the inside trim bits. Tata Aria Exterior and Interior: Whats holding this beast together? A Solid body-on-frame construction and seemingly rugged this mean machine is ready to reckon with. Such strong body coupled with next gen styling, especially on the front, the Aria is sure to street grab a fair share for the good looks and street presence. The interiors are a heaven to be. Comfortably seating up to five passengers in the front two rows, the quality upholstery and the wooden bits are of top notch. Engine: The Tata Aria has a DICOR engine from the Tata Safari with a 2.2 liter diesel motor making 140 PS at 4000 rpm and a massive 320 Nm of torque at 2200 rpm. These numbers are enough to hit the 100 kmph under 16 seconds a couple faster than the Toyota that is also considering 2,225 kerb weight.

The smaller engine glistens with modern innovation, and posts acceleration figures of 170 kmph. This easily encompasses the Innova on all counts. The brakes are of 320mm ventilated discs at the front and 280 mm solid discs at the rear. The mileage is a double digit 10.9 kmpl on the streets which is again excellent, though I suspect the 18.3 kmpl on the highways. Over all the mileage of 14.6 kmpl for a 4 wheel giant is truly unbelievable. Ride The driver comforts are well sorted. The gigantic wheels just crush anything in its path. Meanwhile on the inside its as soft as a feather, hardly one feels uneasy even after sitting a few hours in the seats. The seats are sure shot box office hit! While auto scribes always scribed about the handling when it comes to the Aria this one has sure put a cap to their pens. A definite leap from the Safari the Aria does roll a bit when leaned into corners but not as much as and surprisingly, less than the Innova considering the size. Aria Design: Tata says that it is not just a factory output, but a well thought out creation with a very competitive package, some first-time safety measures with all terrain capabilities.

Brand equity for Tata Motors: Tata Motors is adding feathers to its cap one by one, firstly by introducing the cheapest car Tata Nano in India, then launching the first crossover Indian car Tata Aria and much more. With all these achievements Tata Motors has made itself bigger brand equity by acquiring the top position from Reliance Industries. Tata Motors and JLR together with an evaluation of $ 8.45 billion, has topped India's valuable corporate brands. Tata Motors has conquered Reliance's top position among the 50 most valuable corporate brands in India. Tata Motors under the stewardship of Ratan Tata is carefully architected into a complete motor company not merely a company with different divisions. Tata Motors is at the top of Indian automobile industry. It participates in both commercial and passenger vehicle markets. In a short span to time the company has evolved from primarily being a maker of commercial vehicles to a force to reckon with in the passenger market as well.

Tata Motors has been losing market share over time in the utility vehicle segment. Its Safari and Sumo have lost more than 8% market share to end at 13% in 2009-10 from 21% in 2006 07. Their loss has been the gain for models like Xylo, Bolero, Scorpio, Innova etc. This led the panic buttons ringing throughout the top management of Tata Motors, and the result? They have come out with their first multiutility vehicle (MUV), Tata Aria in 15 years. The interesting fact about this MUV is that it has the finesse of a sedan and the ruggedness of an SUV. This combo itself positions it on a very interesting and unique platform. It is one of the most premium and Feature packed vehicle to come out of the Tata Motors stable.

So what are the objectives Tata Motors expects to achieve with this new model? From what I see, there are two main points which they seem to have considered.

Tata Aria aims to address more than one segment of customers. Its competitors include high end versions of Xylo and Innova, sedans, multipurpose vehicles and also premium sports utility vehicles like Honda CRV, Mitsubishi Outlander etc. This could actually be a gamble in a bid to address more customers, they may end up satisfying none only time will tell.

To boost Tata Motors falling market share in the utility vehicle segment

Tata Aria is powered by 2.2L engine generating 140PS of peak power and 320Nm of peak torque. Aria comes with standard Adapterra (4WD) mode on all variants. Aria will come in three variants Aria pride, aria prestige and aria pleasure. Aria comes with long list of features including satellite navigation and Electronic stability program.

Technology, Design and Finesse are the three key points on which the Aria is based. Aria also offers a number of unique safety and electronics features which are somewhat of a first in the country for cars in its own segment. This proves one thing. One of Tatas unsaid objectives for releasing this model is to show its technological prowess and innovation.

Designed with an eye on the international markets of Europe, SAARC, Middle East and South Africa, Aria offers Tata Motors an interesting opportunity.

But then its not going to be an easy ride. Being in the premium segment, it is very difficult to scale it faster. With Skodas Yeti coming up in 2011 and Mahindras W201 (Code Named SUV) expected in 2012, this segment is set for some interesting competition.

The multi-utility vehicle (MUV) category is growing fast in India. It has made many car makers in the country plan production of the same. Maruti Suzuki , Tata Motors and Skoda Auto are planning to enter the growing segment of MUVs.
Tata Motors has plans to launch Tata Aria. The vehicle is developed from Xover concept. Maruti has plans to launch its crossover based on R3 concept. Skoda is going to launch its MUV Roomster in India in

2011. Multi-utility vehicles , also known as crossovers , are positioned between sports utility vehicles and hatchbacks. As the market shifts towards compact cars , MUVs are gaining ground with their higher utility and lower cost of operations , said Sundeep Singh , Deputy MD -Marketing , Toyota Kirloskar Motors.

While Tatas marketing team argues that it is a blend of a SUV and a Sedan and one cant directly compare it to either of them, we think otherwise. For all fair comparisons, lets assume that it is a car that can ferry 7 passengers in good comfort. A few contenders that immediately spring to mind are Innova, Tavera, Safari, Xylo, Scorpio, Endeavour, Fortuner and the Captiva. Here is a chart that gives sales figures of these contenders. Clearly the entire segment is dominated by the Innova and for all good reasons. Oddly, it is the Scorpio that gives a very tough fight to the Innova instead of the thought-to-be Xylo. But as you can see the Aria is slipping throughout the period until Jan & Feb 2011 when the aging Endeavour actually sold more than the Aria. Clearly there is something wrong with Tatas strategy. According to me, the entire positioning of Aria is a bit haywire. Because of the high price, it is clearly not a mass-market car like the Innova so it cannot go high up the ranking table. But at the same time, it is not a luxury car because the masses are not ready to perceive the brand Tata as a luxury manufacturer. It is quite evident because the Fortuner from Toyota, which is in fact more expensive than the Aria, is also outselling the Aria and by miles! When the Aria was launched, Tata Motors wanted to create a whole new segment for their own. This is not something new because even BMW adopted this strategy with the X1 and they were quite successful with it. Unfortunately, for Tata Motors it was too little too soon. Can this mismatch be rectified? Certainly Yes! Currently, the Aria is in a price band that is nudging the luxury segment consisting of the bigger sedans. By shedding 3 lakhs from its price tag and bringing the Aria in the price band of the D segment sedans, it will give the consumers and alternative to sedans like Civic, Cruze and Laura. After all, the Indian psyche favors an SUV over a sedan. This would also create a considerable price difference between the Aria and the Fortuner thus making it a much more value proposition.

Marketing is the process by which a product or service originates and is then priced, promoted, and distributed to consumers. The principal marketing functions involve market research and product development, design, and testing. It is the business activity of presenting products or services in such a way as to make them desirable. One has to consider promotion that is balanced with a suitable product available at a reasonable price, provided at all places to maximize the sale of ones product.

MARKETING MIX PRODUCT Brand Packaging Innovations PRICE Pricing Strategy Pricing & Quality Price & Alterations PROMOTION Personal Selling Advertising Public Relations PLACE Channels of Distributions Physical Distribution Wholesaler & Retailers

Quality Discounts 1. PRODUCT (Brand, Packaging, Innovations, Quality) : a. Brand : Advertising is often used to make consumers aware of a products special low price or its benefits. But an even more important function of advertising is to create an image that consumers associate with a product, known as the brand image. The brand image goes far beyond the functional characteristics of the product. The products of Tata Motors have many special characteristics to them, but when consumers think of it, they not only think of its features, but they may also associate it with quality, performance, class. All of these meanings have been added to the product by advertising. Consumers frequently buy the product not only for its functional characteristics but also because they want to be identified with the image associated with the brand. Tata Motors have been successful in creating and maintaining a professional brand image. b. Packaging : A vehicle cannot have a material packaging. Here, packaging refers to and effective assembly of features. Tata Motors provide many innovative features to suit the target customers and the product. E.g. Tata Safari Dicor has Reverse Guide System which includes a weather-proof camera to help the driver while reversing the vehicle. c. Innovations : The various motives behind buying an automobile are Need, Prestige, Comfort, Fashion, Jealousy and Novelty. The R & D Department continuously strives to bring new innovations in their product. Tatas have an industrial experience of over 100 years and they are well known with the Psychology of Indian customers, who desire more at less price. This experience has helped them to develop products which fulfill the expectations of Indian consumers. d. Quality Control : Tata Motors have their Quality Control standards and the QC Dept. ensures that the customer does not face any inconveniences of a defective product. 2. PRICE (Pricing Strategy, Alterations, Discounts) a. Pricing Strategy : The prices are fixed keeping in mind a number of factors. As told by Mr. Desai, prices have to be at par with the prices of the competitors. Tata Motors give a relative price advantage as compares to its competitors. The various determinants of price are i. Market Condition ii. Costs incurred iii. Profit percentage desired by the Co. iv. Dealer Profit b. Alterations : The Company does not allow any alterations to any of the features of the product. If there is an alteration which affects the performance of the engine, then the warranty becomes void. However, there may be alterations in the accessories, if desired by the customer. c. Discounts : Discounts are decided by the Co. every month. Any further discounts made from the profits of the dealer. However, the Co. may compensate the dealer for the discounts allowed to a certain extent.

3. PROMOTION (Personal Selling, Advertising, Sales Promotion, Public Relations) a. Personal Selling : There is minimal personal selling involved. The Sales Officers at the dealerships collect prospective customer databases and perform cold calling to attract customers. b. Advertising : Advertising is a form of commercial mass communication designed to promote the sale of a product or service. Tata Motors is responsible for the advertising of its products. The dealer does play any role in the advertising. The various media used for advertising are T.V., Newspapers, Magazines, Hoardings, Internet etc. The dealer conducts point-of-purchase displays to advertise the products. The advertisements done by the Co. help the dealer to capitalize on the market. c. Sales Promotion : The purpose of sales promotion is to supplement and coordinate advertising and personal selling; Sales promotions are designed to persuade consumers to purchase immediately by providing special incentives such as cash rebates, prizes, extra product, or gifts. The Co. conducts intensive sales promotion during festivals such as festive discounts during Diwali. d. Public Relations : Public Relations is a management function that creates, develops, and carries out policies and programs to influence public opinion or public reaction about an idea, a product, or an organization. The Co. takes serious measures to maintain good public relations. The Co. follows business ethics to ensure that the customer is satisfied and receives good service whenever and wherever he desires 4. PLACE (Channels of Distribution, Physical Distribution) a. Channels of Distribution : In case of vehicles, dealership method of distribution and sales is generally adopted. Tata Motors have also adopted dealership method of distribution of its products. The dealers purchase products from the Co. at a negotiated price. The MRP is fixed by the Co. and the dealer gets a profit within these prices. As the Co. deals in commercial and passenger vehicles, there may be a single or distinct dealerships to market its commercial and passenger vehicles in a town. However, if there is a single dealership appointed, then the commercial and passenger vehicles are managed under Commercial Vehicles Dept. and Passenger Vehicles Dept. respectively. Tata Motors have contracts with the Government of India and it supplies buses and passenger vehicles, in some cases, to the Govt. Sometimes, bulk quantities of vehicles are ordered by a Govt. Dept. or a private company. The sales, distribution and billing of these are looked after by the Co. itself. b. Physical Distribution : The commercial vehicles are manufactured at Jamshedpur, Lucknowand Pantnagar whereas the passenger vehicles are manufactured at Pune plant. From the plant, the finished product is transported to the dealerships. The nation-wide dealership, sales, services and spare parts network comprises over 2,000 touch points. The dealerships are strategically located in the target and potential markets to ensure efficient and timely availability of its products in the market.

Technical specifications:
The Tata Aria is a comfort and effort machine. Comfort because unlike any of its previous SUVs or UV this baby here is a class apart. If you have driven the Safari and Aria then you will understand the weight of the previous statement. The acceleration is really up there considering the machine weighs over 2.5 tons and the refinement is equally excellent, and thats quite an effort. The heavy beast clocks a sleek 60 kph in 6.0 seconds and 100 kph at a fair 15.8 seconds again only goes to prove that its a class apart. Finally one can say that Tata has come a long way, especially on the NVH. The Aria barely whispers even at high speeds or for that matter even when you are coming to stand still, it barely makes a squeak. No matter what the road conditions are, there are absolutely no squeaks; bleep or rattles either from the shock absorbers or the inside trim bits. Tata Aria Exterior and Interior: Whats holding this beast together? A Solid body-on-frame construction and seemingly rugged this mean machine is ready to reckon with. Such strong body coupled with next gen styling, especially on the front, the Aria is sure to street grab a fair share for the good looks and street presence. The interiors are a heaven to be. Comfortably seating up to five passengers in the front two rows, the quality upholstery and the wooden bits are of top notch. Engine: The Tata Aria has a DICOR engine from the Tata Safari with a 2.2 liter diesel motor making 140 PS at 4000 rpm and a massive 320 Nm of torque at 2200 rpm. These numbers are enough to hit the 100 kmph under 16 seconds a couple faster than the Toyota that is also considering 2,225 kerb weight. The smaller engine glistens with modern innovation, and posts acceleration figures of 170 kmph. This easily encompasses the Innova on all counts. The brakes are of 320mm ventilated discs at the front and 280 mm solid discs at the rear. The mileage is a double digit 10.9 kmpl on the streets which is again excellent, though I suspect the 18.3 kmpl on the highways. Over all the mileage of 14.6 kmpl for a 4 wheel giant is truly unbelievable. Ride The driver comforts are well sorted. The gigantic wheels just crush anything in its path. Meanwhile on the inside its as soft as a feather, hardly one feels uneasy even after sitting a few hours in the seats. The seats are sure shot box office hit! While auto scribes always scribed about the handling when it comes to the Aria this one has sure put a cap to their pens. A definite leap from the Safari the Aria does roll a bit when leaned into corners but not as much as and surprisingly, less than the Innova considering the size. Aria Design: Tata says that it is not just a factory output, but a well thought out creation with a very competitive package, some first-time safety measures with all terrain capabilities.

Aria Competitors Toyotas Innova and Mahindras Xylo. Speculated Pricing 10 lac onwards Existing products in Tata Motors Arsenal Tata Safari, Sumo Grande USPs Tata Motors have plans to pack the Aria with a lot of features which are supposedly to compete with those of the Innova and Xylo. However the dealer network of Tata feels that it would be really difficult for ARIA to take off in the automobile market with such a high price unless it really fulfills its promises with packed extra features. Aria sports a 2.2 litre common rail diesel engine and blends the functionality and comfort of a mid-range MPV with the all-terrain assurance and premiumness of an SUV. In terms of features it has 6 air bags for safety as well as an Electronic stability program offered first time by an Indian manufacturer.

Advertising: The introductory media campaign showed two differently shaped vehicles colliding to form the Aria. Tata then aired videos showing its feature rich nature. The ads were very functional and did not have a sense of humor or excitement Tata ads usually contain in the hopes of going viral. The new Ad campaign released this month is along the lines of the Tom Cruise flick Knight and Day. The rejuvenated campaign (thanks to Motoroids for the term), sticks to the old adage Winners dont do different things, they do things differently. Showing some of its important features like the auto sensing wipers, ESP, 4X4 and ABS brakes with a knife on the drivers throat means the viewer will watch it more carefully anticipating a thrilling finish. That said, arent the baddies in pursuit driving a black Volkswagen Transporter? Will Volkswagen India show an unmarked Tata Aria driving off a cliff in their new Jetta commercial?

The finesse of a sedan, with the muscle of an SUV,' that's the tagline that Tata has given their latest model the Aria. Competitors analysis:

Tata Aria is no doubt a a SUV competing with Innova. The interiors are quite good and so do the power. It will be unfair to undervalue a car just because it is made in India. If all Tata products were that bad, it would not have survived till date. One should evaluate a car considering all parameters including specifications.

As far as price is concerned. The price seems to be bit higher,It would have been a good if price range was limited to 10 to 13 Lakh. In overall, as it is still newly launched, it will be worth waiting for a while to declare wether it is hit or flop.

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