Tata Motors to phase out old Indigo; drive in Manza

After the success of Indica Vista which was launched in August 2008, Tata Motors has used the same platform to enter the entry-level mid-size sedan segment with Indigo Manza.

This new generation sedan will compete with the likes of M&M-Renault’s Logan and Maruti Suzuki’s Swift Dzire.

Aggressively priced between Rs4.9 lakh and Rs6.85 lakh (ex-showroom Mumbai), Manza is set to stir action not only for Tata Motors, but also for the entry-level mid-size sedan segment.

Rajiv Dube, president (passenger car business unit), said, “Though the market had an inkling that the new Indigo will be out soon, the Indigo range, which comprises CS, Marina, XL and the old Indigo sedan, was selling 3,000 units per month.”

The numbers were low because they were clearing the pipeline to make space for Manza, he said.

With the launch of Manza, the company will phase out its old Indigo sedan, while the CS, Marina and XL will continue. According to Dube, this car will not only compete within its segment but also with the B-segment cars.

In the first six months of this fiscal, the entry-level mid-size sedan segment grew moderately at the rate of 3%, selling 12,000 units monthly, but now with Manza in the picture the company is expecting the numbers to surge, also due to the low base effect.

“In the last few months, there have been quite a few launches, which have added on to the low base. But in January-February, the growth rate will be tempered down and we will see a higher single-digit growth due to high base. But this sort of growth is also good for the passenger car market,” Dube said.

Manza will be produced at Fiat’s Ranjangaon facility, which also manufactures Linea and Grande Punto. “Though the new capacity is in place, initially there will be a capacity constraint till we ramp up,” Dube said.

Tata Motors has spent Rs2,000 crore on development of its two products—Indica Vista and Manza.

Dube said that like Indica Vista, the Manza, too, will be exported.  On the electric version of Manza, he said, “There are no plans as of now, but since it is based on the same platform as the Indica Vista electric version, there is a possibility.”   

Manza with its quadrajet diesel will give a mileage of 21.02 km, as certified by ARAI, while the safire petrol is certified for a mileage of 14.5 km. Both the engines are sourced from Fiat and will be available in four variants — Aqua, Auro, Aura ABS and Aura+.

Manza is priced at Rs4.8 lakh for safire petrol for the base version going up to Rs6.75 lakhs for the highest Aura+ version of the quadrajet diesel.