Tata Motors is looking ahead to increase its unified market share in the Indian passenger car market with its recently launched Safari Storme model. Safari Storme is a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and carries the baton of countering the inspiring market presence of its stiffest rival, Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M).
Evidently, just a decade ago Tata Motors enjoyed an unparalleled presence in Utility Vehicle (UV) segment of the Indian auto industry, but the rapid emergence of M&M products has gradually changed the entire scenario. At present, M&M is the best selling UV maker in the country, with many breakthrough models, such as Bolero, Scorpio, XUV500 and Quanto. Tata Motors, despite having a wider range of products than M&M, has repeatedly failed to catch the imagination of local audience.
The company aspires to change the prevalent market scene with its recently launched Safari Storme and has pinned many hopes with the model. Tata Safari Storme has a tremendous burden to check the astounding popularity of Mahindra XUV500 in Indian market, which seems like a mountain to climb at the moment. The XUV500 is witnessing immense demand among domestic audience and has been listed as one of the best selling models during 2012 in the country.
Expressing the company's hopes from Safari Storme, Ashesh Dhar, Head of UV Division at Tata Motors, said, “We are looking at a permanent role in the SUV market. We, at present, have a 12 per cent market share and we are definitely seeing it increase.”
Reportedly, Tata Motors registered sales of about 16,000 Safari units during fiscal 2012 in India, which means that the new Safari Storme must record better sale numbers in the ongoing fiscal. According to Dhar, Indian UV sector is estimated at over 5.7 lakh units at the moment and is rapidly growing at a rate of 50 per cent every year. On the other hand, the domestic passenger vehicle market is growing at just about 6 to 7 per cent, which explains Tata Motors' heavy hopes with its Safari Storme SUV.
At present, Tata Motors offers its Safari Storme to Indian audience at price tag starting from Rs. 9.95 lakhs, going on till Rs. 13.7 lakhs. The stylish SUV competes against the likes of Mahindra Scorpio, XUV500 and 2012's surprise package Renault Duster in the country.
