Tata Motors to retire the Indica, Sumo Spacio and Indigo Marina

Tata Motors is planning to phase out its old models such as the Tata Indica, Tata Sumo Spacio and the Indigo Marina due to the steady decline in sales of these models and also to pave way for the some of the new models to come at the forefront of the company's portfolio for the Indian market. 

The move is being considered by the company to counter the lower than anticipated sales of its flagship models, falling market shares and poor profitability of the automobile business in the face of the competition from more contemporary rivals. 

The Tata Indica hatchback has been in the Indian market for the last 14 years and is immensely popular with the local car operators. If the ageing Indica is indeed killed in the coming months, the Tata Vista will replace it full-time. 

Tata Sumo Spacio too, has been facing a slew in demand and could be phased out in the coming months. The Sumo known for its rugged performance is one of the favorite vehicles in the rural areas. Based on a ladder-on-frame construction and equipped with an engine out of the Tata 407 mini truck, the workhorse machine was exactly what the target audience ordered. Also, the Tata Indigo Marina, which failed to take off in the Indian market miserably, could be shown the doors. 

Tata Motors is also working on alternative strategies to minimize loss and increase profitability by making optimum use of the factory in Sanand in Gujarat that currently is being used to build only the Tata Nano and is therefore, underutilized. This would mean that the production of some models that are being built in a plant in Pimpri on the outskirts of Pune would now be shared between Pimpri and Sanand. The company is also aiming to derive some of the engine technology of Jaguar and Land Rover brands, which Tata Motors had acquired in 2008.