Tatas geared for Magic

India’s largest automobile company, Tata Motors, launched two new vehicles on June 18, 2007, Magic and Winger, indicating "its commitment to offer transportation solutions which will change the way India travels,” notes a press release. While Magic is meant to bring to urban and rural India a "comfortable, safe, four-wheeler public transportation mode,” Winger, described as a "maxi van,” offers "the comfort of a car with the spaciousness of a bus for intra-city and long-distance transportation needs.” Both the cars reflect Tata Motors’ traditional engineering excellence with strong customer orientation.

With a flexible seating capacity of four to seven passengers, Magic, available at a cost of Rs 2.60 lakhs (ex showroom Poona), boasts of spacious interiors and ample legroom. The ergonomically designed all-steel cabin, powered by a 16 HP 700 cc water-cooled diesel engine, the 12” tyres that provide higher ground clearance, the rigid front axle to weather tough road conditions, a turning radius of 4.3 meters to navigate narrow bylanes and dense traffic are expected to provide the Magic owner with a high fuel efficiency and low maintenance vehicle.

Tata vehicles Magic (left) and Winger (top)

The Winger has 11 variants in three levels of comfort — standard, deluxe and luxury — to comfortably seat nine to 13 passengers. Each front facing seat has a seat belt, magazine pockets, bottle holders, spot lamps and grab handles. A uniquely placed fuel tank, child lock, fog lamps and a demister ensure customer safety. The hallmark of this car is generous saloon space with spacious head and legroom and wide luggage space which makes it ideally suitable as a staff vehicle, for hotel and airport transfers, tourist usage, ambulance and school van, among others. Powered by a two-liter turbo charged diesel engine, the Winger range starts at Rs 4.70 lakhs (ex showroom Poona).

Tata Motors is the leader in commercial vehicles and the second largest in passenger vehicles, with over four million Tata vehicles plying in India. It is also the world’s fifth largest medium and heavy truck manufacturer and the second largest heavy bus manufacturer, according to a company profile. Tata cars, buses and trucks are marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and Australia. The company’s research centers are based in India, the UK, and its subsidiary and associate companies in South Korea and Spain.