Waiting for the (new) Tata car

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: One of the more eagerly awaited really new cars for and in India will be the new premium hatchback from Tata Motors, whatever it is that it will eventually be called, since the ‘old’ (present) Indica really doesn’t look like it will fade away either. Saw a few of them on the Pune-Mumbai road, and while they were heavily disguised, with dummy round headlamps and stock tail lamps, there was one which seemed to be a complete version, but then again the front and rear lights were heavily masked.

Buzz is that the new car will manage to overcome one of the bigger perception issues that the Indica was stuck with—of being a very comfortable and reliable taxi. This aspect is important enough to keep many private customers—especially those influenced by women—away from buying an Indica, though it may be their first choice as a taxi. The car I use in my work-city (Pune) is an Indica diesel and we really enjoy the space, comfort and frugality in town and on the highways. But my wife will not let me buy one in Delhi or Bangalore (my ‘home’ cities). Why? Read on:

A. Loud external noise, which is a fact that does not bother me, but seems to impact others. I quite enjoy the roar from a diesel being properly caned.

B. Despite the power steering, the front feels ‘heavy’, and this is for our generation brought up on Ambassadors and jeeps in the 1970s. How we have been spoilt!

C. Indica taxi drivers seem to go berserk when they see women driving Indicas, and tail-gate or race them. I am talking about women drivers who can teach taxi drivers a few things, but then they also need a faster car!

D. The front/rear are too high and it is difficult to judge the ends. That’s a load of unadulterated urban legend.

E. Another urban legend—Indica sent to service will come back with old parts switched from taxi. Could be true, this needs to be addressed.

F. Traffic cops tend to stop driver-operated Indicas, and go through the documents with a toothpick. This I have seen with my own eyes, very often.