Jan 14, 2008 07:15 PM
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I was at the Auto Expo in Delhi and the first launch that I caught [10:30 am] – TATA Sumo Grande
– was kind of significant for me as my interest lies heavily in the utility
vehicles segment. Unfortunately there weren’t too many on display today, unless
I just couldn’t find all of them in that vast desert of a venue. But coming
back to the Sumo Grande, I have to say that it’s a very impressive effort from
TATA Motors. I missed the pre-launch hungama
as that was for ‘press aadmi’s’ only,
but drama is not my cup of tea anyway. I got to see the car up close and take a
few pictures and that was enough.
First impressions – it reminded me of the Scorpio from a
side angle, but that’s not such a bad thing as it’s a welcome change from the
bread box looking Sumo Victa. It’s a good thing that the makers have finally
paid some attention to styling and looks. The interior is very comfortable with
beige interiors and a height adjustable driver’s seat. It’s also got a 2.2
DICOR engine that claims to give 16 kpl. Well that’s still left to be seen, but
I will agree that the Grande is loaded with features.
Things I could take note of:
- Dual AC with separate louvers for the second and third row
seats.
Tilt adjustable steering
Height adjustable driver’s seat
Electric ports for both front and rear passengers
Puddle lamp
Comfortable 5-speed gear shift
speakers on doors
Comes fitted with Alpine CD/MP3 player with 6 speakers and a
USB port
- Large clear lens headlamps and a cutaway air dam in the
front.
Not bad, I thought.
The rear is very bus-like though. But, at least it’s got the
spare wheel under the floor, which makes it a tad neater. It’s got the same
sporty alloys as the Safari.
I know TATA Motors is in the spotlight for its One-Lakh so
called ‘miracle’ car, but honestly, my expectations aren’t too high about it. But
with the Grande, I had no clue about its launch, which is supposed to happen
sometime in Feb. I like the looks of it. The styling has definitely improved,
the colours are more attractive and so is the price.
Delhi Ex-Showroom is Rs 6.55 Lakh for the Sumo Grande LX
[Base model] and Rs 7.49 Lakh for the Sumo Grande GX [top end].
