Tata Motors says that the initial order for the Safari Storme involves 3,192 units. “Potentially, the order can grow 10-fold,” Vernon Noronha, vice-president, Defence & Government Business, Tata Motors, told Autocar Professional. The contract for the order is expected to be signed soon.
It is learnt that the Army will replace its parc of 35,000 vehicles and the practice is to invite tenders from makers of ‘in-service’ vehicles. ‘In-service’ vehicle, as the term suggests, is any vehicle which is already approved and is in use by the Army.
Most of the Xenons that Tata Motors will supply to the armed forces, will be used by the BSF, which has inducted new Border Out Post (BOP) vehicles to upgrade and enhance the efficiency of troop movement along the border.
Tata Motors says it has received an order for over 500 Xenons.
Features like airbags and AC (to keep soldiers cool at areas with soaring temperatures) and the higher utility value that a pickup offers helped the Xenon to bag the order. The twin-cab version of the Xenon has been picked up by the forces. Mahindra’s Bolero Camper was also in the race for the order.
It is also to be noted that
Tata Motors has also bagged a contract to supply 350 units of its SAK 32 4X4 tipper model to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The order is worth Rs 63 crore. Thanks to the government’s focus on developing road infrastructure in the border states of North East India, this figure could go up three-fold, according to Noronha. With such developments, and perhaps some more coming up, Noronha is confident of a 50-55 percent growth in Tata Motors’ defence business this year.
The Tata Xenon 4x4 is tough, agile and ideal for carrying 5-6 troops