In this week’s automotive news you need to know: Tata prepares to take another chance on the SA market, JLR goes on the special-edition offensive, Porsche sends over-the-air software updates to its Taycan and GWM rolls out a Tank to trample on Toyota’s sales numbers.
The return of Tata – Once bitten… twice shy
It seems a lifetime ago when Indian automotive giant Tata inhabited the Republic’s car market. Who can forget those days? I remember them distinctly. A totally unknown brand (to average South African consumers) wanted to compete in a space dominated by local manufacturers Volkswagen and Toyota. Not much has changed, although there is even more competition in the market now than when Tata arrived.
> Read more: Tata to Punch out Ignis with new crossover
If you want a short synopsis of how things turned out, here goes… Tata gave it a go for a while, but ultimately left with its tail between its legs. Perhaps Tata’s first time here came a little too soon; its products may have been suitable for the Indian market at the time, but even enticingly cheap products cannot survive in a market where people are so devoted to products made by VW and Toyota that they’d rather buy a used Polo or Corolla than a new Tata passenger car. The bar was set high. Let’s hope that, with the mothership acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover, some degree of quality control has rubbed off on Tata’s models.
South African consumers are always on the hunt for good deals and might take a chance on a fledgling brand if it suits their pockets, but there is certainly a limit to how much they are willing to compromise on quality. Would they even give Tata a reasonable second chance? Consider this a warning, Tata. Best you get your ducks in a row as the second South African campaign will not be easier than the first.
Jaguar Land Rover trying to keep things ‘special’
Speaking of the mothership, it seems that every other week a new iteration of a Jaguar or Range Rover model sees the light. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has redoubled its efforts to keep its products relevant and its customer base entertained – and hungry for more. It’s a tough ask for a premium brand (especially a British car manufacturer that’s trying to safeguard its future in a post-Brexit world). Many marques are either tightening their belts or exceedingly cautious about overextending themselves, product-wise, in turbulent economic times. However, in a rapidly evolving marketplace, “staying current” is a must.
> Read more: Jaguar XF R-Dynamic Black in SA (2021) Specs & Price
One can argue “it gets tired quickly”, but in the world of premium motoring, there is a certain pocket of buyers that thrive on having that “something different”. They live for braai- or bar speak, the bicep flex, showboating… ag, call it what you will. JLR wants those particular “punters” in its pocket and, judging by the number of Range Rover Velars double-parked in the Atlantic Seaboard, they’re getting it right.
Porsche Taycan Updates – Beware… the machine
Gone are the days of mechanical engineering, analogue dials and carburettors that could be tuned by ear. We’re deeply entrenched in a digital world where programming and tech advancements dominate motoring and, with that, comes more complicated product life cycles, because manufacturers must scramble to keep their wares up to date and notably differentiated from what rival brands are offering.
> Read more: Porsche Taycan Gets Tech Update
More updates, changes and technological developments… It’s a situation that, if left unchecked, can cause harm to a brand in the long run when “change fatigue” settles in and products are rushed to market (remember the Golf and ID-series’ software issues?). The VW Group has hopefully learnt from that and has enough shared IP and resources to troubleshoot and test before a release (still only up to a point), but for a start-up or smaller brand, there may not be the same backing and a long history of product recalls and warranty issues could ensue. In a world of ever-higher expectations, that could spell disaster.
GWM Tank 600 has Toyota in its sights
Great Wall Motors (GWM) is making its intentions clear: it wants to disrupt Toyota dominance in the off-roader market and steal a piece of the pie, if not all of it. One can’t exactly blame GWM, especially in Mzansi, where 25% of the market is scooped up by Toyota. GWM’s latest offering reaffirms that objective: the Tank 600 is positioned as a direct rival to the Prado, which is much loved by South African upper-middle-class families.
> Read more: GWM Tank 600 is a V6 Toyota Prado rival
Stealing market share sounds easier said than done – and it is! The Chinese brand is going to need much more than a handful of good products, ridiculously undercut pricing, a few years of solid after-sales support – and a massive own goal by Toyota – to make any sort of dent in the Japanese giant’s market supremacy. But just like we’ve seen with Haval’s recent gains in the local new-vehicle market, for every new H6 that leaves the showroom floor, there may be a Toyota RAV4 that doesn’t. That, my learned readers, is just the fillip GWM/Haval needs to stay the course.
