Maravi

(HERALD) Tata: Best farm truck

Tata: Best farm truck

This past weekend was nothing like my usual weekends. I had to be strapped to the seat of what I would describe as the best farm truck any farmer could buy. On Friday afternoon I got the keys to the Tata 207 DI EX from Mr Singhal, who is the general manager of Blackwood Hodge, the distributors of the Tata brand in Zimbabwe.

At first I thought what have I gotten myself into. Being the city chic that I am, there are certain things which I like to have in a vehicle like aircon so that my make up doesn’t run, electric windows, so that my nail don’t chip from winding them up and down (a manicure doesn’t come cheap you know).

By the end of the day, this diesel truck and myself were well acquainted that I could actually do a sales pitch to those who asked me about the pros and cons of the truck.

Tata has introduced this workhorse onto the market and the pricing is not bad at all.

At US$17 600 you will be driving all the way to your farm, in a low maintenance one tonne truck. When I drove it, I actually got to picture scenarios on a farm probably where this truck could be used to carry small livestock like goats and sheep and also feeds.

Lately, everyone I talk to is involved in one farming project or another and I tell you as much as we are all buying sedans from Japan at low prices, they won’t carry your cattle feeds to the farm, but this Tata will.

Personally I felt that city drivers weren’t for this truck because you don’t really get to push it to its maximum capacity, so I drove to my friend’s farm just after Mount Hampden to deliver feeds.

I tell you the moment you turn onto that dirt road, you get to see that this car was made for rough and hard to handle terrain.

Even though it’s a 4x2, it handles quite well on the gravel road.

With a few ditches and dongas on the farm road, I easily crossed them by driving at an angle so that one wheel at a time goes into the donga, this helped because the other three wheels have traction. I guess you don’t need a 4x4 at times if you got skills . . . ha ha.

The 207 has strong torque characteristics, serving up 180 Nm @ 1500 rpm.

It runs quietly and smoothly in combination with the five-speed manual.

Off-road the five-speed manual is sure to appeal to novice off-roaders, or those who often drive trails in convoy and enjoy impromptu stops on gradient surfaces.

It’s easy to drive, with mechanical toughness that encourages low gear, full throttle use when necessary without fear of any durability issues

The upside to this vehicle is that it is good on the diesel with a 60 litre tank, its been made for goods transport since it’s a one tonner, there is no radio and it just sits two people.

Who needs the radio when you are delivering goods or ferrying livestock?

Also the plus about just two seats is such that drivers do not pick up hitch hickers with company vehicles!

The downside is that there is no air con and you only get your seat belts, no airbags, EBD or ABS, just nacuum assisted independent hydraulic brakes. Overall it’s a good truck which is necessary in any fleet as a workhorse.

It’s priced right too, but then again seeing that India is fast becoming a world giant in vehicle manufacturing, most vehicles coming from this manufacturer will be fairly priced.

Tata is the largest volume seller in India and is fast catching up with the international market, and as the one-tonne transport and logistics solution to most mining operations, small business enterprises and rural farmers, Tata is a vital cog in the economic dynamism of not only India, but the world. So there you have it, where can you find a one tonnne truck brand new for just US$17 600.

Contact the sales team at Blackwood Hodge along Simon Mazorodze Road to arrange for a test drive.

Now a bit of information on the Tata Motors so that you can see the credibility of their portfolio and how much of the motoring industry stake they have control over.

Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with consolidated annual revenues of US$20 billion.

Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand and Spain.

Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, the business comprising the two iconic British brands. It also has an industrial joint venture with Fiat in India.

Tata Motors is also a market leader in commercial vehicles and among the top three in passenger vehicles.

It is also the world's fourth largest truck manufacturer and the second largest bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America.

The company, formerly known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company, began manufacturing commercial vehicles in 1954 with a 15-year collaboration agreement with Daimler Benz of Germany.

It has, since, developed Tata Ace, India’s first indigenous light commercial vehicle, Tata Safari, India’s first sports utility vehicle, Tata Indica, India’s first indigenously manufactured passenger car, and Nano, the world's cheapest car.

Tata Motors has joint ventures with Marcopolo, the Brazil-based maker of bus and coach bodies, and with Fiat Auto (to build a commercial vehicle at Fiat's facilities in Córdoba, Argentina).

So varimi, your season is here and this is the right time to buy a good farm truck like this Tata 207 DI EX for your farm. Till next week, be safe.

Fact D Jeke is a motoring enthusiast who has attended auto shows and rallies, & written for various publications in the region for the last decade. She can be contacted via email on missjeke@gmail.com

Labels: BLACKWOOD HODGE, TRACTORISATION

posted by MrK @ 2:08 PM