The Deal

The Deal

Tata’s were famous for their Trucks.
In 1990, Ratan Tata decided to manufacture his first indigenous passenger car ‘the Tata Indica‘. It was launched in 1998.
It became an utter failure...

It was the first passenger car venture of TATAs, it failed. Ratan Tata flew to Detroit from Bombay to sell the whole passenger car division to the leader of automobile industry at that time, “The Ford“.
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“What do you know about passenger car ?”
“India is not mature enough to build & sustain its own car.”

“What do you know about passenger car ?” Asked one of the top executive from Ford. “India is not mature enough to build & sustain its own car.”
They laughed.

Tata was insulted.

Without finalising the deal, Ratan Tata flew back. He was silent and deeply engrossed in thought throughout the journey.

In their second attempt Tata Indica picked up market and became a resounding success. That is history now.

in 2008, Ford went down to the verge of bankruptcy.

Now..

Bill Ford along with his team, reached “Bombay House” from Detroit to sell their Jaguar- Land Rover segment to Tata Motors.

Well Ratan Tata finally signed the Deal in his own terms.

It took 9 long years.

It was worth it.

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