Dealer boost for Tata Motors

TATA Motor’s Australian distributor Fusion Automotive has confirmed the expansion of its local dealer network to 35 locations, as its Xenon dual cab 4x4 utility is awarded a four-star crash safety rating.

Earlier this month the 4x2 dual cab variant was awarded a four-star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) following the addition of standard safety equipment, including Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the same rating has now been applied to the 4x4 dual cab.

The news coincides with the announcement of the growing dealer network, with the Fusion Automotive’s managing director Darren Bowler saying the location of those dealers is strategically important to the brand.

“We kicked off in October last year with zero brand recognition, zero dealers and for us it was all about building a dealer network that was heading in the direction to be profitable.” he said.

“We wanted to make sure our brand representation was strategically laid out across Australia, not just having a dealer for the sake of having a dealer. It was about strategically locating our dealerships in the right places around Australia and we’re doing that.”

Left: Fusion managing director Darren Bowler.

This involves targeting locations where the company thinks the Xenon will hold the most appeal, such as rural areas. The network has grown rapidly, with new dealerships in Tasmania, Tamworth, Mildura and Kempsey and Mr Bowler said the growth in regional areas of Queensland has outstripped metro areas.

“We’re building our metro base in Queensland. The rural base has grown a lot quicker.”

Mr Bowler said the growth was part of a Fusion Automotive’s five-year plan, which will see the arrival of more Tata vehicles in Australia, some of which will benefit from Tata’s ownership of British premium brand Jaguar Land Rover.

“The future is very bright,” Mr Bowler said.

“As a distributor Fusion Automotive is focused on Tata Motors as a business as a whole with the ownership of JLR important from a technology point of view for the future.”“It not just about one model for us, it’s about establishing a dealer network which is in it for the long haul. It’s a brand-building exercise over the short term. But in the longer term there will be a full product range of vehicles that will stretch from light-commercial vehicles right through to medium and heavy trucks and passenger vehicles - it’ll be all within the next five years.”

For now it’s just the Xenon, but Mr Bowler has big plans for this model too, as the importer aims to conquer the sub-$30,000 light-commercial vehicle segment.

“I look at the segment as a whole - there’s 200,000 cars sold in the light-commercial segment, the majority of the volume is over $30,000,” he said.

“My focus is owning the segment below $30,000 for the 4x4 and 4x2 dual cab and single cab segment and my message is this: if you can find a better light commercial 4x4 dual cab vehicles for under $29,000 go and buy it.”

The Xenon range starts at $22,990 for the 4x2 Single Cab Chassis and tops out at $28,990 for the 4x4 Dual Cab Pick-Up.