He credits the new leaders for the group s recent financial successes. We thought all we needed to do was deliver the cars, recalls Tata. But there were a lot of cancellations. The cars were not moving, so we could not have a dealer network. And perhaps we were slow in putting service centers in place.
Some executives blame the government for the cancellations.
Those who booked a Mercedes E220 were reportedly targeted by the tax man. Tata is not discouraged. We re getting out of the syndrome of just getting orders, then making the vehicles, he says. The new E-class, which has superseded the E220 in other markets, will be assembled in India this year. Many Indians feel that the E220 is an obsolete car, says Tata.