Who Should Tata Buy Next? - Jalopnik Comments

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

X3SoB — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:39:30 EDT

Seems to me that Tata could pick up Hummer on the cheap, maybe even get GM to pay them for it, like they did with Fiat. All the other comments are ludicrious, particularly Audi.

X3SoB

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

pttrillium — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:23:58 EDT

Ford and then sell Volvo to Mitsubishi.

pttrillium

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

deus ex wagon — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:07:37 EDT

The most appealing American prospect might be Jeep, but I really don't think that having both Jeep and Land Rover would be practical for one business. A case could be made for parts-sharing between the two, but they would just compete too much. Although, I would like to see the Wrangler shrink back down to size....maybe rebody a Defender? Heresy never smelled so sweet! Oh, wait... [jalopnik.com]

deus ex wagon

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

tumblingwall — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:26:06 EDT

Lotus and jeep.

tumblingwall

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

TechnoDestructo — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:07:48 EDT

@bozoerrebbe:

A LOT of companies have built kit-based or licensed Jeeps.

TechnoDestructo

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

zhaviensdad — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:59:01 EDT

@ brandegee They are flush with cash. $9 Billion in 2007. Plus this "little" Indian company has holdings in other areas. They are part of a private conglomerate that includes: Tata Steel, Corus Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Tea, Tata Power, Tata Communications and the Taj Hotels.

zhaviensdad

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Tomsk — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:55:16 EDT

Rambler! Lord knows Chryslerberus would be happy to sell them the tooling for the 4.0L six so they could create teh Indian-American 3 Series killa!!!!!1!!!11!!LOLOMGWTF

Tomsk

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Andrewpetty — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:37:47 EDT

@TPSreports: a little malicious, but funny and true none the less.

Andrewpetty

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:30:11 EDT

America? Teh WORLD!?!?!

Schm, preparing for the financalapocalypse, reading Camus and dreaming sweet dreams of G-Wagens and Facel Vegas. . .

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

bozoerrebbe — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:22:32 EDT

@usa1: It's great to see a country (India) protect its domestic car business (Tata) with a closed marketplace (import restrictions and high tariffs)

You can't really call India a closed marketplace just because of import controls.

India allows 100% Foreign Direct Investment (China requires a Chinese partner). Almost all the major global car companies have assy plants in India, so while there are import restrictions, non Indian car companies can compete in that market. The Indian passenger car industry was started when the government went into partnership with Suzuki to start Maruti. Suzuki still owns half the company and controls it (Maruti built more cars last year than Suzuki did in Japan) and the Indian gov't has sold all its stake.

Maruti has about 50% market share. I'm pretty sure that Hyundai is #2, and Tata is #3.

bozoerrebbe

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

bozoerrebbe — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:15:23 EDT

Mahindra will buy Jeep before Tata does. Mahindra got its start building cars & trucks with assembling kits of Jeeps.

bozoerrebbe

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Hoser Dave — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:52:18 EDT

GAZ - Get the two most power hungry automakers together to rule the world!

Hoser Dave

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Armand Bengle — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:11:33 EDT

Ferdinand Piech suggested they make a move on the Sudetenland.

Armand Bengle

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

crevans — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:48:05 EDT

@bmoredlj: The Tata Wrangler. I like it.

crevans

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

crankcase — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:12:07 EDT

@FThorn:
Toyotata? :-)

crankcase

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

JantheMan — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:04:33 EDT

@j6r: Too late...they are already Malasian

They can buy whatever they want.....after the Nano they can afford it. Buy Bristol and Aston...they are the only Britans left?

JantheMan

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

FThorn — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:13:57 EDT

Toyota would be the obvious cherry on top.

FThorn

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

avusone — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:12:43 EDT

Buy ASTON MARTIN and start the ROYAL INDIAN RACING Team. First entry at Silverstone.

avusone

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Ash78 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:00:18 EDT

Those tires could cut pizza for Papa John's and probably reduce urban delivery times.

Ash78

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

zamafir — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:53:59 EDT

@ m3_of_doom:

How on earth would they buy Audi? It's VAG's most profitable brand, VAG's flushed with all sorts of cash pre and post Porsche buy-out so hostile takeover's way beyond a pipe dream. That doesn't make the remotest of sense.

I'll vote for Chrysler after cerberus is done raping them to give Tata easy access to US production and another automaker with an under funded product lineup.

Anyone else stoked Tata bought jag? Here's to no longer forcing new models to use ancient platforms and running luxury marquis on a shoe string budget. More power to 'em.

zamafir

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Smells_Homeless — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:52:12 EDT

@Andrewpetty: Is Cherry for sale?

Smells_Homeless

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Al Navarro — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:45:15 EDT

@Maymar:
COTD nom for the reference to the old "Sun never sets on the British Empire" adage...you made the same point that I was trying for, but with a great stinger...

Al Navarro

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Mysterious Utility Bento — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:42:35 EDT

They Should buy some grocery stores: Piggly Wiggly, Big G, and Super Fresh.......This way they can have Big, Fresh, Wiggly TaTas!

Mysterious Utility Bento

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

TR3-A — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:40:22 EDT

Saleen.

TR3-A

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

AandW — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:38:23 EDT

Volvo.

AandW

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

oldskoolparts — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:34:04 EDT

does any one else notice the president of tata motors looks like the professor from one of the first "planet of the apes" movies?

oldskoolparts

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

brandegee — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:33:25 EDT

@usa1: Heh. Was waiting for that one. I don't think Tata will be buying anyone for a little while...the $6.5B company is taking on about $2.7B in debt for this deal alone and will have to raise some serious capital. International markets have also slightly downgraded Tata, probably as a warning.

Still, in a highly protected business environment, Tata stands to win. As long as it doesn't get on the government's bad side.

brandegee

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

TheGuinnessTooth — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:32:49 EDT

Edsel

TheGuinnessTooth

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

oldskoolparts — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:32:14 EDT

and then they can out-source all of their tech service from us americans and we can fake our names are indian...hello, tata motors? my name is chandra, how can i help you?....

oldskoolparts

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:29:26 EDT

@TPSreports: A GED counts, right?

Matt Hardigree

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

m3_of_doom — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:28:56 EDT

And I would have to say Audi makes good business sense...why buy all the english brands when you can just invade their roads with an allegiance between their mortal enemies and provincial whipping boys and their finicky cars?

m3_of_doom

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

m3_of_doom — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:25:49 EDT

@Ray Wert: High-larious!

m3_of_doom

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

usa1 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:23:11 EDT

It's great to see a country (India) protect its domestic car business (Tata) with a closed marketplace (import restrictions and high tariffs) so it can generate handsome profits at home (by screwing the India consumers with poor selection and higher prices) so the domestic car company (Tata) can buy up companies (Ford's Jagaur) that are forced to compete in open markets (US and Europe). It's truly heartwarming.

usa1

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

TPSreports — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:21:00 EDT

"Lets pretend your Tata's main business advisor"

Let's pretend you graduated high school.

TPSreports

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

j6r — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:19:26 EDT

Lotus.

j6r

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

oldskoolparts — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:18:24 EDT

of course, they'd first have to builda road to destroy first...

oldskoolparts

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

oldskoolparts — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:15:03 EDT

they should buy the M-DOT fom michigan, and completely rebuild their roads to our conditions and realize just like us, that they were better before they fixed them

oldskoolparts

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Ray Wert — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:10:08 EDT

@Al Navarro:

@Al Navarro: Although I'd like to say I came up with this quote, I didn't:

"I can't wait to see the Tata people riding up to the first Jag/Land Rover meeting with riding crops and spectacles..." --DGJ

I'd only like to add that they'll be riding up to the meeting on their little Nanos.

Ray Wert

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:06:12 EDT

@Al Navarro: Halla

Matt Hardigree

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

SundaySunday — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:01:15 EDT

I'm torn between Wheel Horse and Lawn Boy.

SundaySunday

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

graverobber- It says Loud Pipes Save Lives — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:00:28 EDT

@JoSCh: COTD

graverobber- It says Loud Pipes Save Lives

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Capt. Mazda Sisko — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:59:06 EDT

@Andrewpetty: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Capt. Mazda Sisko

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

OldeEnglishD misses Polar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:58:26 EDT

As a Detroit sports fan, I would like to see Mr. Tata ask that the Detroit Lions (Which Mr. Ford also owns) be thrown in with this deal. Even though Mr. Tata probably knows nothing about American football, he would be 10 times better as an owner than Mr. Ford.

OldeEnglishD misses Polar

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

contender — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:57:31 EDT

Aston Martin and TVR. Then they can be their former overlord's automotive overlord.

contender

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

P161911 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:55:08 EDT

Ford.

P161911

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Capt. Mazda Sisko — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:55:02 EDT

Chrysler? :P

Capt. Mazda Sisko

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Pete Gaines — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:54:17 EDT

Chrysler?

Pete Gaines

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Andrewpetty — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:51:35 EDT

They should buy Barely Legal Magazine. They already have an affinity for small Tatas.

Andrewpetty

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

JoSCh — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:50:54 EDT

They should check Craigslist, you can find awesome deals there.

JoSCh

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

goatrope — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:50:25 EDT

Checker.

goatrope

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Al Navarro — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:44:47 EDT

In some strange "payback for colonization" deal, how about every single Brit-brand?

Al Navarro

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

Maymar the technophobe — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:42:14 EDT

@estern: They should go after Holden, too, start buying out companies from all of the UK and the colonies. The sun will never set on the Indian Empire!

Maymar the technophobe

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

boosted-lego-wagon — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:41:43 EDT

I figure Tata should invest thousands in tuber-based alternative fuel sources and move their company HQ to Idaho.

Yep.

Tater Tatas.

boosted-lego-wagon

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

acidic — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:39:44 EDT

They should have three automakers in each country so they they can all do an international circle jerk and slap their names on each others cocks.

acidic

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

bmoredlj — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:37:36 EDT

Just sit tight and see if Land Rover profits can make up for the lack of Jag sales and if this deal actually makes financial sense.

They should buy Jeep from Chrysler.

bmoredlj

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

acidic — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:36:51 EDT

After seeing the new Geely GT, I wouldn't be surprised if he got in that bed as an in-road to China.

acidic

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

.: R32-PΩWER ™ — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:36:43 EDT

After consulting my trusty "Automotive Family Tree" for some 18 seconds... Mini. Tata, being Indian, needs to stick it to the Brits just a little bit more.

.: R32-PΩWER ™

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

sliderule — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:35:08 EDT

Saab

sliderule

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

teargas — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:35:00 EDT

Mercury?

teargas

Who Should Tata Buy Next?

sos10 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:34:55 EDT

Fiat.

sos10