For the past two and a half decades, Maruti's little van, the Omni has been the only 'really cheap' mode of transporting 6-7 people around in our country. Rivals have come and gone, but thanks to their optimistic price-tags, none of them have been able to make a dent into the popularity of the 'lil Omni.
Even though the demand for the other Maruti, the 800 has dropped from 20,000 units (per month) to just 2500 these days, the Omni remains popular as ever with steady sales of 8,000+ examples.
Tata wants a piece of this pie, and have it, it will with its Super hit, Ace-based Van that you see here in the pics. The re-worked grille and tail-light do give it an upmarket air compared to the utilitarian Ace. Interiors too seem to be more than a match for the Omni. The chassis and power train will be carried over from the Ace albeit with modifications, as it will no longer be expected to haul its usual 1 tonne legal + 1 tonne illegal cargo. So modification to the suspension to improve its ride quality and to the gearing for improving the drivability must have been on the cards.
Expected Price: Rs. 3.25 Lakh (on-Road).
