Force Motors presented the world’s largest monocoque van (a type of construction that combines the chassis and body into a single entity, commonly used on passenger cars), designed and developed completely in-house at the Auto Expo last week that can seat 26 people. Force Motors claims the Traveller-26 is the first in its class to be painted through Electro-deposition that improves rust protection.
It offers the lowest floor height in its category and the lowest center of gravity in its class thereby scoring high in the departments of handling and stability. It is equipped with disc brakes on all four corners and electronic brake pad wear indicators.
A little know brand in the Indian Automotive scene is gearing up with major ambitions. Force Motors took the final step of entering the passenger car market by introducing the Force One SUV in India. Earlier known for its commercial vehicles in India, Force Motors plans to strengthen its hold in the Indian SUV market by launching the 4×4 version of the Force One at the Auto Expo. Force Motors [ Read More ]
2011 was a remarkable year for Force Motors as the company took its first steps into the passenger car market. The first contender in the passenger car segment – Force One made some awesome news with its Daimler engine and Lotus-tuned suspension. The company also roped in Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador to promote the SUV.
Now, Force Motors has released a TV spot showcasing the various features of the Force One. Have a look and let us know what do you think about them.
Force Motors has recently made waves in the Indian automotive scene with the launch of their new passenger vehicle – Force One. After launching the 4X2 version, the company promised to launch the 4×4 version of the Force One at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo.
Force Motors will also showcase a hybrid version of their popular people mover – the Traveller at the Expo. Force Motors has collaborated with a UK company to develop this technology. Interestingly, the technology will utilize solar energy as well as has regenerative exhaust systems.
IndianAutosBlog.com readers have already seen a fully undisguised Traveller facelift testing in Pune. Could it be related to the hybrid Traveller?
Placed parallel to the hybrid version will be the CNG version of the Trump. We presume that the CNG version will be production ready and launched shortly after the Expo.
The company also has plans to launch a new 26-seater monocoque bus for inter- and intra-city traveling needs. A luxury edition of the new bus seating 10-18 people is on the anvil. Unlike the Force One and Traveller, these buses are developed in-house and have no relation to the Daimler agreement. The buses will come out by April 2012.
Force Motors is testing a refreshed Traveller van decorated with LED lights and a mildly adjusted front fascia. In the passenger vehicles segment, the Traveler is Force’ bread winner. Back in the 70′s, it began life as the Mercedes Benz Bremen Transporter van after which Bajaj Tempo acquired the license to manufacture it in India.
Powered by a 2.6-liter TCIC (Turbocharged InterCooled) engine, it produces 82hp@3,200 RPM.
The trend in the Indian commercial vehicle space is moving from TDI to CRDI and through this facelift, Force could jump on the bandwagon. Could they use the Force One’s 2.2-liter diesel engine mapped for commercial application?
For seating capacity, there are a range of options to choose from and this facelift could be applied to the smaller vehicles as well.
Stay tuned for more details on the Force Traveller facelift.
Before you make your judgment, let me clear the air. Yes, the image is of a Mercedes Viano (also called as the V Class). For those who are in the dark, the Mercedes Viano is a 5 door van sold by Mercedes in international markets. It is available in six or seven seater combinations but can also be extended to eight seats. It is available in petrol and diesel engines with a manual or automatic gearbox.
The interesting part is that Mercedes India has no plans to launch the Viano in India as they believe that it may adversely impact the brand. So then why is this Viano being tested in India and more importantly why are the badges covered?
Could this be the Force MPV which is due next year?
If you would remember correctly, we brought you a story on Force Motors product plan till 2013. In that plan, Force Motors has reportedly made it clear that once it has the dealership network in place, it plans to launch an 8 seater MPV. Before the launch of the Force One, the company had inked a pact with Mercedes to procure engine and the platform for this MPV. All hints are pointing at the Mercedes Viano.
I remember attending the press conference that was conducted by Force Motors to christen their new SUV –Force One. In that conference, Mr Prasan Firodia was asked about the number of units of Force One that he expects to sell by the end of 2011.
He bravely responded that it doesn’t matter if it sells 100 or 10,000, Force Motors has entered the passenger car segment with long term goals and they have a comprehensive product plan chalked up for the next 2 years.
So we caught up with the senior management of Force Motors to discuss their future product plans. Here is what we could dig:
Right now the Force One is launched with just one variant. But there are 3 variants already in the pipeline.
The passenger edition on the Force Trump platform was spotted testing by IndianAutosBlog.com in Pune today. To be marketed as the Trump Trip, the mini van will lock horns at bus stops with the Tata Ace Magic and Mahindra Maxximo mini van. Technical specifications are not clear at this point, but the powertrain is more or less going to produce the same output.
The Trump 15 is powered by a single cylinder 600 cc indirect injection diesel engine producing 14hp @ 3,400rpm and 37Nm @ 2000-2200 RPM. The Trump Trip is a very useful creation for society as it shares the burden of public transport. Due to budget and roadway constraints governments cannot have an endless fleet of buses to serve our saturated cities.
The Trump works out as a perfect share-taxi over short distances. From an engineering perspective, is safer than a three wheeler and as it has a roof. It does not expose passengers completely to the outside elements making it a more comfortable choice. The operator usually waits at every stop to pickup 6-8 people and transports them to the next stop.
