Tata Motors has decided to put the much loved Tata Sumo to rest after its long journey of 25 years. There is no official news from the company confirming the same, however, the car is no longer available at Tata’s dealerships.
The primary reason behind this is that the car did not comply with the new AIS 145 safety norms and Tata Motors did not have any plans to upgrade the same.
Besides, another very strong reason for discontinuing Tata Sumo is the fact that Tata Sumo is not complying with the crucial Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program or BNVSAP, which means that Tata Sumo cannot run on the Indian roads any more.
Interestingly, this was the reason why Maruti Omni and Maruti Gypsy was discontinued as well.
Nonetheless, the nostalgic factor is heavy here, as we share the 7 fascinating facts about Tata Sumo, which no one told you!
Contents
Launch and Purpose
The Sumo was launched 25 years back in 1994. The main intention behind the launch of this car was military use and off-road transport due to which, at the time of the launch, the car was a ten-seater rear-wheel drive.
Exclusive For The Indian Army
The rear-wheel drive version of the Tata Sumo was sold to civilians, whereas, an exclusive four-wheel drive Sumo was sold to fleets and Indian army as well.
In general cars, the two rear wheels are the only ones empowering the car to drive. However, a car for applications in the army requires a lot of power, which is why a four-wheel Sumo was designed and provided exclusively for the Indian Army.
Unique Reason Behind The Name Of Tata Sumo
If you think that the car has been named after the popular Japanese wrestlers, you could not be more wrong! Interestingly, the car has been named after Mr Sumant Moolgaonkar, the MD of the Tata Motors when the Tata Sumo was launched. Pick the first two alphabets of his first and last name, and you have Su-Mo!
Company’s First MUV
Tata Motors has gone on record to state that Tata Sumo is the first MUV (multi-utility vehicle) of the company.
India’s First Passenger Vehicle
Even though the company is pulling the plug on Tata Sumo, the car will forever be in the history of Indian automobiles for being the country’s first-ever passenger vehicle.
Immense Popularity
Ever since it has been launched, the Tata Sumo has won hearts all over the country, which is clear by the number of units that have been sold of the car. As per reports, 100,000 Sumo units were sold before 1997.
Evolution Of Tata Sumo
Here’s how the Tata Sumo has evolved over the years:
- Tata Sumo (1994-1996)
- Tata Sumo Deluxe (1996-2002)
- Tata Sumo + (2002-2004)
- Tata Sumo Victa (2004-2007)
- Tata Sumo Grande MK II (2009-2014)
- Tata Sumo Gold (2011-Present)
Do you have any memories about Tata Sumo? Share them right here with us!