ICML plans JV with foreign carmaker for SUVs, mini-trucks

International Cars & Motors Ltd (ICML) is in the process of finalising a joint venture with a vehicle manufacturer either in Europe or Asia for manufacturing two high-end SUVs, on the lines of the Tata Aria, and two mini-trucks whose likely competitors will be the Tata Ace and Mahindra Maxximo.

The prospective partner, which manufactures cars, pick-ups and SUVs, will bring to the table its design and technological expertise while ICML will provide its existing manufacturing facility at Amb in Himachal Pradesh for rolling out the new product range.

The SUV will be a five- to seven-seater and will be fitted with the Jeevan series of BS IV engines from ICML, developed for General Motors India’s updated Tavera. These engines will be now tweaked with various capacities to suit the requirements of the SUV and the mini pick-up variant, according to Gaurav Saxena, director of ICML. The light truck is expected to be a 0.75 tonner.

With the SUV and light truck market in the country are on the high growth trajectory, many vehicle manufacturers are keen to tap the segment. While Maruti Suzuki India has announced plans of entering the MPV segment with its Ertiga and also showcased its concept XA Alpha SUV at the recent Auto Expo, Ford had the global premiere of its EcoSport compact SUV. Others on the same trail include GM India with the new Chevrolet Captiva with a superior 2.2-litre diesel and the new Tavera Neo3. Nissan also unveiled its new seven-seater Evalia.

Meanwhile, at the Expo, ICML displayed its new-look MPVs, the first of which is the Extreme with a face-lifted exterior that will be launched around March 2012 with a price tag of Rs 5 to 8 lakh. A new 2.0-litre CRDi 120bhp engine will power the MPV and is claimed to deliver 14kpl. The Extreme has been fitted with a new suspension for improved ride quality. Developed on ICML’s Rhino MPV platform, the interiors have been refurbished. The Rhino, which suffers from engine issues, will be phased out by March.

Meanwhile, Oyster, a six-seater double-cab lifestyle product for seating people and carrying luggage for weekend travel, will be launched in the next four months. It has been developed in-house at ICML’s Hoshiarpur R&D centre and sports a new chassis and a new platform and comes fitted with a 2.0-litre CRDi and direct injection diesel engine. It will be priced at around Rs 5 lakh when it is launched in the next quarter.

The Windy, a third vehicle, is a single-cab 1.2-tonne payload capacity pick-up with a 2.0-litre 85hp DI diesel engine. It is fitted with a rigid suspension that facilitates loading operations. The pick-up is expected to be launched within six months and will be pitted against M&M’s Bolero pick-up, the Xenon and expected to be priced at around Rs 4 to 4.25 lakh.

Meanwhile, ICML’s much-awaited saloon and coupe being developed under its World Car project with Italian design house Pinanfarina has been delayed by over a year and a half. It is believed that the design of the coupe has not been finalised and the saloon design is being reworked to make it more cost- competitive. The saloon will be based on a monocoque design and will be more of a crossover.

There’s also news that a small 1.2-litre diesel engine with three cylinders suited for a mini truck and aimed at higher mileage is in the initial stage of development at ICML. It is expected to take another year for final development to be completed.

The company’s Amb facility, where the new crop of vehicles will be manufactured, will see an investment of Rs 100 crore funded through internal accruals for upgrading production capacity from the existing 24,000 units to 50,000 units per annum.

Shobha Mathur