All TATA cars/Trucks etc are direct outcome of inhouse R&D efforts of the last 30 years.
First TATA came up with the D model Truck in 1972 by improving upon the German collaboration IDI model turning it into a DI unit and increasing the HP of the engine.
Then in 1975 they came up with an all indegenious Truck S 1210 which librated the company from any outside technical collaboration needs.
Then came a number of similar Truck models like the LP, 1612, 1213, 1516 and Turbo models.
The biggest success TATAs ever tasted was routing of all Indo Japanese LCV makers like the DCM Toyota, Allwyin Nissan, Mitsubishi Canter and Swaraj mazda by coming up with an all indegenious TATA 407 & 607 LCVs in 1985. Only Swaraj Mazda and Canter ( Taken over by Eicher Tractors ) could survive the TATA onslaught by making their products 100% indegenious and that too selling their vehicles to an alltogether different clintele.
Then came the TATAMOBILE 207 single cab pickup, the first Car like vehicle from TATA stable. It was soon to be followed by TATA estate, TATA Sierra on the same platform. Again a total indegenious effort in body, engine, gearbox, axles and above all the independent suspension and even all independent suspension for the TATA Sierra with five point link rear suspension.
The 483 IDI engine developed for the common platform got continous improvements alongwith the gearbox and in 1997 it got an turbo attachment also. The TATA Sumo MUV introduced in 1991 drove all the Taxi runners like Ambassdor, Maruti Omni Van and even the Bajaj Matador 9 seater van out of the market and captured the 75% Taxi share.
TATA INDICA came in 1998 only as the first monocouque construction car from TATA otherwise all earlier vehicles were based on ladder type chassis ( Truck type ). Also it came with a petrol engine option, again an all indegenious design. Although, the design drawings were made by IDEA of Italy.
TATA has Merc. Benz has its first colloborator in 1954.
Cummins of USA for very large sized diesel engines. But no other collaboration to make a complete vehicle from any outside car/truck maker.
Recently, they have entered into an agreement to make FIAT cars from the TATA manufacturing facilities in India.
TATA has assembly plants in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania and now they are setting up a Pickup manufactuing plant in Thailand, the 2nd biggest pickup ptruck market in the world after the U.S.
