Czech truck maker Tatra plans to export its way out of financial trouble by increasing its exposure in emerging markets, a decision which backs up BMI’s optimistic outlook for growth in the BRIC countries.
Tatra’s decision is highly strategic. We forecast that, as North America continues to lose its one-time leading share of the market, BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will account for over 35% of total global auto sales by 2014, more than double the 16% in 2005.
Tatra has singled out India, Russia and Brazil as priority markets, which showcases the strength of truck demand in these countries.
Brazil happens to be our pick in Latin America. We predict truck sales in the country will grow over 50% between 2009 and 2014, mostly as a result of increased economic activity in preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro.
In India, we expect the overall commercial vehicle segment to grow a more robust 86% in the same period, on the back of the country’s domestic demand-driven economy, surging investments in infrastructure and higher credit growth.
Our outlook for Russia is more cautious, however. We see its reliance on the energy sector as a key macroeconomic risk weighing on the stability of the country’s growth. Nonetheless, we expect the truck market to have recovered to sales of nearly 56,300 units by 2014, matching 2007 sales levels, but still lower than the record 67,400 units sold in 2007.
Ignoring China for the time being also makes sense for Tatra. Recent growth in the country’s auto market has mostly come on the back of increased passenger car sales. Growth in the commercial vehicle segment is limited to light commercial vehicles, which are desirable in rural areas.
Tatra has indicated it will seek growth opportunities in Saudi Arabia, Australia and Canada. The first two are in the top 10 in BMI’s Business Environment Ratings for the auto industry globally, scoring particularly well in the ‘Risk’ indicator, which looks at regulatory and competitive issues in a market and its broader Country Risk forecast.
As a first step in its expansion strategy, Tatra will focus on setting up assembling units in Russia or another CIS state, with the view to avoiding local import duties.
In India, we expect the firm to benefit from its joint venture (JV) Tatra Vectra Motors, formerly called Tatra Trucks India. Established in June 1998, the JV acts as a manufacturing base for the firm in India.
We expect Tatra to find it more of an uphill task in Brazil, however. The Brazilian truck segment is heavily competitive, dominated by the German firms MAN and Mercedes-Benz and Italian company Iveco, which all produce vehicles locally. In contrast, Tatra’s presence is limited ar present to small number of exports.
Nevertheless, we expect the strategy to be capable of achieving its core aim of improving the company’s finances. Tatra posted losses of CSK1.3bn (US$66.5mn) last year and is reportedly in its worst financial position of the last 50 years. Tatra’s director, Ronald Adam, has said the crisis year of 2009 was ‘a struggle for survival’
(Business Monitr Intrnational August 2010 report)
August 24th, 2010
August 10th, 2010
Indian Army Test Drives Tatra Vehicles All over India – Passes through Panambur NH
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SR/SB)
Mangalore, Jun 18: Latest Tatra vehicles likely to be inducted into Indian Army were found test driven here on the highway at Panambur on Friday June 18. The vehicle was moving down south the state from Bangalore as part of the vehicles’ all-terrain test drive all over the country. More….
June 18th, 2010
I bought the lot and with the help of a friend hauled it all back to my spread and started unpacking and sorting. Quite the “Mother Lode” indeed. I have sold a few extra bits to hungry Tatra owners trying to complete their restorations, and managed to buy another lot of parts from someone else and quickly am finding myself in the used Tatra parts business! As for the main car itself, I recently spent some time assembling it and preparing it for display at the annual VW Classic in Irvine California this past weekend.
In hopes of blowing some VW minds I decided to give it a slight drop job and bolt on some custom VW wheels on the front. And to fit in with the VW Freak Show theme of the main display this year, I hand painted some faded signwriting on it to make it appear as it was a promotional car for a fictional Human Cannonball performer, “The Amazing Karaznov” of the Moscow Circus Company.
The response was truly epic…More
One year old news on the same vehicle: http://bringatrailer.com/
June 17th, 2010
Paul Greenstein’s and Dydia Delyser’s T87, one of the classics which is in the NYT most desirable classic contest, has been featured in the newest issue of Motor Trend Classics (June 2010)
http://blogs.motortrend.com/6651202/classic/motor-trend-classic-a-sneak-peek/index.html
June 2nd, 2010
Vaclav Lipavsky | 27 April 2010 7:13
In the field, was unstoppable, able to throw the bumper lower house and hold the military in the worst situations. Tatra 813 definitely deserves a place in our memories……….
More: http://translate.google.nl/translate
Original text in Skovak: http://auto.pravda.sk/na-vyvoj-tatry-813-dohliadala-aj-armada-dsu-/sk-amagazin.asp?c=A100427_071301_sk-amagazin_P39
April 27th, 2010
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Are you passionate about purple Pacers? Do vintage Checker taxis set your meter running? Would you write a check for a Czech-built Tatra?
Those vehicles, and 27 others, are among the finalists in the 2010 Collectible Car of the Year contest. Less than a month remains to cast a ballot for your favorite; voting ends May 17. The winner will be announced July 24.
The 30 finalists were selected by our judges from a field of more than 650 entries. Other contenders include a flamboyantly red Jaguar E-Type; a globe-trotting Volkswagen Beetle that was transformed, in Pakistan, into a work of art; several convertibles; a woody; and a couple of remarkable pickup trucks.
To see the winner of the 2008 contest, plus a gallery of that year’s finalists, click here. And as always, feel free to show off your own ride in the Share & View Photo Gallery.
Now let’s go back to the competition, already in progress.
April 25th, 2010
The car looks a bit like an oversized VW Beetle. The front fender is strikingly reminiscent of the million-selling cult-Volkswagen. But Ulrich Platzek from Schrobenhausen does not like to hear this. Finally, his car is a Tatra 87 – one of the 85 units still around.
The air-cooled engine roars under the hood of the silver car. “It does not need to shame for any American sedan,” Till Klewitz says with sparking eyes. The 27-year-old actor from Hohenwart has been hit for some years with the same virus as his uncle Ulrich Platzek who has been suffering from it for countless years – the fascination with old Czech Tatras.
Platzek adapted the virus nearby, in his childhood. “My father owned a Tatra,” Platzek says and points in the garage of his house, while walking up and down, at a vehicle that is truly identifiable as a classic car. “A T 57 , built in 1931″”, Platzek summarizes. Behind the first family car there is another model from the Nesselsdorf Wagenbau Factory – it is 14 years younger. With the first family car of the vehicle it has has little in common: streamlined, silver, with a tail fin on the rear bonnet. Is powered by an air-cooled three-liter V8 engine, which develops 75 hp. “The car’s top speed is 160 kph” says Klewitz, who began three years ago to master the technology and history of the car.
Therefore, the 27-year-old knows something from the past: “Most of the T 87s, were also driven by the German army ended in the ditch.” The luxury cars with leather interior were particularly favoured by officers: “And they have also been very happy to press the gas pedal.” And just becuase of this every Tatra driver should be careful. The big engine overhangs the rear axle, causing the rear of the car to break out when the accelerator was pushed without thinking too deeply. He prefers not to be passed by the rear of his own car, Klewitz admits.
The car is a real head-turner during the short test drive. On the way to the gas station car the sleek car with its characteristic sound leaved behind all disbelievers. In the interior hardly any wind noise can be heard. The leather seats are comfortable. Almost the passenger, both in front and at the rear, like sitting on a sofa. As the engine is located behind the passengers the engine noise even seems lower than than many modern medium-sized cars. Only the gear grinds occasionally. When downshifting, Platzek must double declutch, similar to older trucks. Shifting the gears cup with the partly synchronised gearbox is much easier as modern cars.
Source (in German): http://www.donaukurier.de/lokales/schrobenhausen/Schrobenhausen-Luxurioese-Raritaet-mit-dem-ersten-Kurvenlicht;art603,2270779
April 24th, 2010
A nearly 70-year-old Tatra T 87, with German registration KA-T 1987 H worth around Euro 120 000 was stolen over the weekend at Ubstadt-Weiher (Karlsruhe area). The collector’s vehicle was transported after a repair on a trailer and parked on a dirt road, the German police announced on Wednesday.
The thieves opened the tarpaulin of the trailer and smashed a window of the car. With the help of the loading ramps located in the trailer, they pushed the car on the road. How the car eventually was transported, is not yet clear.
The stolen car is one of 286 produced in 1941 model cars Tatra T 87 Of the luxury sedans produced in the Czech town of Koprivnice between the years 1937 and 1950, only about 3000 pieces were build.
If you know more, please inform the German Police at ++ 49 (0)7251/726-201 or ++ 49 (0)721/939-5555
Ein fast 70 Jahre alter Tatra T 87 im Wert von rund 120 000 Euro ist am Wochenende gestohlen worden. Das Liebhaberfahrzeug war nach einer Reparatur auf einem Anhänger transportiert und auf einem Feldweg abgestellt worden, wie die Polizei am Mittwoch mitteilte.
Die Diebe öffneten die Schutzplane des Anhängers und schlugen ein Fenster des Oldtimers ein. Mit Hilfe der im Anhänger liegenden Laderampen schoben sie den Wagen dann auf den Weg. Wie sie das Auto schließlich abtransportierten, ist noch nicht klar.
Wenn Sie mehr wissen, Bitte kontaktiren Sie den Deutsche Polizei ++ 49 (0)7251/726-201 oder ++ 49 (0)721/939-5555
Source: http://www.ka-news.de/region/karlsruhe/120-000-Euro-teurer-Oldtimer-gestohlen;art6066,389340
April 21st, 2010
Production of passenger and light utility vehicles grew 29.6%
Czech car makers shook off the impact of the global downturn as they raised output by one-third in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period a year ago, trade data showed on April 20.
The production of passenger and light utility vehicles grew 29.6% to 265,985 units in the first three months of 2010, the Automotive Industry Association said.
“The growth was due to higher output at all passenger car producers,” Germany’s Volkswagen, South Korea’s Hyundai and a joint venture of Japan’s Toyota and France’s PSA Peugeot-Citroen (TPCA Czech), the association added.
Volkswagen’s Skoda Auto raised production by 37.6% year-on-year to 134,853 units, Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech by 110% to 42,000 and TPCA Czech by 2.16% to 89,132.
“We must note however, that in the first quarter of 2009 output at Skoda Auto was affected greatly by lower demand leading to production cuts, while Hyundai was only gradually launching production,” the association said.
Overall production of motor vehicles — a traditional engine of the former communist economy — grew 29.1% over a year ago to 267,040 units in the first quarter.
Lorry output rose by 19.4%, while bus production fell by 49.4% and motorbike output slid by 42.6%, the association added.
In 2009, Czech car makers bucked the global crisis as a recovery at the end of the year helped them raise full-year output by 2.85% over 2008 to a record 975,111 cars.
(Source: Agence France-Presse)
Tatra manufactured 192 trucks in Q1, a decrease of 12%. Unlike 2008-2009, no military order is running at the moment. (source: http://magazin.ceskenoviny.cz)
April 21st, 2010
