Tata Motors Ltd is to increase its production to 750 vehicles per day by the end of current fiscal as against the present output of 450-500 per day.

"We have decided to ramp up our production by 50 per cent by the end of 2004-05 to clear the heavy backlog," Tata Motors executive director (engineering research centre and passenger car business unit) V Sumantran told newspersons in Pune after showcasing the company's new Indigo Marina, an estate car positioned in the premium mid-size 'C' segment.

The company has increased its market share from 15 per cent to 17.3 per cent by August in FY-05 in the domestic passenger car segment, he added.

Indigo Marina, which will be launched on Wednesday, is the fifth model developed in-house by the company.

Auto analysts expect the price to be in the range of Rs 500,000-550,000.

Tata Motors vice president (passenger car segment) Rajiv Dubey, when asked about the launch of an estate car in the current market, said, "We have tried to address the lacunae in the estate segment and are building on the success of Indigo."

The company has positioned this vehicle as an everyday car which also can be used during weekends; it would also look at export market once it has establised sales in the domestic market.

Sumantra, on exports of cars to the United Kingdom, said since November 7,000 units have been exported and "We have been meeting frequently to discuss the prices and upgrade of the vehicle."

Sumantran said Indica and Indigo exports crossed 10,000 units last year and the company expects to do more this year.

Tata Indigo has remained the best selling sedan in the country since its launch, recording sales of 50,000 units within 20 months of its launch, he said.

Indigo Marina was being launched in three petrol and two diesel models in five colours.

The new vehicle would come with a 18 month unlimited kilometre warranty and would be available through 130 dealerships backed by a 500-strong service network across 200 cities.

Tata Motors is the second largest player in the domestic passenger car market and its sales are growing by 29.7 per cent this fiscal with two of its four brands being among the top 10 selling models in the country. -- PTI

V Sumantran, Tata Motors executive director, stands by the new Tata Indigo Marina, at a press-preview in Pune on Tuesday. The Tata Indigo Marina, slated for launch 15 September in Mumbai, is the fifth model from India's leading automotive manufacturer and comes on the heels of a successful launch of the Tata Indigo sedan in December 2002. The Tata Indigo has remained the best selling sedan in the country since launch, clocking sales of 50,000 units within 20 months, the fastest for any sedan.  Photo: Rob Elliott / AFP / Getty Images