Tata Motors launched the Tata Divo and the Tata Starbus Ultra on the 20th December, 2011.

Mr. Ravi Pisharody, President – Commercial Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “Tata Motors has always been at the forefront in revolutionizing passenger transportation in the commercial vehicle segment. With the introduction of the Tata Divo and the Tata Starbus Ultra the company will more comprehensively address the burgeoning need of public transportation. These two buses are sure to migrate the world of passenger transportation to a completely new level of class and technology coupled with comfort and convenience.

The Divo, is a luxurious long distance inter-city travel bus and the and the Starbus Ultra a modern and practical offering for commuting within the city.

Tata Divo Luxury Coach

The Divo’s design comes from the Hispano brand from Spain, now a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Motors.

From the press release :

The sleek body and the luxurious interiors are a treat to the eye. Tata Divo offers customised interior features such as different seating layouts in semi-sleeper and seater configurations, wide seats with upto 135 degree recline with head flaps and armrests, generous saloon space with high roof, hat-racks with personalised controls for AC and reading lights, large luggage space, making it the ultimate luxurious coach. In addition, an entertainment system with DVD player and 2 LCD screens, on board refrigerator, mobile charging points, destination board, public address system, enhance the travel experience.

The BS III compliant, Tata Divo’s drive-train is engineered by 285 HP powerful Cummins engine, a break-through in terms of technology and reliability. Mated with a 6-speed overdrive gearbox for higher fuel efficiency, larger 430 mm diameter clutch for enhanced life, exceptional braking performance with a hydrodynamic retarder, and a superior independent front axle for better maneuverability. All this translates into superior performance.

Driver comfort has been taken to the next level as the bus has a pneumatically suspended seat for more comfort, electronic accelerator pedal and precision gear shifting for minimizing driver fatigue, and a new aesthetic dashboard and instrument cluster with on-board diagnostics.

We are curious about this hydrodynamic retarder which Tata says ensures better safety. Expect us to update you as soon as we hear from Tata. Customers canalso personalise the Tata Divo by choosing a preferred colour scheme and styling options. Tata Motors says the Divo will be available at all dealerships from January 2012 onwards.

The Tata Divo (BS III version) price range starts from Rs. 66 lakhs, ex-showroom New Delhi.

Tata Starbus Ultra

This offering from Tata is meant primarily for intra-city transport.

From the press release:

The Tata Starbus Ultra is available in Luxury, Standard, School and Deluxe variants. These are available in different seating configurations (22 – 46 seater), on different wheelbases, thereby providing the customer with a whole range to select from.

The Tata Starbus Ultra has an outstanding aerodynamic body design and aggregates which conform to the Bus Body Code. The Tata Starbus Ultra is the first bus in its category with the front door ahead of the front axle, resulting in more seats for the same length of bus and subsequently better returns for the operator. The advanced parabolic suspension, wider aisle width and super comfortable seating ensure that commuters have smooth and peaceful ride.

The Tata Starbus Ultra is designed using the reliable Tata 497 engine along with a viscous fan (used for the first time in this class of buses), resulting in higher fuel efficiency and lowest NVH levels in its category. The 6-speed gearbox with overdrive and cable shift mechanism ensures higher mileage, more speed selection options and a higher maximum speed, while also providing 30% more life. The high strength chassis and stronger rear axle enhance the life of the vehicle, while the wider tubeless radial tyres give a longer running life. The service interval has also been doubled for more on road availability and to significantly reduce maintenance costs for the operators.

The wider track axle and lowest in class turning circle diameter help in vehicle stability and maneuverability for the driver. Tiltable and telescopic steering with a high capacity power steering pump, dashboard mounted gear lever with car-like gear shifting leaves reduces driver fatigue.

The luxury variant comes with engine-driven individual AC vents, for each passenger. The modular hat-rack is integrated with AC vents and reading lamps. Push-back seats with upto 135 degree recline with arm-rests and footrests make the travel heavenly. The Deluxe variant has hi-back reclining seats for extra comfort. Rear and side luggage booths give ample space for storage. LCD screen fitment and CD / DVD player provision on request completes the delightful experience. The School variant is equipped with 25 safety features along with all the comfort features for children.

The Tata Starbus Ultra (BS III version) price range starts from Rs.15 lakhs, ex-showroom New Delhi.

Our apologies for the lack of pictures, trust us to do justice when we’re at the AutoExpo.