Tata Motors discontinued the legendary Tata Sumo back in 2019 after a long journey of 25 years. The homegrown automaker launched the Tata Sumo MUV in India in the mid 1990s and it went on to become one of the most successful cars in the country. The automaker sold more than 1 lakh units in just 3 years.
Well, finally the car was put to rest due to these reasons – it was outdated and did not comply with safety and crash norms. However, the name ‘Tata Sumo’ makes us feel nostalgic even today. So, let’s take a trip down the memory lane and have a look at some fascinating facts about this legendary car.
Launch
Tata Motors launched the Tata Sumo in 1994. The car was launched for military use as well as off-road transportation. This is the reason the car was a ten-seater rear-wheel drive at the time of launch.
Exclusive for Indian Army
The rear-wheel drive version was sold to civilians, while an all-wheel drive one was sold to fleets and the Indian Army.
The name – Tata Sumo
No, this legendary vehicle was not named after popular Japanese fighters, as many people believe. In fact, the MUV was named after the then General Manager of Tata Motors Mr Sumant Moolgaokar. Combine the first two syllables of his first and last name and it is – ‘Su-Mo’!
Tata Motors’ first MUV
Tata Motors announced that Tata Sumo is the company’s first MUV (multipurpose vehicle).
India’s First Passenger Vehicle
The Tata Sumo is forever in the history of Indian automobiles for being India’s first-ever passenger vehicle.
