Behind Closed Doors: A Peek Into Tata Motors' Design Studio in India

We've gone behind the scenes and interacted with R&D teams before but this one was a special endeavour as it meant going behind the tightly guarded doors of Tata Motors.We had the chance to visit the company's secured design studio of Tata Motors in Pune. Now let's admit it, design and design details are the most crucial elements of a company while product planning and design are like the undisclosed Area 51 - a location not known and not many people know about. We're glad we got to get into this bat cave to check out how it all functions.

Tata Tiago

Now the design studio was first formed as part of Tata Motor's body engineering department till 1994 after which the company decided to form an independent design studio and now the company has 3 of them spread across the world - One in India and the other two in Italy and UK respectively. However, the biggest one is in Pune, Maharashtra where there are over 190 designers who have been involved developing the new IMPACT design language that stays in tune with the company's HorizonNext philosophy.

Tata Design Studio

We've seen the evolution of the design language with the Zest, Bolt, Nano and now the Tiago and so getting to understand how it all happens was a chance of a life time. We saw how a design is transformed from a sketch to a clay model and then to a concept after which a lot of changes and convincing making it to the production. Tata Motors design language for the exterior is classified into EXciting, EXpressive and EXtraordinary and we get the 'impact' on the words. Similarly, the cabin design language has been internally identified as INviting, INtelligent and INtouch; 'In' referring to interiors of course.

Tata Nexon

It all begins with a blank sheet of paper (quite obviously) and the designers pour out their ideas with sketches. Of course they're briefed before that and there's a lot of research that goes into to it like market analysis, positioning of the vehicle and target audience. Once these three main pillars are firmed up, the creativity starts to pour in the form of sketches.

Tata Kite 5

After tons of screenings, a sketch is finalised on; post which a digital 3D version is created and the clay model follows suit. The clay model helps in giving a real world perspective as to how the creases on the sides will be, and how it'll feel too. We had the chance to work play with some clay too while Pratap Bose, Design Head, Tata Motors showed us all the major challenges they face and how feedback from other teams are incorporated.

Clay Model of the Tiago

For instance, the Tata Tiago design project was led by its Pune design studio. The project saw 85 designers working on the car which included elements like exterior, interior and colours, materials, textures, trim levels and also the over-all look and feel which would complement the overall design.

The studios in UK and Italy helped in conceptualising the design as these studios have the best clay and digital modellers. However, majority of the work is done at the Pune studio because it's easier to showcase it to suppliers for designing components as also dealer partners.

Tata Hexa

All-in-all it takes about 40 months for a car design to make it to the production but that is also because it's a global product and Tata has to cater to the needs of other markets too. So the research then is a well-rounded one. It's a back breaking, time and money consuming enterprise to make a product for the commercial market. Tata has a lot in the pipeline - Kite 5, Nexon and the Hexa and we'll see all these launching through the next two years.