Recently, a video went viral showing a Tata dealership advertising a Force Gurkha pickup truck. It quickly grabbed attention for two main reasons. First, a Gurkha pickup is not something common in the Indian market. Second, it raised questions about why a Tata dealer was promoting a Force product. The short answer is that the video is from Uganda where Tata International and Force have a distribution/ retail agreement.
There was a time when Indian automakers had a strong presence within the national boundaries and not outside it. Today, however, many Indian carmakers have a strong presence in international markets like Africa. We know how big Mahindra is, there , and how popular its products are in Africa.
This viral video is from Uganda, a country in East-central Africa. Tata Motors has a notable presence in many African markets including Uganda. Force Motors, on the other hand, doesn’t operate independent retail or service networks in Uganda. Tata International Ltd, a company under the broader Tata Group umbrella, serves as the official distributors and retailers of Force models there. In Uganda, Force products like the Gurkha, Gurkha Pickup, Traveller T2, and Urbania are sold through Tata International dealerships alongside Tata products.
This arrangement is not exclusive to Uganda. It also applies to countries like Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Malawi. Such arrangements are not uncommon in global automotive industry. When a brand does not have its own network in a region, it often partners with companies specialising in distribution, to handle its sales and service. Even in India, similar setups exist, where niche brands operate through official distributors rather than having their own showrooms.
Force Motors has a limited international footprint. Setting up a full dealership and service network in multiple countries requires heavy investment. By partnering with Tata International, it avoids these costs while still reaching overseas customers. For Tata, this partnership brings more business to its global trading and distribution vertical.
Interestingly, buyers in African markets get more versions of the Gurkha than India. Along with the standard 3-door and 5-door models, there is also a pickup truck version on sale there.
The pickup variant has been seen testing in India but is unlikely to launch here due to limited demand for the body style. However, it suits the African markets where such vehicles are very popular. Mahindra Scorpio Pikup for example, has stellar acceptance in Africa.
Apart from the Gurkha, Force also exports commercial vehicles like the Urbania and Traveller to these regions. These models are known for being cost-effective and easy to maintain, which makes them suitable for cost-sensitive markets.
The video here shows a Force Gurkha pickup truck finished in White. It is longer than the five-door version sold in India and has a double cabin design. The overall design resembles the five-door version to a good extent. Circular headlamps, tall, upright stance, chunky wheel arches, snorkel at the front and a loading deck that’s fairly large. The spare wheel is not mounted on the tailgate. The vehicle also has body cladding that enhances its overall visual appeal.
This truck is powered by the same 2.6-litre diesel engine as the standard Gurkha. It makes 140PS and 320Nm, and comes mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The vehicle also has a 4-wheel drive system on offer. It likely has a low-range gearbox and three differential locks like the SUV counterpart. These make the SUV version incredibly capable on trails. The pickup is not likely to fall much behind in terms of capabilities.
A recent update had brought major in-cabin improvements to the Gurkha sold in India. The SUV now offers features like a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a digital instrument cluster, manual air conditioning and adjustable steering. The safety suite now has dual airbags, ABS with EBD and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
Comments are closed.