Tata Motor’s first-ever LCV (Light commercial vehicle), the 407, recently completed 25 years in the Indian market. It was unveiled in 1986.
Like most other Tata commercial vehicles, the ‘4’ in 407 comes from its maximum tonnage capacity - four tonnes, while 07 represents the 70bhp diesel engine that powers it.
The 407 is available in both Diesel and CNG guises, with BS III and BS IV engines. It can be ordered in various trim levels and body formats, with a payload rating ranging from 2.2 to 4.2 tonnes.
In the early 2000s, Tata Motors launched a bus with 12- to 24-seat configurations based on the 407 platform, called the CitiRide. The CitRide series was later renamed StarBus, a range which sold in great numbers. The whole StarBus lineup has now been merged with the Tata Marcopolo range of fully-built buses, following the company’s joint venture with Marcopolo of Brazil in 2006.
Since its 1986 launch, as many as five lakh 407 LCVs have rolled off the production line. Tata Motors will refresh the 407 next year and will also develop an all-new platform (Codename: Y1), which will spawn a new family of LCVs and buses. This new range will be showcased at the upcoming Auto Expo 2012.