Managing Director of Tata Motors Commits "Suicide"

Tata Motors also fairly recently bought Jaguar.
Interesting. I know nothing about the guy's personal life, so saying it's a suicide or murder is pure speculation at this point. Success at work doesn't necessarily mean happiness. People with more have ended themselves.

On a side-note, these cars are about the size of a Fiat. I wonder how reliable they are for that little amount of money.

reply to post by 2manyquestions

On a side-note, these cars are about the size of a Fiat. I wonder how reliable they are for that little amount of money.

As the old saying goes….if it’s too good to be true…

reply to post by babybunnies


Maybe this has something to do with the banker, maybe not about the product but the financing involved.

Does anyone else see a problem with most of the replies on this thread?

Ignoring the fact that they are basically off topic most of the replies have been to dis to the car and purely for aesthetic reasons.

So what if it small and cant get upto 160 KPH (100 MPH), it cost less to produce making it easier for poor people to buy, its a hell of a lot lighter so uses less petrol and that combined with the fact it doesnt take as much resources to build makes it much better for the environment. Kinda ironic that the people who complain about the car and say outright that Yanks will never drive one would also be the ones complaining about the state of the environment and their financial woes

Im sure anyone who wanted to pay a bit extra could get heating, AC or electric windows installed.

This is exactly whats wrong with the world, here we have someone who has invented something that solves a whole heap of issues and all people can think about is how they would look driving it, humanity is screwed

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff


A vehicle is like a fashion accessory to a lot of people it seems. I think of vehicles the same as guns, they are tools. Sometimes I need a vehicle that can tow lumber, other times I just need to get myself from point A to point B. I don't care about how it looks, does it get the job done, and how much gas is it going to cost me is the important questions for me. If someone thinks I look like an idiot in a tiny car, what do I care lol.

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff

This is exactly whats wrong with the world, here we have someone who has invented something that solves a whole heap of issues and all people can think about is how they would look driving it, humanity is screwed

This doesn't solve any issues that I can see, at least in the United States. Though I'm sure some exist, I've never known a person who couldn't afford a car, and you can get used cars for a lot less than $3,000 here. Which have heaters, lol. Reading the reviews, this thing is clearly a piece of junk, and the "small and light" aspect of it likely means that you'd be squashed like a bug if you ever wrecked it.

So, what does this have to do with this guy's death? The implication was made that he was bumped off by nefarious auto manufacturers, who were frightened that his car was going to dominate the market in the United States, and that is obviously not even remotely possible, so it makes the murder conspiracy claims ridiculously wrong.

babybunnies

Police are treating the death of the British managing director of Tata Motors as a suspected suicide.

Investigators in Thailand say there are no signs of foul play after Karl Slym, 51, fell from a hotel room window in Bangkok on Sunday.

Mr Slym was staying on the 22nd floor of the Shangri-La Hotel with his wife after attending a board meeting in the Thai capital.

Managing Director of Tata Motors Commits "Suicide"

Now, call me a skeptic. BUT - a guy who was almost single handedly creating a cheap to run, cheap to make alternative to Detroit's expensive cars and was apparently happy at home, a big success at work, and had no other indications of anything untoward going on just squeezes through a "Really tiny window, way too small to push him through" and commits suicide?

Tata motors were apparently about to become legal for sale in the USA within the next year or two, and would sell their cars for pennies on the dollar compared to the prices that western auto makers currently charge, and this guy was the main force behind this creation and the push for this company to take this direction.

Without him, the company was failing and struggling in an emerging market.

This "suicide" of a major figure in business has barely been covered in the Western media.

"Suicide"? REALLY?

He didn't single handedly invent Tata, he was the UK MD. Tata is Indian based and the CEO is based there - you know that, right?

Let's not forget that cheaper isn't always better...Remember this..



Although I don't recall if any of their top guys ever committed suicide, but even though this man seemed to have a good happy life he may have had some problems nobody ever knew about even his wife.

Hopefully it will become clearer after the investigation.

reply to post by tsurfer2000h


We actually had a yugo lol. It was perfectly fine. A step up from the ancient cadillac we had before it. Obviously not as good as our used BMW now, but neither was our income.

XXX777
Look. I'm going to tell you right now. Nobody in America would ever drive a Tata. We love us some tatas, but we don't want to drive around in little eggshell putter carts. How you going to get any tatas in that car?

[/quote
It would indeed be a squeeze to fit fat American asses into the tata....................

babybunnies

Now, call me a skeptic. BUT - a guy who was almost single handedly creating a cheap to run, cheap to make alternative to Detroit's expensive cars and was apparently happy at home, a big success at work, and had no other indications of anything untoward going on just squeezes through a "Really tiny window, way too small to push him through" and commits suicide?

Karl Slym was not an inventor of anything at all. He was the General Manager, and had worked at many other companies in high up roles including Toyota and GM. So claiming that he 'singlehandedly' created anything is a fabrication to put it nicely.

Tata motors were apparently about to become legal for sale in the USA within the next year or two, and would sell their cars for pennies on the dollar compared to the prices that western auto makers currently charge, and this guy was the main force behind this creation and the push for this company to take this direction.

I am not sure of Tata's plans for the USA, but it will not stop them with his untimely death. He was only the Managing Director The company Chairman is Cyrus Mistry

Furthermore, Tata also owns and operates the not very cheap to buy and own Jaguar / Landrover brands.

Without him, the company was failing and struggling in an emerging market.

How can you make this claim, when the company was not doing that brilliantly this financial year under his tenure

Sep 13 Jun 13 Mar 13
Sales 8,868.45 9,104.50 11,067.79

Gross Profit -182.45 1,407.23 -24.59

Source

This "suicide" of a major figure in business has barely been covered in the Western media.

"Suicide"? REALLY?

It's in the Australian newspapers and while it is sad that someone's life ended it's not that much of a big deal in reality. He was a middle management figure and certainly not the be all and end all of Tata, which BTW is a massive company that car production is merely a division of.

Ok, so the cars they are currently making RIGHT NOW are maybe not the greatest. But from what I understand, they were planning to do business in America IN A FEW YEARS. If you use the old noggin you just MIGHT be able to deduce that just MAYBE they have this crazy thing called PLANS to unveil a car more suited to the American market. Or do companies just continue the same line up with no changes at all over a course of 2 or more years? No they do not. Besides, there are plenty of people who would have to make the choice to A not have a car and just take the bus or ride a bike or B buy a used car for 3,000 dollars that you have no idea what's about to break on it or how the previous owner (s) treated it or C buy a brand new car that you can take good care of and if it lasts you... well if it lasted 3 years that would be less than $100 a month. 6 years would be less than $50 a month not counting gas and maintenance. Basically there's a lot of people who would do it even with no heater and runs in the paint job. But maybe they will have options to add some things when they bring it to America. Things are getting that bad. People on welfare could afford to get a car that is brand new. People with no transportation to find a job who may not be feasible to spend over 4 hoursa dday commuting on a bus could now get a job, or perhaps a better job.

Some of you rich people blow my mind. Thinking this car is not a threat just because you can afford a 18 thousand dollar Honda. They have plans to run a car on air ok? AIR!

He was suicided. Which is a much different thing than committing suicide. Not only that but it sends a message.

If they were actually able to sell that car in the US under $7,000 and turn a profit, then something is SEVERELY F-ed up with our protection-measures for our own economy.


Oh wait... yea, it's been that way for decades now!! I can never fathom how our politicians don't protect American industry by taxing imports at rates like Germany does. But then when I think about it, I realize they don't give a toss, they just take the check from XYZ China Inc. and let the flood gates open with cheap crap products; guaranteeing half of young Americans have no decent future job to look forward to EVER.

What do they care? Their family is fed.. fück everyone else!


...

seabag
reply to post by babybunnies

 

Tata motors were apparently about to become legal for sale in the USA within the next year or two, and would sell their cars for pennies on the dollar compared to the prices that western auto makers currently charge, and this guy was the main force behind this creation and the push for this company to take this direction.

Let’s not be overly dramatic. The Tata Nano wasn’t going to replace the Honda Accord (or even the Prius for that matter), much less the Cadillac or another Detroit staple. LOL

Tata makes a cheap (almost comical) throw away car that the vast majority of American motorists wouldn’t even entertain purchasing IMO.

In a few years that is all the car many will be able to afford working part time at Walmart

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff

Does anyone else see a problem with most of the replies on this thread?

Ignoring the fact that they are basically off topic most of the replies have been to dis to the car and purely for aesthetic reasons.

Not having airbags is aesthetic? Sounds like a safety concern to me.

So what if it small and cant get upto 160 KPH (100 MPH), it cost less to produce making it easier for poor people to buy, its a hell of a lot lighter so uses less petrol and that combined with the fact it doesnt take as much resources to build makes it much better for the environment. Kinda ironic that the people who complain about the car and say outright that Yanks will never drive one would also be the ones complaining about the state of the environment and their financial woes

It’s a 3rd world automobile. Let’s not act as though we’re all going to save the planet by driving Tata nanos.

Im sure anyone who wanted to pay a bit extra could get heating, AC or electric windows installed.

Sure! Great!

This is exactly whats wrong with the world, here we have someone who has invented something that solves a whole heap of issues and all people can think about is how they would look driving it, humanity is screwed

Really? What issues exactly would this car have solved?

Humanity is screwed but it’s because some people refuse to use their heads for something other than a hat rack. The only reason I brought up the ridiculousness of this car is because the OP suggested this guy may have been murdered in an effort to keep him from revolutionizing the world of transportation. I was simply pointing out how utterly insignificant Tata is, which pokes a big hole the OP’s premise, right?

reply to post by babybunnies


Strange event really.

The Tatas do have potential to break into the North American market. However this market is already quite crowded, so Tatas cannot just walk in.

Nano has been a failure. The car is not practical. Indians want a car that can carry some luggage in addition to the passengers. Nano is just too small to be practical.

The Tatas have not done well on the tech front. The automobile is evolving fast, and the personal car has become hybrid. The future is hybrid and electric cars. The Tatas have not been able to make much headway in reducing fuel consumption of cars and trucks.

I do not know what caused the suicide, but I know that Tata Motors is not doing well. Maybe that is a contributing factor.

Urantia1111
I would guess auto makers and gasoline companies conspired to murder this guy because they really didn't feel like competing with him and his cheap, fuel-efficient (if poor quality) cars. The article says the company is probably a year or two away from hitting it big. That's not when you jump out a window and so I suspect he didn't.

edit on 29-1-2014 by Urantia1111 because: (no reason given)

Why would a guy be murdered over a car company that is considered a flop in its home country? Makes zero sense. Also the $3000 car people are talking about would be an $8000 car here in the US since it needs to be brought up to safety standards.

This is hardly cause for murder IMO.

reply to post by GargIndia


Thankyou for your insight from the perspective of someone from Tata's homeland. I was wondering if Tata's falling sales were a contributing factor myself. It seems strange that Tata with its Jaguar Landrover connections can't get itself sorted when the Mahindra Ssangyong marriage seems to be bearing some wonderful fruit.

reply to post by markosity1973


Tata was a typical indian company - low in innovation and risk taking.

It was forced to change when competition came in.

Jaguar, Land Rover does not help Tata with mass market. It is on its own there.

To be fair, Tata cars are not bad functionally, but do not have the desirability factor.

I'm seeing quite a few posts saying how the cars are crappy or flawed, but the thing is most cars are like that when they were first made.

Its the "idea" or "concept" of the car that is amazing and key to the future, because once cars like this hit the market to a larger consumer base which expects more and better; then the vehicle will be improved upon. But this can only occur if it is allowed or makes it into the mainstream market. Look at Tesla motors which is facing obstacles left and right. The big industries are afraid because they know that these vehicles will create a change that they do not want.

Remember the first hybrids or electric cars? They were made fun of, trashed in the media and advertising to force them out of the market, but they were able to bypass these attempts and now they are everywhere. Motor industries had to step up the game to compete with the orginal ideas and now we have much better fuel efficient cars. Not what they could be but better then nothing.

Could you imagine what the next big thing would or could cause? The motor industries don't want any part of the next big thing because the next big thing is going to cut into their pocket books.

We could be living in a utopia with gas costing less then a dollar and amazing health care, but such things would mean people are on an equal level and happy and that is a "no no". Greed is a dangerous thing that threatens the very existence of life and happiness.