Will launch of eight 'refreshed' models arrest Tata Motors's slide?

Ever since the current downturn in the Indian automobile sector began, especially in passenger cars, Tata Motors' sales have been falling faster than its rivals. In 2012/13, sale of its Indica and Indigo CS models fell 31 per cent compared with the previous year, Nano sales by 28 per cent and Indigo/Manza sales by a whopping 63 per cent. The bloodbath has continued into this fiscal year as well. In May 2013 the company's passenger vehicle sales fell 46 per cent.
 
The company's utility vehicle segment too is in equally dismal shape. Barring the Sumo which saw a 17 per cent increase in volumes, sales of other models such as Safari and Aria/Xenon fell sharply by 28 per cent and 77 per cent respectively in 2012/13 against sales of 2011/12.
 
The company has finally taken some measures to stem this slide. On Wednesday (June 19), it announced the launch of eight models - not new cars, but refreshed versions of existing cars. It has also announced CNG versions of Nano, Indica and Indigo.
 
Tata Motors managing director Karl Slym, speaking at the launch in Pune, said the new models have been designed keeping in view customer feedback and will help the company stem the slide and regain lost ground.
 
Tata Motors has never launched so many models in a single day till  now. Analysts have welcomed the announcement but are unsure if this will be enough to stem the rot. What is needed are new cars that are great differentiators in the market, they say. There are reasons why  people are avoiding Tata Motors cars. These should be addressed  instead of coming out with refreshed versions of the existing models.