Thailand is about to receive a challenge from India in the form of Tata Motors' giant Super Ace, a one-tonne cab-over-engine (COE) commercial vehicle designed to compete directly with the more conventional one-tonne pickup trucks that have long dominated the local segment.

The new model, set to debut at next month's Motor Expo, will be added to the local commercial vehicle line-up of Tata Motors (Thailand), which now includes only the Xenon pickup truck.

The Super Ace underlines Tata Motors' new strategy of focusing on commercial rather than personal use, as Thai drivers are shifting more to small passenger cars out of energy concerns.

It comes with with a four-cylinder, four-stroke 1,405cc turbocharged diesel engine with an intercooler to boost efficiency in congested urban traffic and on narrow roads, giving a competitive edge and value for money, said Ajit Venkataraman, the president of Tata Motors Thailand.

Tata's new model was developed from its Ace pickup truck launched in India in 2005, with 30,000 units sold in the first year, jumping to 70,000 in the second and since remaining India's top-selling commercial vehicle with annual sales of 80,000 units. "Its load bed is similar to that of the Xenon single-cab giant pickup model, with a flat and spacious load carrier and doors opening on three sides adding to loading convenience," said Mr Ajit.

"But the Super Ace has a comparatively more compact body and differs from the Xenon with a COE design." The Super Ace will initially be distributed here as as a fully built-up import from India priced under 400,000 baht (US$ 13,400). It will be locally assembled after a year.

No sales target has been set for the imported model, but once the Super Ace starts to be produced in Thailand, the target will be 400 vehicles a month.

The Super Ace's engine _ smaller than the Kia 2900 but bigger than the Suzuki Carrier has been specially designed for Thailand's COE vehicle segment, and Tata Motors plans to take the vehicle into Malaysia and Indonesia, where petrol engines are preferred.

In addition to showcasing all of its commercial vehicles at the Motor Expo, Tata Motors will introduce its award-winning Indica EV prototype for the first time. The electric vehicle runs on a polymer lithium-ion battery.