Force Motors Limited is an Indian multi-utility and commercial vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra. The company designs, develops and produces a range of vehicles including small commercial vehicles, multi-utility vehicles, light commercial vehicles, sports utility vehicles, agricultural tractors and heavy commercial vehicles. It is the flagship company of the Firodia Group.
| Type | Public company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Headquarters | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Founder | N. K. Firodia |
| Former names | Bajaj Tempo Limited |
| Group | Firodia Group |
| Products | Light and heavy commercial vehicles, multi-utility vehicles, SUVs, tractors, engine assemblies |
Force Motors traces its origins to a collaboration between the Firodia family and the German firm Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke, which produced the Tempo brand of light commercial vehicles. The Indian operation, established in the mid-twentieth century, manufactured Tempo three-wheelers and small goods carriers that became widely used for urban transport and last-mile delivery in India.
For many decades the company operated as Bajaj Tempo Limited, reflecting the involvement of the Bajaj group as a stakeholder alongside the Firodia family. Following a separation of interests, the company was renamed Force Motors Limited in 2005 and continued under the leadership of the Firodia family.
Force Motors operates manufacturing facilities at Akurdi and Pithampur, with additional plants at Chakan and other locations supporting engine and component assembly. The product portfolio has historically included:
Force Motors has a long-standing engineering relationship with German manufacturers. It assembles engines and axles for international automakers in India, and has been associated with the supply of engine assemblies for Mercedes-Benz and BMW vehicles produced locally. The company also draws on technology lineage from MAN and earlier Daimler associations for components used in its commercial vehicle range.
Force Motors occupies a distinctive position in the Indian automotive industry as a mid-sized, family-controlled manufacturer that competes with much larger rivals such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Ashok Leyland. Its Traveller vans dominate the segment of small staff and school buses in India, and its engineering services for global luxury brands make it an important supplier within the country's automotive component ecosystem.