Force Motors

Force Motors, formerly Bajaj Tempo, is an Indian manufacturer of three-wheelers, multi-utility and cross country vehicles, light commercial vehicles, tractors, buses and heavy commercial vehicles. It was originally named Firodia Tempo Ltd. and later after partial acquisition by Bajaj Auto as Bajaj Tempo Ltd.

History

The company was founded in 1958 by N.K.Firodia. Bajaj Auto bought a controlling stake in the company, renaming it "Bajaj Tempo". Germany's Daimler-Benz, a long-time collaborator with Firodia because of their ownership of the original Tempo works in Germany, owned 16% of Bajaj Tempo. They sold their stake back to the Firodia group in 2001, meaning they once again held a controlling interest. It was agreed that the company would gradually phase out the use of the "Tempo" brand name, as it still belonged to Mercedes-Benz. The name of the company was changed to Force Motors in May 2005, over the objections of Bajaj Auto with whom the company shares a long history as well as a compound wall.