New product introduction in low volume vehicle manufacturers - A case study

New Product Introduction (NPI) is increasingly becoming a source of competitive advantage in automotive vehicle manufacturers. However, the literature that exists in this area generally focuses on NPI in high volume vehicle manufactures (HVVM). This paper will look at NPI in the context of low volume vehicle manufacturer (LVVM), focusing on a case study that was carried out in London Taxis International, the manufacturers of the traditional black London Taxi. This entailed looking at the design, manufacture and launch of the TX1 which took place in October 1997. In carrying out this process a number of issues within the company which affect NPI were examined. These included Supply Chain Management the Customer Interface and the Tools and Techniques used. Following on from this it will discuss some of the key issues in the light of current research from relevant business paradigms including the automotive sector.