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India-Pakistan
World's cheapest car goes on show
2008-01-10
Tata Motors has unveiled the world's cheapest motor car at India's biggest car show in the capital, Delhi.

The vehicle, called the Tata Nano, will sell for 100,000 rupees or $2,500 (£1,277) and enable those in developing countries to move to four wheels.
The four-door five-seater car, which goes on sale later this year, has a 33bhp, 624cc, engine at the rear. It has no air conditioning, no electric windows and no power steering, but two deluxe models will be on offer.

Tata will initially make about 250,000 Nanos and expects eventual annual demand of one million cars. The price will be slightly more than the 100,000 once tax and other costs are taken into consideration. The Nano release comes as India's domestic car market is predicted to soar in the coming years on the back of the country's fast-growing economy and increased consumer wealth.

Indian car sales are predicted to more than quadruple to $145bn by 2016.

Company chairman Ratan Tata said the launch of the Nano was a landmark in the history of transportation. He said the car was "a safe, affordable and all weather transport - a people's car, designed to meet all safety standards and emissions laws and accessible to all". Environmental critics have said that the car will lead to mounting air and pollution problems on India's already clogged roads. But Tata said the car had passed emission standards and would average about 50 miles to the gallon, or five litres per hundred kilometres. The firm also said it would introduce a diesel version of the Nano at a later date.

At the unveiling ceremony Mr Tata said: "I observed families riding on two-wheelers - the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. "It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. "Tata Motors' engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. "Today, we indeed have a People's Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions."

Ravi Vangala, of Hyderbad, India, said: "I... congratulate Tata for his dream, and I will definitely buy the Tata Nano car."


Posted by:john frum

#18  As both a master mechanic and mschinist, this little car seems entirely practical, it's well made, deliberately low powered, and should be a huge benefit for anyone NOT a raving Eco-freak.

I frankly would like to have one, as an around town car. Ideal for runs to the Wal Mart for groceries, haircuts etc. But it isn't designed for our standards, so will not be sold here in the USA.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2008-01-10 23:20  

#17  Interesting car. At about the average Indian's yearly salary, it will be quite affordable for the rising (and higher income) Indian middle class. I would discount US level crash testing. The buyers are not going to be zipping down highways at 120kph.

The one big disappointment is the gas mileage. 47mpg is low. I was hoping for 70. I guess TATA used a motorcycle engine, something not known for mileage, nor geared it at the most efficient level. TAT will have to do better on the next iteration.

For comparison, larger Euro and Japanese subcompacts (Yaris, VW Golf) are Euro5 compliant rated at 50-55mpg gas and 60-65mpg diesel. That's with an engine twice as large and more than 2X power.

Of course, add in US pollution and safety gear and mileage is cut at least 1/3. In other words, Americans this year will burn at least $200 billion more down the exhaust pipe for marginal air quality gains than if Euro5 emissions were in effect in this country. This is just one unseen boat anchor that is over regulation.
Posted by: ed   2008-01-10 18:35  

#16  "I can't wait for the crash test videos."

There should be sharp blades behind the dash to slice the front seat passengers to bits in case of an accident so that they don't suffer for a long time. That would help take care of the overpopulation problems while ridding the gene pool of people with poor eye/hand coordination.
Posted by: crosspatch   2008-01-10 18:23  

#15  Hey look! A little yellow speedbump !
Posted by: CrazyFools SUV   2008-01-10 18:02  

#14  47 MPG (20 km/L) is nothing to sneeze at...

By the time it gets here, however, our gubermint do-gooders will find a way to half that (increased crash test ratings, child-safety locks, airbags, ponies, bunnies, etc.).
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2008-01-10 18:01  

#13  Whatever people say about the Nano's crash test results, it has to be safer than a motor scooter carrying an entire Indian family.

A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y ! You haven't seen anything until you've seen a family of five on a scooter. Papa driving, Mama ridin' side-saddle, and three kids here and there.

I expect the death toll will actually go down as a result of these cars. And, it isn't like they drive the speeds we do. Things move much slower there than they do here.
Posted by: Zenobia Shavilet3918   2008-01-10 17:57  

#12  Reminiscent of the original VW bug, both in appearance and in purpose.
Posted by: lotp   2008-01-10 17:38  

#11  Whatever people say about the Nano's crash test results, it has to be safer than a motor scooter carrying an entire Indian family.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2008-01-10 17:31  

#10  SB, snaks are the spice of RB life, but else in agreement with your comment. Looks definitely better than Trabant!
Posted by: twobyfour   2008-01-10 17:21  

#9  I'm a little surprised at the snarky comments. This is what most of us claim to support, capitalism. He saw a market he could exploit, fill a need and give alot of Indian families a chance to own a car. Sure it's not much compared to what we have in our garages, but then, neither was Ford's Model A when you compare them.

The point is, it's a good start and an improvement over what's available to them now.
Posted by: Silentbrick   2008-01-10 17:13  

#8  So if we bought two and put them side-by-side in our driveway, we'd have a "Nice Pair Of ....s"

Running away while he spanks himself
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2008-01-10 16:31  

#7  Rear-end a tractor trailer and you're feet will be under the steering wheel, with your torso in the trunk. I remember seeing accident photos of Smart car like that.
Posted by: Blackbeard Thragum3556   2008-01-10 16:24  

#6  Pachauri, having shared the Nobel Prize with Al Gore , will of course still have nightmares....
Posted by: john frum   2008-01-10 15:51  

#5  So I guess it's never occurred to Tata that they might actually crash?
Here's an idea. Make them biodegradable. And bury their owners in them when they get hit. That should keep the treehuggers happy.
Posted by: tu3031   2008-01-10 15:49  

#4  The Nano's safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements, said Tata. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety. Tata added that the car had passed the full frontal crash tests that are mandatory in India.

Additionally, it has also been designed to pass the offset and side impact tests that are mandated across the world. Needless to say, this means that the car will most definitely find its way into overseas markets.

Saying that the car conforms to the prevalent Bharat Stage 3 (BS III) emission norms, and ''will meet the Euro 4 standards'' Tata took a light-hearted dig at Dr R K Pachauri's much publicised concerns about the impact of the car on the environment, ''Dr Pachauri need not have nightmares.''
Posted by: john frum   2008-01-10 15:48  

#3  Alluding to fears expressed by environmentalist R K Pachauri and green activist Sunita Narain that the car at that price would add more vehicles on the road leading to higher vehicular pollution, Tata said the 624 cc, 33 HP petrol engine meets Bharat Stage-III emission norms and can also meet the Euro 4 norms.

"Pachauri will not have a nightmare and Sunita Narain can also sleep," he quipped, while recalling that some people had suggested that the car should be called 'Pachauri' and some others said that it should be named 'Mamta' probably referring to the position TMC leader Mamta Banerjee had taken against the setting up of the small-car project at Singur in West Bengal.
Posted by: john frum   2008-01-10 15:42  

#2  
Posted by: john frum   2008-01-10 15:40  

#1  I can't wait for the crash test videos.
Posted by: tu3031   2008-01-10 15:28  

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