India: Want a $2,400 Tata? How About a $2,400 Car? (a plastic car to come)

Mobil Magazine ^ | 08/21/07 | Michael Kwan

[TigerLikesRooster]

Want a $2,400 Tata? How About a $2,400 Car?

Tuesday August 21, 2007 10:22 AM CDT - By: Michael Kwan

Did you know that the nation of India can do more than handle your outsourced call center needs? In fact, an Indian car maker -- Tata Motors -- has effectively created the least expensive, commercially-available car in the world. The plastic car will cost just 100,000 rupees, which works out to a mere $2,400 of the American stuff.

Tata Motors is saying that the yet unnamed vehicle will be about the same size as a Volkswagen Rabbit and the savings don't stop at the dealership. With a tiny 30hp engine, this little Tata barely sips on gas. They haven't offered exact fuel economy ratings, but at 30 horses, it ain't gonna take much. At the 100,000 rupee price point, Tata Motors hopes that this vehicle will drastically increase the car ownership rate in India (currently 8 per 1,000).

But what about safety? Their neighbors to the east aren't doing so well, after all.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[endthematrix]

30hp? Puleese.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Plastic Tatas? Only a boob would go for this.

[Kozak]

And Mexico is about to release the "Adobe" for only 1000 pesos....

[WildcatClan]

Oh man, you had to go there. LOL!

[Global2010]

Might make a good lil get to town car once the RV is parked in it’s spot.

[prisoner6]

Me and my Durango eat those little buggers for breakfast. FWIW here's a Dodge Durango advertisement I'm gonna put on a t-shirt.

I'm also thinking about sending one to AlGore...tee, hee.

prisoner6

[WesternCulture]

How do you get an average Indian family into a car like that?

[gun_supporter]

A more relevant question should be, how in the world will it go over 50 mph??? My lawnmower has more HP!

[WesternCulture]

Guess there’s lots of relevant questions in connection to this ‘car’.

“My next car will be a Volvo” like we Volvo owners often say here in Sweden..

[WesternCulture]

The Durango is one of the most attractive American cars of today that I know of.

I don’t think I’ve seen a Durango over here in Sweden, but I’ve seen some Dodge RAMs. In general, I’d say American cars are getting more and more popular in Europe. One reason might be the depreciation of the dollar against most European currencies (not only the Euro which we don’t have in Sweden).

Keep on making awesome cars!

[DB]

Not with your family going up much of a hill.

[Sybeck1]

Plastic Tatas? Only a boob would go for this.

I’d rather have my boobs plastic and my cars steel.

[AnAmericanMother]

My daughter's college car is the ultimate street sleeper -- it's a 1990 Volvo 850 station wagon, but the TURBO. Darn that thing is fast!

So here it is ticking along in the right lane with its slightly chalked gray paint and silly college bumper stickers all over the back . . . then you stomp on it and it goes Mach 1 . . . makes the eyes of the guys in the Camaros and Mustangs bug out . . . . it handles well too.

I have a Ford Explorer 4WD because of the dogs and the hunting trials (which tend to take place far from any paved road), but I really enjoy driving that little Volvo when I can get my hands on it!

[Flavius]

is it safer to be in that toy or walking on a street or being on a bike

because thats what they are doing moving their 1 billion people of the bikes

dittos on China

this is why oil will be something worth having for awhile

[KDD]

Fueling Terror

[prisoner6]

HEJ! You're in Sweden...where? One of my favorite countries! The Gellivare webcam has been one of my daily internet stops for years...maybe a decade, LOL!

I kinda follow Sofia Jannock's career and website too. Really like her jolk(?) music.

I wish I could learn the language but it's really tough for me.

Sweden..what a beautiful country!

BTW, I see it's already below freezing and light snow in northern Scandinavia.

prisoner6

[AnAmericanMother]

How does the Durango compare to the Explorer? I’ve been real pleased with the Explorer, bought it used at about 57k, have almost 150k hard miles on it now, it’s held up pretty well. Have had to do stuff like the rear axle seals and it had a tranny problem at about 100k miles (but the latter was still under warranty), but I think I’ve gotten my money’s worth.

[jbp1]

sounds good to me. what the heck anyway. if you don’t like it, you don’t have to buy one (unless we elect edwards). if you can’t afford the $35,000 macho machine or $45,000 luxury sedan, then say ‘ta-ta’

beats the heck out of paying $16,000 for a ‘smart car’