Tata's High-Stakes Bet on Low-Cost Car ($2,500)

Wall Street Journal ^ | 10 January 2008 | ERIC BELLMAN

[shrinkermd]

India's Tata Motors Ltd. today unveiled its new, low-cost car aimed at a growing middle class in India -- and potentially elsewhere in the developing world -- looking to move up the transportation ladder...

In an interview, Mr. Tata said that while Tata Motors' new car, which is called the Nano, is smaller than most now on the market -- it is powered by a 623 cubic centimeter engine -- the four-door vehicle will have all the regular features of any passenger car.

Tata plans next year to roll out about 200,000 units of the car, which cost $380 million to $435 million to develop. Tata doesn't plan to export the cars for at least three years and then it will target new middle-class consumers in developing markets. The new car is scheduled to be on the market in September or October this year, Mr. Tata said.

...The small engine has about 33 horse power, which is enough to push the car to a maximum speed of about 60 miles per hour, Mr. Tata said. It gets about 50 miles to the gallon, he said.

[JRios1968]

Now, honestly...who has any interest in Nano Tatas??

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

It will never sell. The current American culture likes its Tata's big.

[Mr. K]

I would buy a smaller cheaper car if opne was available

It would have to be AT LEAST as sturdy as a motorcycle, but I dont see why we need 4000 pound cars to get from A to B every day.

I would gladly ride something with 4 bycycle tires and a minimal enclosure to let you drive in the rain and cold.

NOT THAT I THINK EVERYONE HAS TO, I am just saying I would if given a choice. In fact I would use th emoney i save on gas to buy a H2

[angkor]

Tata is pretty aggressive in its SE Asia operations, so I’d expect to see a ruckus with the Koreans and Japanese in those markets.

Interesting.

[Moose4]

Hey, some guys are into that. Me, I prefer a more, ah, proportioned...car. Yeah. Car. That’s it.

Something tells me this thread will be NSFW very soon...

}:-)4

[conservativehusker]

I suppose if all I had was a bicycle this thing would be like a Lexus...

Beside..it will never make it to the US....all the safety stuff would raise the price to over 50K..LOL

[Mr. K]

Raquel Welch? There will never be an equal...*sigh*

[JRios1968]

Yeah, Tatas always make you spend more...

[edcoil]

Hitler built the VW for the “people”. It became a very successful car. It will find great acceptance in that country and many others around the world.

Heck, I might get one to keep in the truck in case of emergency.

[JRios1968]

I think it’s almost there...

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Yep...and, agreed!

[Chi-townChief]

I’ll wait until they come out with the Bodacious model.

[conservativehusker]

..”Heck, I might get one to keep in the truck in case of emergency.”

I remember a dealer around here throwing in a Yugo if you bought a full size truck...

[JRios1968]

Are you sure it’s a good idea to have a spare set of Tatas handy?

[angkor]

Yes, I’d buy one too.

And have a BMW R1150GS or Triumph Bonneville for backup :)

[the_devils_advocate_666]

[Gorzaloon]

People never give up on these ideas. Thankfully, I was drunk the first time I saw a Reliant in the flesh.

"...Still powered by the aluminium 850cc engine, it was said to give a fuel consumption from 60 - 100 mpg. These Robins featured matching deep pile carpets and trim, RDS radio cassette, chrome door handles, stainless steel exhaust, fog lights and alloy wheels.

[Global2010]

The Dodge Sprinter Van aka ME Ambulance did not impress me.
Rough ride, trans. goes out around 40,000, lousy traction.

And very spendy.

We were going to update our WC van this year but can’t find anything big enough and van conversions are getting rare or too spendy for WC needs (dropping floor Raising top).

We are homebound as of the last year so the old conversion Ford will be around for a few more years as we only go to town and back every couple weeks.

With 74,000 miles it’s got plenty of life at this rate.

[agere_contra]

To be fair: it’s not especially relevant that it wouldn’t sell well in America. It’s being sold to Indians on a population-dense subcontinent. It’s a car that they could afford to buy and run.

And what’s more, they can afford to park it (I think some may not realize that this is a significant component of car budgeting in highly populated areas).