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World's cheapest car hits Indian streets
AFP on Yahoo ^ | 7/17/09 | Phil Hazlewood

Posted on 07/17/2009 2:15:13 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

MUMBAI (AFP) – The world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, hit the streets on Friday, as the first customer got the keys to a vehicle that its makers hope will transform travel for millions of Indians.

Ashok Raghunath Vichare took delivery of a lunar silver Nano LX model, one of three cars handed over in person by Tata Motors boss Ratan Tata at a city dealership.

The 59-year-old customs official from Mumbai said only that he was "very happy" to have got his hands on the car, as he was mobbed by cameras and press photographers.

His family, who accompanied him to the showroom, said their first drive would be to a nearby Hindu temple to have the vehicle blessed.

Mumbai bank worker Ashish Balakrishnan, who took delivery of a sunshine yellow LX model, said he could not wait to "joyride on the Bandra-Worli Sea-Link", a newly opened 5.6-kilometre (3.5-mile) bridge in the city.

"This is my first car. The price was a major factor," the 29-year-old told reporters.

The third car, also a lunar silver LX, was handed over to Kores India Ltd, an office products-to-outsourcing firm.

Analysts said the delivery was a positive step, after a land dispute forced the firm off the site of a factory it was building to produce the cars in eastern India, fuelling concerns about its ability to meet demand on time.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: automakers; cheapest; india; nano; nono; tata; tatanano
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To: NormsRevenge

I think it’s adorable. Look at it’s cute, shiny white paint job!


41 posted on 07/17/2009 2:56:24 PM PDT by RedRedRose
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To: 353FMG

AC is optional.


42 posted on 07/17/2009 2:57:43 PM PDT by Rookie Cookie
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To: NormsRevenge

Not bad for a 2nd car in a 2-car household, though. Of course my new wife is tiny :^) and hates my big ol’ Buick.


43 posted on 07/17/2009 2:59:52 PM PDT by dangus (I am Spartacus)
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To: org.whodat

Now that was funny.


44 posted on 07/17/2009 3:06:26 PM PDT by johniegrad
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To: org.whodat

That video had the whole room laughing....Better than NASCAR any day!


45 posted on 07/17/2009 3:12:31 PM PDT by dragnet2
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To: NormsRevenge

specs here:http://www.infibeam.com/static/tata-nano.html


46 posted on 07/17/2009 3:14:50 PM PDT by rawhide
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To: Rookie Cookie

Just joking — I have no intention to ever buy one. Just imagine getting hit by a skateboard. It’ll probably total the car.


47 posted on 07/17/2009 3:15:10 PM PDT by 353FMG (Death is Life without Freedom.)
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To: NormsRevenge

48 posted on 07/17/2009 3:25:24 PM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Obamacare - it's to die for.)
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To: dragnet2

I was in Pakistan several years ago, and my nephew went to India for a month last summer. He said he would never get in another one of those three wheel taxes again in his life. This is a good one watch the ending! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYS5ebAi95k&feature=related


49 posted on 07/17/2009 3:25:55 PM PDT by org.whodat
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To: OB1kNOb
A pair of new Tata’s for $4,000? Not bad.

Better than the deal Eliot Spitzer got...

Cheers!

50 posted on 07/17/2009 3:57:16 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: NormsRevenge
It's India's Model-T. Huge step forward for that country. Imagine if Ford, Chrysler or GM had been able to come up with the concept first of selling a cheap car in India or China.

HA-ha-ha-ha-ha. What was I thinking?

51 posted on 07/17/2009 6:03:30 PM PDT by BfloGuy (It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we can expect . . .)
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To: 353FMG
And its probably cheaper and gives better gas mileage then your skateboard.
52 posted on 07/18/2009 7:59:44 AM PDT by Rookie Cookie
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To: NormsRevenge
There are a lot of jokes about the car on this thread, but this is a huge step for a lot of the people in that country.

I find it inspiring that they've come this far.

53 posted on 07/18/2009 8:11:41 AM PDT by Richard Kimball (We're all criminals. They just haven't figured out what some of us have done yet.)
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To: Richard Kimball

Good point. With such a huge range of developing opportunities due to the size of the population, it will provide many a better way to get even more connected and independent.

I remember 50CC and 125CCs.. screamers all. Give me a yak anyday. ;-)


54 posted on 07/18/2009 9:14:36 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed .. Monthly Donor Onboard)
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