The world's cheapest car

[newbie original]

The world's cheapest car is launched.

The Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car, has been launched in India.
Costing just 100,000 rupees ($1,979; £1,366), the Nano will now go on sale across India next month, with deliveries starting in July.
Tata hopes the 10-foot (3-metre) long, five-seater car will be cheap enough to encourage millions of Indians to trade up from their motorcycles.
Tata owner Ratan Tata has described the Nano as a "milestone". Analysts say it will not make a profit for six years.

Nano: 'Triumph of Indian ingenuity'
Tata's managing director Ravi Kant said that from the first orders, a ballot would then select the initial 100,000 people to get their Nano.
"I think we are at the gates of offering a new form of transport to the people of India and later, I hope, other markets elsewhere in the world," Mr Tata added.

"I hope it will provide safe, affordable four-wheel transportation to families who till now have not been able to own a car."
Environmentalists are warning that the Nano will add to India's already clogged up roads, and pollution levels will soar. Tata says the Nano will be the least polluting car in India.

Factory row
The four-door Nano has a 33bhp, 624cc engine at the rear. The basic model has no airbags, air conditioning, radio, or power steering. However, more luxurious versions will be available.
A slightly bigger European version, the Nano Europa is due to follow in 2011, and is expected to cost nearer to £4,000.

Analysts said that if the car proves an immediate hit in its home market, Tata may struggle to meet demand. This is because the main Nano factory in the western state of Gujarat, which will be able to build 250,000 cars a year, is not due to open until next year. In the meantime, Tata will only be able to build about 50,000 Nanos at its existing plants. The delay happened when Tata had to abandon plans to build the Nano in a new plant in the eastern state of West Bengal due to a row over land acquired from farmers.
This caused the launch of the Nano to be put back by six months.

Global slowdown
Even if Tata can sell 250,000 models a year, it will add only 3% to the firm's revenues, says Vaishali Jajoo, auto analyst at Mumbai's Angel Broking.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7957671.stm

 

[Zlatan]

Isn't that news like a year old? I'm sure I've already read about it long ago. As a matter of fact I think we had a thread about it here on SG aswell...

 

[newbie original]

It was only unveiled in Jan. 2008. Nothing more.

The announcement that production models will actually go on sale(i.e. the launch) was only made this week.

 

[Daz]

Wait. "Manual Steering" is a feature now?

 

[newbie original]

 

[Avalanche]

I'll be very disappointed if Jeremy Clarkson doesn't find a way to destroy this car in a manner similar to what he did to the Perodua Kelisa. Like the Kelisa, the Tata Nano is nothing more than a white good on wheels.

 

[Ubik Valis]

Yugo > that car

 

[Theodorakis]

clarkson, looking at a picture of tata nano, said that was not the base model.. and added while hammond and may were looking at him curiously, "you know that this is not the base model because if that's the base model you wouldnt be able to see it cos the mule would be on the way.."


that's not a car I think.. it suits better as a quadrocycle (sp?)..

 

[BayernBoz]

Yugo > that car

Did somebody say Yugo?

 

[Dipanjan]

Its very strange that you guys actually need more from that 2000$ Machine........I guess no company in the world can make that (great) machine for such a meagre amount......

 

[Áļéאָ]

yugo racing ftw

 

[lavdaloot]

must be some rotten **** car with minimum features...
would work as cabs here in uganda though
ohh its coming from india, no wonder its cheap..like everyother thing there..

 

[newbie original]

must be some rotten **** car with minimum features......

I'm sure you'll agree that it's safer than riding a bike around town....especially if you viewed the video in the 5th post.

 

[lavdaloot]

bikes r better
they make me look like a hunk wenever i wear my sunglasses.
bikes can squeeze through any place..
such a ****ty nano car cant squeeze through and since everyone knows its socheap, it isnt a big deal and will bring down class of one..

 

[newbie original]

bikes r better
they make me look like a hunk wenever i wear my sunglasses.
bikes can squeeze through any place.......

It is safer to drive a car than it is to ride a bike and you know it, so quit denying it.

 

[Dipanjan]

bikes r better
they make me look like a hunk wenever i wear my sunglasses.
bikes can squeeze through any place..
such a ****ty nano car cant squeeze through and since everyone knows its socheap, it isnt a big deal and will bring down class of one..

actually that is the problem everybody is facing here. Owning the car might just be demeaning.....