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world's cheapest car- the Tata Nano- goes on sale in India

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CougarKing

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It looks like an example of the "Smart Car" brand that you see on some roads in North America or Europe, but obviously cheaper.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090409/world/india_economy_auto_tata_nano_sale

MUMBAI (AFP) - The world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, goes on sale from Thursday, with the company behind it and dealers confident of strong demand.

Bookings open for orders of the sporty, jellybean-shaped car at Tata Motors dealerships and retail outlets owned by the parent company Tata Group across the country.

A Tata Motors spokesman told AFP that some 51,000 booking forms had been sold by dealers since last weekend at 300 rupees (six dollars) each. "We are ready to kick-start operations," he added.


Prospective buyers will also be able to book a car online for 200 rupees an application in the first such facility in India.


The Nano, which costs just 100,000 rupees (2,000 dollars) for the basic model, was unveiled to great fanfare last month, with Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata saying it would revolutionise travel for millions of Indians.


"We expect strong demand at most of our outlets," said Dennis Rankine, sales manager at Wasan Motors, one of the top dealers for Tata Motors.


The cheapest showroom price for the Nano is 112,735 rupees but it is available for 100,000 rupees direct from the factory, excluding taxes.


Potential owners of the car -- which is just over three metres (10 feet) long and has a top speed of 105 kilometres (65 miles) per hour -- can apply for the car until April 25...

(More at the link)
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, because I'd want to own the world's cheapest car as much as I'd want to go to the world's dumbest doctor.  Although, maybe I do.*  ;)

*Just kidding!
 
Don't expect to see it here at anywhere near that price. Just going through our safety testing approval process would add greatly to the cost. That's even before any improvements need where factored in (plenty would be required if even possible). Than add in your transportation costs. Also this car is very basic. No a/c, no radio, small size, low power ect. Also there would be costs associated with setting up a dealer & service network.
If it ever gets here (& doubt it will) I would expect at least a $7,000 plus price for a car not many would want. I suspect there is not enough of a market here for the product to justify putting it through the safety testing.
 
Just what India needs, a few hundred thousand more vehicles clogging up both the streets, and the atmosphere.
 
Come on Kat. Their big sales pitch is it's safer than a motorcycle.
 
X Royal said:
Come on Kat. Their big sales pitch is it's safer than a motorcycle.
Click to expand...

In India, so is Russian Roulette with a side by side 12 gauge.
 
When you see the pollution those scooters and motorcycles put out, this car may be helping the air.
 
I'd take one!  Perfect for putzing around town, short shopping etc.  I don't care about half the crap that is stuffed into north american vehicles.  I am sure it would be an improvement over my rusted out 88 Chick Magnet (Tercel)

Safer than motorcycles, yes, I see that as a valid ad.  I ride and have ridden bikes for over 30 years, I mitigate the risk by being as safe as I can and wearing a good quality helmet (10 dollar head, 10 dollar helmet) and heavy clothing.  Yet I know that a head on is likely to kill me and if i am in the mood to ride like an idiot, I know the possible outcome.  So be it with small cars.  It is all physics, Mazda 3, you are no match for my Tahoe, no matter how much you paid for your scarebags.

 
Globe and Mail

Nano arrives, at last
ERIKA KINETZ

Associated Press
April 10, 2009

COIMBATORE, INDIA -- At 6:46 p.m. yesterday, R. Sampathkumar signed a cheque for 3,809 rupees ($93) and ordered his first car: a Tata Nano.

Bookings for the ultracheap car, which retails for 100,000 rupees ($2,450) plus tax and transport fees, opened yesterday across India.

Mr. Sampathkumar, who is 30 years old and single, makes about 20,000 rupees a month as a goldsmith and says he wants a Nano for "status." "Automatically, women will come forward," he said, grinning.

Dozens gathered yesterday to gawk at the silver Nano sitting on a red platform with pink satin skirting at the Tata dealership in Coimbatore, a mid-sized manufacturing hub in southern India. DJs blasted Backstreet Boys and Madonna songs, while college kids snapped photos of the snub-nosed car on their cellphones.

More at link

 
Tata profits hit by drop in sales

_45591950_nano226ap.jpg

The basic Nano model does away
with luxury features

Tata Motors has said its annual net profits have more than halved after the global economic
slowdown hit demand for its cars and trucks. India's largest vehicle maker made 10.1bn rupees
($214m; £133m) in the year to the end of March, down from 20.29bn rupees a year earlier.

The company described the October to December quarter as "really, really bad", but said sales
were improving. Tata launched the world's cheapest car, the Nano, last month. The basic model
of the Nano costs just 100,000 rupees. Sales of the car have been "fairly satisfying", the company
said. For the full year, however, overall revenue fell by more than 10% to 256.6bn rupees.

"Volume reduction, high input costs and commodity prices all impacted earnings," said Tata's chief
financial officer C. Ramakrishnan. Last year, Tata bought UK-based car brands Jaguar and Land
Rover from US carmaker Ford.
 
New Nano car bursts into flames, raising safety concerns
Article Link

Then there was smoke. And then there was fire.

Minutes after the software engineer's wife and five-year-old son clambered out of the back seat, smoke from the engine, located in the Nano's rear, erupted into flames that engulfed the tiny car.

His ordeal showed just the latest problem with the low-cost Nano - raising fresh questions about safety and quality as top Indian carmaker Tata Motors sets its sights on global expansion and aims to ramp up production of the Nano with a new factory next month.

"My wife now doesn't want to buy any car," Sawant said by phone from his home in northern Mumbai on Thursday. "She doesn't even want to go for a Mercedes."

Starting around US$2,500, the Nano has been heralded as the world's cheapest car, and was meant to usher in a safety revolution, which would get millions of families off dangerous motorbikes and into the cool comfort of an affordable car.

Tata Motors, which also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, plans to start selling versions of the Nano in Europe in 2011, and later, in America.

Tata Motors spokesman Debasis Ray said the company is investigating the incident but believes it to be a one-off problem rather than the result of faulty design or manufacture.

"We believe it was a one-off stray incident," he said. "It did catch fire. We're trying to figure out what may have caused it."

This is not the first time there have been customer complaints about the Nano, which has been feted with rave reviews and awards since its launch a year ago.

More at link

Still want to buy one? 
 
Yup, plenty of Fords have caught fire too.  Some of these new cars even accelerate out of control. 
It is a simple car and will likely have a simple and effective fix.
 
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