India’s Tata Group has unveiled a 2,500-dollar car billed as the world’s cheapest amid predictions the no-frills compact could revolutionise how the nation of 1.1 billion people travels.
The launch of the Tata Nano was a landmark in the history of transportation…said 70-year-old tycoon Ratan Tata, head of the giant conglomerate. He said he wanted to make “a safe, affordable and all-weather transport — a people’s car, designed to meet all safety standards and emissions laws and accessible to all.”
The Nano has a small, rear-mounted 33bhp, 624cc engine but no air conditioning, electric windows or power steering in the basic model, although two deluxe versions will be available.
The critter gets 50mpg and is already front-crash test-certified.
Auto analysts say the Nano could also have a major impact on the way global car firms think about costs.
The Nano may “revolutionise car costs downward,” said Indian auto analyst Murad Ali Baig, adding it was bound to be followed by other low-cost cars.
So-called environmentalists who hate the Nano hate all cars already. So, dedicate your energies to providing viable mass transit. When and where possible. Please.
These critter will be replacing smog-generating used cars and 2-stroke motorbikes that have been all poor people can afford. It’s a net win-win.
Same goes for reviewers who need 400bhp and 35″ wheels wired to their gonads to feel like a man. These dudes don’t care about basic transportation for anyone else.
If you ever had a flat while out riding your bicycle, you could carry this thing as the spare!
It looks and has the smell of an Indian version of the Yugo…which was only slightly better than a NoGo.
Disgusting looking thing, but individual cars, in any form, beat the algore out of mass transit, in any form. So more power to them.
This reminds me of a real cool/dorky looking car parked in a vacant lot that looked a bit like this, maybe 1960?
A pair of seats with a sort of toy car built around them and a front door that swung open. An early Peugeot econo car?
Remind anyone of anything?
This is the next gay item for “heterosexual” Mac users.
#16, these cars will be sharing the road with plenty of trucks. And many of the truck drivers are young and/or unlicensed. Remember the traffic ballet video we had a couple days ago.
But these cars will generally be replacing scooters, which are guaranteed to be less safe than the Nano.
I want a DEMO…
Im in the High plains, We get 60+mph winds, and SNOW…
Lets see how far I can sail this thing…
I like it. They expect to sell 250,000 of these a year initially, and eventually to sell a million a year. That should make a lot of people who would not have been able to buy a new car happy.
What can $2500 buy you in a used car?
These cars aren’t that different fromwhats already on the road in India, Japan, or probably even Europe.
And I thought the Aztec and the Prius were styling clunkers. On the other hand, this sort of thing may be what we all will be looking at in showrooms of the future.
(now imagine cruising the strip looking for babes in a souped-up customized one).
If you were a woman trying to pick up guys in an eco bar you could use the line “hey dude, wanna step outside and see my tata?”
#7 The One – “It’s like buying your own coffin.”
Not true – buying a motorcycle is.
If Americans got a Nano instead of their SUV…if the US got a better public rail and urban transport system this would really help the environment.
#26 ECA “Im in the High plains, We get 60+mph winds, and SNOW… Lets see how far I can sail this thing…” (or a motorcycle…)
ECA Think of the Nano as a much safer motorcycle.
Indians and Chinese want and will have a better modern standard of living just like the west has enjoyed for years. China has the QQ ($3,000) now India has the Nano. More power to them!
I heard that TATA wanted to call it the iCar but Apple got pissed so they called it the Nano instead just to be in their face.
Cheers
“Not true – buying a motorcycle is.”
Don’t fall for statistical distortions, T_H. When you factor out reckless young single men on recently-purchased superbikes, the death and injury rates plummet to a mere fraction. There’s a lot of old bikers around with all their limbs and faculties intact. Bikes can and do avoid many accidents that are unavoidable in a four-wheeler.
In fact, those rates drop noticeably if you subtract just the accidents occurring within one hour of purchasing a superbike.
In Consumer Reports 5mph bumper collision tests, the car only suffered $2,500 worth of damage.
#24, Angel,
Oooo, that was low.
#34, Peter,
Credit that to the foil bumpers not scratching the paint on the test car.
A hundred more million cars on the roads spewing crap into our environment and shifting more weath to despotic oil producing countries — just what the world doesn’t need.
This is not progress.
So… they built a $2,500 go-cart?
#33. I know you guys were talking about the US, but your comment doesn’t hold in India and China.
#39 Spot on – its like being in a really big “Dodge-em car” ride without the rubber bumper…and going a lot faster!
Cheers