Worlds cheapest new car.

[Yellow_Festiva]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=344578

Don't look to bad actually. I was wondering when China or India would make one of these, when you can buy a DVD player for $38 or a Microwave / 3 in 1 home printer for $59 why not a car for $2800?

India's Tata unveils world's cheapest car
Friday Jan 11 06:19 AEDT
India's Tata Group unveiled the world's cheapest car costing $2800 amid predictions the no-frills vehicle could revolutionise how millions in India and elsewhere travel.

The launch of the Tata Nano was a landmark in the history of transportation, claimed 70-year-old tycoon Ratan Tata, the head of the giant conglomerate, while rejecting fears the spartan car would add to congestion and pollution.

The four-door, five-seat sporty-looking car, which defied pre-launch predictions that it would be little more than a "motorised bullock cart on wheels", is due to hit the roads later this year at just 100,000 rupees ($2800), excluding tax, after the Tata Group cut costs to the bone.

The theme from Stanley Kubrick's film 2001: A Space Odyssey played as Tata unveiled the snub-nosed Nano — so called to appear both high-tech and small to cheers and applause at the annual Delhi car show.

The Tata chief, who drove a white Nano to the podium, said he had 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 two-cylinder 623 cc, rear-mounted engine with a top speed of 105 kilometres per hour.

The basic model has a four-speed manual transmission, no air conditioning, electric windows or power steering, although two deluxe versions will be available.

The Nano initially targets increasingly affluent Indians trading up from a motorcycle to a car amid an economic boom, but there are plans to enter other emerging markets such as Latin America.

Tata, likened by India's media to US automobile pioneer Henry Ford, compared the importance of the vehicle, nicknamed the "People's Car", to the first powered flight by the Wright brothers or the first lunar landing.

"I observed families riding on two-wheelers, the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby," Tata told reporters at the crowded launch.

"It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family," he said.

Soaring commodity prices had pushed up costs during the car's four-year development, but Tata said he had wanted to keep his pledge of a 100,000-rupee price tag, although tax will make the onroad price at least 120,000 rupees.

The businessman argued the new car — less than half the price of its nearest budget car rival on Indian roads, would be better and safer than most motorcycles.

"The car we have designed will meet all the current safety requirements... and will have a lower pollution level than even a two-wheeler being manufactured in India today," he said.

Courier driver Daniel Abraham said the Nano appealed to him as a transport option.

"If I can get a loan from my boss, I might buy the car so my family and I could travel. I can't take my mother on my motorcycle any more — she's too old," he said.

But environmentalists fear the Nano will jam up India's already clogged roads even further and add to choking pollution if it proves a winner.

"In my view this represents a bankruptcy of policy as far as transport options are concerned," said Rajendra Pachauri, head of the UN's climate panel which won the Nobel Prize last year.

"If our roads are going to be flooded with these cars by a few million each year, what is that going to do? Every car that goes on the road is going to use road space. We're only adding to congestion" and increasing pollution, he said.

Tata said he believed "India desperately needs a mass transit system" but asked "should (ordinary Indians) be denied the right to individual forms of transport?"

Auto analysts say the Nano could have a major impact on the way global car firms think about costs.

It may "revolutionise car costs downward," said Indian auto analyst Murad Ali Baig, adding that the Nano was bound to be followed by other low-cost cars.

The car has sparked a race among global automakers to come up with vehicles at rock-bottom prices to appeal to the new lucrative segment of consumers in India and other emerging markets.

"It is unlikely to keep this market for itself for too long," said Ian Fletcher, auto analyst at London-based Global Insight.

Small cars comprise two-thirds of annual passenger vehicle sales in India.

The budget car's nearest rival — the Maruti 800 from Japanese-owned Maruti Suzuki sells for $5300 dollars.

Tata, which has been on an aggressive overseas expansion drive, is also expected to win its reported two-billion-dollar bid for the British Land Rover and Jaguar brands.

That would put it in the unusual position of making two prestige marques and the world's lowest-cost car.

[Fev]

imagine the tuning scene that will pop up there! lol

[Daymoe]

Imagine smoking someone in a drag riding that thing. How embarrased would the other person be.

[Scott]

Imagine hitting a cow in that bad boy :(

[DDXR6T]

Get what you pay for. I wouldn't let anyone I know drive one. Imagine seeing soccer mum's strapping their loved one's into a bread-bin on wheels. Surely people must question the safety of such a car.

[Quicksand]

Originally Posted by GTP006

Imagine hitting a cow in that bad boy :(

lol imagine hitting a butterfly even! I'm speechless thats a really cheap car!

[MITCHAY]

Awesome! They can rice the POS and pack in all the boys pumping Bhangra Knights through the town. Real leg opener!

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=sAs3s2b3LUY

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=E7eOVp...eature=related

[mcflux]

Bhangra Knights FTMFW!

[Yellow_Festiva]

lol....

Of course some of us would see them as unsafe etc... but this is going to be sold in a country where 3-4 people on a 50cc scooter is the norm.

What would it weigh? 600kg? Swap that lawnmower engine with a 600cc bike engine and watch that bad boy fly! Im guessing that its rwd as well Let the fun begin.

[Boosh Brus]

Brand new Tata - $2800
Secondhand Hayabusa engine - $4000
Shi##ing yourself on a gokart track - Priceless

[Boosh Brus]

I hope they dont share this awesome technology with Jag

[MITCHAY]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

lol....

Of course some of us would see them as unsafe etc... but this is going to be sold in a country where 3-4 people on a 50cc scooter is the norm.

What would it weigh? 600kg? Swap that lawnmower engine with a 600cc bike engine and watch that bad boy fly! Im guessing that its rwd as well Let the fun begin.

People have put Hayabusa engines in Smart cars :

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by MITCHAY

People have put Hayabusa engines in Smart cars :

I know, seen the clips, love the work lol

[apolloxbgt]

Hello $2.50 per litre for petrol.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Dan635

Get what you pay for. I wouldn't let anyone I know drive one. Imagine seeing soccer mum's strapping their loved one's into a bread-bin on wheels. Surely people must question the safety of such a car.

Ok, that’s a fair enough comment if this car was to be sold here. But what we deem 'safe' and what other countries deem 'safe' are 2 different things.

This car in India will be the equivalent of any $20,000 car here. A young guy / gal with a new car such as this will be upgrading from a $300 bike. And that’s after probably saving for ages…

If I can get a loan from my boss, I might buy the car so my family and I could travel. I can't take my mother on my motorcycle any more — she's too old, he said.

Yes, not everyone is as lucky as us.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m just curious if you have been overseas?

[AWD Chaser]

The launch of the Tata Nano was a landmark in the history of transportation, claimed 70-year-old tycoon Ratan Tata, the head of the giant conglomerate, while rejecting fears the spartan car would add to congestion and pollution.

How wouldn't it? Ignorance at its best!

[XR06T]

wow thats ugly!!

[Nostalgia]

I can see riced up versions cutting laps at Summernats in the years to come with the unruly mob yelling out "Show Us Your Tata's".

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by GTP006

Imagine hitting a cow in that bad boy :(

If you survive they will throw you jail...

With a two-cylinder 623 cc motor this will be great for pollution.
Looks like the old Dawoo Matiz..

[gregg_13]

Wouldnt be bad for CBD driving, I'd drive one to get to work, i live close enough to the city to not need a freeway and would be easy as hell to park something that small and cost bugger all.

[merlin]

I read in the paper it pumps out 34hp - didn't say what it weighed though. I'd still feel much safer on a bike that in that contraption.

[TZENU]

I reckon these cars will take off in places like india, parts of china, Malaysia, vietnam etc...

Wonder what the 0-100 time would be????

[Dazza XLT]

TATA's Performance arm has also released a "Sports" version of the Nano.
With additional power gained from the use of CFG (Curry Fart Gas) you can add up to 15kW to the already overpowered Nano.
All it takes is a simple exhaust modification, a dab of KY and you're ready to hit the track.

Originally Posted by Ninemsn

The Tata chief, who drove a white Nano to the podium, said he had 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."

How is sitting 150mm from the front bumper safe again? If you rear-ended a truck at any speed, it'd be all over.
I can't wait for the crash test videos to be released. That'll tell the real story.

Good on them for making such a cheap car, but you get what you pay for.
And for $2800, that isn't a whole lot!

Cheers

Darran

[billsta]

The only good thing about this car is the price!

[revcore]

0-40 in 3 hours

[ck11]

Not sure how many of you have been to india, but cars dont get past 70km/h within city limits, the traffic is absolute chaos (it would be silly to have a powerful car in such circumstances).


The car is targeted at people who would normally buy bikes for around the $1000-$2000 mark. It has the convenience of being able to transport more than 2 people.


Even in sydney, most of my day to day driving is done within roads that have speed limits of 70km/h. The performance of a V6/V8 is hardly exploited.


Note: Safety is relative, especially in a country where cars travel within mm of each other (not to mention towards each other), motorcyles dart between cars etc etc (its heart in the mouth stuff). Remarkably enough people manage pretty well (considering the chaos and danger). People who travel outside city limits, drive like lunatics, with some people driving at speeds ranging between 120-130km/h in 1.8L hyundais (accent), suzuki (sx4), chevrolets etc. This is on roads where people cross freely and you have buses and trucks driving at anything between 40km/h to 90km/h.

[Scott]

Meh, good luck to them. If the option is to have Mum, Dad and 2 kids on a bike, I would say this is a dramatically safer option. No more bugs in the teeth either ;)

[FalconXV]

I think it looks more avant-garde than alot of cars that are more expensive than it. If it is even remotely safe, I say bring it here!

[blueoval]

looks like a teapot.

34hp of raw powa!!! I'll give em a race in my lawn mower! :P

If they ever get sold in australia, people will have to add snails to them or be left behind.

[Transit Truck]

Might as well just drive a John Deere hehe - 20 HP automatic, convertible

Make some money on the way, cut someone's lawn :