Tata\'s 1 Lakh car

[Going_nowhere]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080110/ap_on_bi_ge/india_ultracheap_car


For those of you who're complaining about traffic in India, wait till this toy starts rolling out on Indian streets starting October this year.

All two-wheeler families will upgrade to this toy which will make two-wheeler manufaturers slash their prices. Cycle owners will then upgrade to two-wheelers, and the situation will become more chaotic.

[karmayogi]

What ya'all think about this car?

http://specials.rediff.com/money/2008/jan/10slide1.htm

I am damn impressed! Would definitely buy one if I were in India.

I would not have to worry about someone scratching my car in traffic at this prices :emwink:

TATA did it! I think it makes all Indians proud.

[jay62728]

Should we be proud the way India is heading to?
(please don't restrict yourself to the technicality or production efficiency of the beautiful car by TATAs while analysing the situation. Keep in mind that, proper planning does not mean, "we should, do what we can do"! Rather, first think what should we do; only then start putting efforts on what can we do or how to do.)

Check the following New York Times article by famous Tom Friedman:
"India is in serious danger ? no, not from Pakistan or internal strife. India is in danger from an Indian-made vehicle: a $2,500 passenger car, the world?s cheapest".
...... "If India just innovates in cheap cars alone, its future will be gridlocked and polluted. But an India that makes itself the leader in both cheap cars and clean mass mobility is an India that will be healthier and wealthier. It will also be an India that gives us cheap answers to big problems ? rather than cheap copies of our worst habits".

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/opinion/04friedman.html

[Chicago Desi]

Admins,

Can we move this discussion to the previous discussion on the Rs. 1 lakh car? Thanks!

[Jaggudada]

If TATAs show that they can produce such a cheap car then it is well and good. That means same can be done with other appliances.

I would have been happy if TATAs had done this with some other things instead of car first. The implications are quite serious pollution, health problems, traffic jams, congestion, accidents in India will be on the rise and will be a big problem.

It is another thing if TATAs come out with cheap product like this and other products and export in other countries which will earn foreign exchange and grow Indian economy.

There is going to be quite bit of running cost and how do you think general folks are going to make up for it? by taking bribes, giving bribes, short cuts, selling substandard quality of products, cheating etc.

[jay62728]

If TATAs shows that they can produce such a cheap car then it is well and good. That means same can be done with other things.

I would have been happy if TATAs had done this with some other things instead of car first. The implications are quite serious pollution, traffic jams, congestion, accidents in India will be on the rise and will be a big problem.

It is another thing if TATAs come out with cheap product like this and export in other countries which will earn foreign exchange and grow Indian economy.[/quote]

I partly agree with you.
You can get the answer for your dilemma if you ask a person in Havana (Cuba) or in Beijing (China) how they rate their quality of lives. Beijing is now one of the most prosperous cities and at the same time among worst polluted cities in the world (Olympic committee is seriously considering to remove many athletic events due to high pollution there). OTH, Havana is a poorer city. But people there have a happier and healthier life, as per UN survey (despite of the fact that Cuba is now forced to replace even public transport motor vehicles by horse carts, due to lack of fossil fuel supply).

The roads in Indian cities are already too congested, pollution level is very high. Oil import pressure on Indian exchequer is too much and that?s climbing fast (due to high oil price in international market and increasing demand). Now replace two wheelers with that car and add more cars! What scenario you get?

But I agree with you that this car proved that we can do something, somewhat novel. We also can do well in other sectors too. It's also good for earning foreign currencies.
We can adopt Swiss model. Switzerland earns huge money by developing technology and processes, but do not build the factory in their own country. Sometimes they do not use that technology in their own country at all.:emsmile:

We, the Indians, need to know what we SHOULD do, rather than what we CAN do!:emembarrassed:

[desihometown]

Now, all auto and taxi drivers in India can start using Nano for their services.
They can become nano drivers. Not a bad deal, considering an auto in bangalore will cost around Rs50,000+ anyway.

[LoveIndia]

Pollution, Grid-Lock, Congestion, Health-related problems, too much noise pollution because of honking, fake-status display that we own a car, absolutely no-parking space as streets will be parked full of cars which will lead to pedestrian scrambling for space......

STINGY Tata's have come out with so-called innovation where India is going to struggle......

Hopefully GOI puts heavy tax for all the cars (On a yearly basis such as 25% of the cost) so that folks use public transportation instead of car OR let GOI implement toll-booths so that they are charged heavily during week-days so that people will avoid driving car during week-days.

[jay62728]

Pollution, Grid-Lock, Congestion, Health-related problems, too much noise pollution because of honking, fake-status display that we own a car, absolutely no-parking space as streets will be parked full of cars which will lead to pedestrian scrambling for space......

STINGY Tata's have come out with so-called innovation where India is going to struggle......

Hopefully GOI puts heavy tax for all the cars (On a yearly basis such as 25% of the cost) so that folks use public transportation instead of car OR let GOI implement toll-booths so that they are charged heavily during week-days so that people will avoid driving car during week-days.[/quote]

Nice one.
But who will force our Govt to develop a civilized and efficient public transport? People who can do that are too buy to stay alive and/or they do not need to think about cars. It's a catch 22 situation.
It proves gross neglect and lack of ability of our policy makers (both private an dpublic).

Women hardly can use any public transport these days in India! Many Indians hate using cars (due many of the problems you mentioned). But is there any way out, at present?
It only proves gross neglect and total inability of our policy makers. They have no time for such problems of national scale, as they are too busy in caste, religion based politics.

[HAKUNAMATATA]

my only concern is does India have the roads for more cars? This means middle class kids(especially girls) will swap their scooties for these flimsy lil cars with very little impact protection and hence cause more teenage deaths. I wouldn't be surprised this gives rise to the new breeds of teenage racers In Indian ''gullies''. You'd be surprised, its much easier and reflexes work MUCH better on 2 wheelers rather than on 4, as reaction time is greater with larger vehicles.
It certainly is something that would be a great hit for a city like London and could easily sell here for £3-4k, DOUBLE THE LAUNCH PRICE.
Otherwise, the car looks like a mini matiz with a huge lawn mower engine and it CERTAINLY is an achievement to price it @ 1 lakh, i wonder how long this price is sustainable in a country like India with a ferocious hunger for luxuries and consumer goods.