Jalopnik: 1 Lakh

Blue Steel: $2500 Tata Nano May Become Slightly More Pricey

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EDT

Ratan Tata wowed the world when he revealed his company's Tata Nano, the miniscule two-cylinder, four-door runabout designed to go to market with an equally tiny $2,500 price tag. Now, due to pressures from rising commodity prices, Tata may be in jeopardy of missing that now famous 1-lakh goal. Steel prices have jumped 30% since the car's initial unveil in January, while the cost of plastics, silicon and fuel oil have risen as well. So what's next for the bottom line?

It's not only a problem for Tata; across the board, material prices are gutting once-profitable programs. Imagine drawing up designs three years ago and projecting material parts budgets (which can often be up to 70% of the part price), only to have the most expensive element of the part jump in price by 40%. That's the kind of thing which blows engineering budgets. Tata is working with its suppliers and partners to determine what the pricing adjustments will look like (when an automaker says that, they mean lower price for them to buy supplies from suppliers, which also means less profit for the supplier), but it's clear they are trying to remain as close as possible to that original $2,500 target.

Jalopnik Snap Judgement: We'll still take three, with the racing stripes, as long as matte-black paint and rear-window shotgun holders are available options. [Automotive News Submission Req.]

Tara Tiny Is The New Tata Nano, Priced At $2,450

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:20:00 EDT

The race to the bottom continues as Bengal Enamel's Tara International will be teaming with Chinese company Aucma to produce a sub-sub-1-lakh car called the Tara Tiny. Yes, the little-known company seeks to lakh-block the Tata Nano by building a range of electric powered two- and four-seat cars starting at a rock bottom price of 99,000 Indian Rupees, 999 Rupees less than the price media outlets originally reported. With a grand total of 35 moving parts and a range of 100 km, the Tiny should be an urban drivers dream come true — low maintenance costs, eight hour recharge time via a 250 V outlet, and no need for costly speeding tickets (it only goes about 30 mph).

The best — or worst — part of this story is the Tara Tiny is being considered for export to the US. You know, cause we need even slower cars in the fast lane clogging up the works. Judging from these images of the car which makes the jokes come both small and easy, the Tiny will corner the market for families looking to haul their tired kids around (har har har). (Hat tip to Dhiram!) [NewLaunches]

Build Your Own Tata Nano

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:00:00 EST

As Jalopnik's Tata Nano day draws to a close, it's worth noting the lag on the Nano mini-site has dropped and you can go right to the corporate site to check out the content there. Even though the site is as lean and mean as the car it's promoting, it has a fair amount of interesting content (US, German, Japanese Automakers take note). The site has everything; a ~~pimp~~ build your own Nano feature, a blog, notes about the development, wallpapers, forums... heck, it's very possible that Tata understands the whims of the web far better than the global automakers do. We've taken the liberty of prepimping some Nano's for you, and the snazzy wallpapers are down in the gallery. [Tatapeoplescar.com]

First Video of Tata Nano - 2008: A Nano Odyssey

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:30:00 EST

If the 2008 Tata Nano is as dramatic as its unveil would have you believe, it will soon be learning how to use tools and build space stations. We covered the unveiling of the Tata Nano earlier, but this shaky video is the first we've seen of the little car that could as it bowed at the 2008 Delhi Auto Show. We're loving the soundtrack if you couldn't tell. Such grandeur, so much power and yet, so delicate. After that it's Mr. Ratan Tata himself doing some talking and then the audio breaks up a bit. An appropriately epic start to an epic shift in the industry.

The $3,000 Car From Bajaj Is $500 Classier Than the $2,500 Tata Nano

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:30:00 EST

It should be obvious to most that a $2,500 car is destined to fail. But a $3,000 car... GENIUS! Not wanting to be upstaged (though, upstaged anyways), Bajaj has launched a prototype of what it calls the $3,000 people's car for the people that can afford another 0.25 lakh. The car is being designed through a partnership with Renault/Nissan and we'll therefore see a cheap version of this car from those automakers.

The only drawback is that this particular prototype might need another two years of development before it hits the street while its rival the Tata Nano will be clogging the streets of Delhi before the end of the year. [AutoInCar]

The $2500 Tata Nano, Unveiled in India

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:41:15 EST

After months of rumors and tantalizing leaks — and as we first told you earlier this week — Indian automaker Tata Motors has finally unveiled the Tata Nano — its already legendary $2,500 (1-lakh)car. As expected, the car that Tata claims will change the face of not only the Indian car market, but the global auto industry will be a four door, five seat hatch, powered by a 30 HP Bosch 624 cc four stroke engine mounted out back and mated to a CVT. That makes the Nano the first time a 2-cylinder gasoline engine will be used in a car with a single balancer shaft. The Nano's also expected to get 54 US miles per gallon. Yes, but will it blend? Full press release after the jump with all the details. By the way — are we the only ones happy to see a Tata Nano sporting what looks like a bra above? Also — how long do we think it'll take before Apple files a lawsuit over the name? Update: We've got video of the unveil posted HERE

Tata Motors unveils the People's Car
A comfortable, safe, all-weather car, high on fuel efficiency & low on emissions

Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, today unveiled the Tata 'NANO', the People's Car from Tata Motors that India and the world have been looking forward to. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the People's Car brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The People's Car will be launched in India later in 2008.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, Mr. Ratan N. Tata said, "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. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors' engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. Today, we indeed have a People's Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People's Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility."

Stylish, comfortable
The People's Car, designed with a family in mind, has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Four doors with high seating position make ingress and egress easy.

Yet with a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the powertrain at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and manoeuvrability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars.

When launched, the car will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. Both versions will offer a wide range of body colours, and other accessories so that the car can be customised to an individual's preferences.

Fuel-efficient engine
The People's Car has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft. The lean design strategy has helped minimise weight, which helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.

Meets all safety requirements
The People's Car's safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.

Environment-friendly
The People's Car's tailpipe emission performance exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint.
(For more information: www.tatapeoplescar.com )

About Tata Motors
Tata Motors is India's largest automobile company, with revenues of US $ 7.2 billion in 2006-2007. With over 4 million Tata vehicles plying in India, it is the leader in commercial vehicles and the second largest in passenger vehicles. It is also the world's fifth largest medium and heavy truck manufacturer and the second largest heavy bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America. Tata Motors and Fiat Auto have formed an industrial joint venture in India to manufacture passenger cars, engines and transmissions for the Indian and overseas markets; Tata Motors also has an agreement with Fiat Auto to build a pick-up vehicle at Córdoba, Argentina. The company already distributes Fiat branded cars in India. Tata Motors' international footprint includes Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd. in South Korea; Hispano Carrocera, a bus and coach manufacturer of Spain in which the company has a 21% stake; a joint venture with Marcopolo, the Brazil-based body-builder of buses and coaches; and a joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market pick-up vehicles in Thailand. Tata Motors has research centres in India, the U.K., and in its subsidiary and associate companies in South Korea and Spain.

(For free broadcast-standard and streaming quality video content about Tata Motors, please log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/tatamotors. You can preview and request broadcast-standard video which will be delivered digitally or by tape. Registration and video is free to the media.)

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Photo Credit: Getty Images

Columnist: Don't Hate On The $2,500 Tata

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:15:00 EST

Ever since Tata announced that it was going to build a Rs 1-Lakh ($2,500) car, there have been some hating on the idea. Certain people are a bit unhappy about the massive amount of congestion the vehicles might cause, the possible environmental impact and the possible lack of safety features (because eight people on a Honda Hero motorcycle is safe). But columnist Mritiunjoy "The Madman" Mohanty, says haters need need to curb their enthusiasm before he points an uzi at them.

Mohanty counters critics by saying that, though the country needs to invest in green solutions and mass transit, destroying a cheap car by taxing it to death will only rob the country of the mobility it needs until a larger solution can be met. He also makes the point that there's a large part of the car market that might move up to larger, more polluting cars if they can afford them. What do you think? Is the $2,500 car for India a good idea? Do you want to wait to actually see the car?

Get Ready To Show Us Your $2,500 Tatas

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:45:00 EST

As if we couldn't get more excited about the Delhi Auto Show, the $2,500 Tata will be on display for the first time. The car will have four doors, a rear-mounted engine and probably not much in the way of safety features (they'll save all of those for Jaguar). The automaker will also offer a version with more features, such as a roof and steering wheel.

Responding to criticism from some that the 250,000 to 500,000 cars they plan to sell each year will clog up roads and pollute the environment, CEO Ratan Tata has said the car will be the least polluting vehicle on the road (less polluting than a bike?). There are many questions still unanswered, including how long it'll take to stick a Hayabusa mill in one.