The Managing Director of India's Tata Motors, Karl Slym, has been sentenced to six months in jail. The reason? Allegations of failure to repair a faulty Tata Nano.

The 37 horsepower Tata Nano is not exactly what you would call luxurious. But as the cheapest car in the world, it is the ride that Ratan Tata envisioned would get the majority of India on the roads.

Like lots of car guys, I have a very specific weakness for one particular class of automobile. For many, that weakness is for fast, powerful, luxurious, high-end exotics; for me, as a side effect of a condition known medically as "being a bit of a moron," it's cars at the extreme low end of the spectrum.

Remember when the Tata Nano, the world's cheapest production car, was going to conquer the world like an Indian Model T? Tata's now built a gold-encrusted Nano worth $4.6 million as a publicity stunt. I don't recall Henry Ford needing to do that.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama got a private review of the Tata Nano while in India, with Mrs. Obama reportedly sitting behind the wheel. Checking out the competition? H/T to Yash! (Photo Credit: AP) [Economic Times]

The Tata Nano's cheap, tiny, slow, has only low-speed crash protection, occasionally bursts into flames, and now they've cut the roof off and made convertibles. Two exactly. Both designed to ferry passengers on plant tours. Terrifying. (H/T to vavon205) [Wheelosphere]

The $2,500 Tata Nano is the cheapest car in the world, but as Avinash Rajagopal of Change Observer tells us, its low price tag may irreparably damage Indian society. — Ed.

The Tata Nano, the cheapest car in the world, is awash in bad press after four brand-new cars have caught fire in India. Is Tata about to become the Indian Toyota?

Because the Chevy Aveo RS is moving upscale, cheap Americans will need new crap cars to waste their pointless lives in. Crap cars like the Tata Nano, which may end up here in 2013.

The race to the bottom of the market continues as Nissan-Renault boss Carlos Ghosn announced plans for an ultra-cheap micro-car to undercut the current low-cost leading Tata Nano. Wonder if they've considered resin-impregnated cotton fiber for the body, duroplast-Trabant-style? [FinancialTimes]