It’s been in the news for a long time now and if all the propaganda wasn’t enough to satisfy the skeptics, here’s one more that is probably more convincing.
Tata Motors has officially announced a launch date for its 21st century miracle – June 2008. By the end of 2008, you’d probably see these moon buggies scooting around in every part of the country. Due to the insurmountable task of this creation and the unstoppable inflation, fears were that the ‘1 lakh car’ would end up being pricier say a ‘3 lakh car’. With the launch just a few months away, these fears are safely put to rest. The number is still close to 1, 00,000. This means $2275 for the dollar Indian and £1250 for the British desi. Enough said.
In India,
owning a car has always been a dream ever since PAL produced the first one in 1946. In spite of the entry of several foreign auto makers with their bags full of flashy
wheels, a car still remains a not-so-easily-affordable luxury and thus a decent status symbol, especially for those less affected by the economic boom or strong IT influences.
BMW-driving farmers in or around Delhi don’t make the set.
Where there’s innovation, there’s competition! The other way around holds true as well. There’s never a dearth of thinkers in this world – Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Copernicus, Newton, Einstein, and now can we say Tata. Everyone knows the importance of the mini car. An extra wheel on Bajaj’s auto-rickshaw would probably make a decent car and also beat the competition by miles. But that’s not what Tata is looking to make. “It will look like a car and have proper seating. Stretched canvas seats would not, for example, be acceptable. It would be all right for it to be a bit noisier than an ordinary car, but it has to be both simple and safe.” says Ratan Tata, chief honcho at Tata Motors.
Power windows, heated seats,
ABS, cruise control, a DVD entertainment system, and an MP3-capable
audio system are probably NOT the features that will be standard. However, a 4-door spacious car with rack and pinion steering, a rear engine, 5-passenger capacity, and a gearbox is definitely good enough! It is easy to assume the car would be run by belts attached to guinea pigs on rollers. However, Tata will offer a 30 bhp 600cc petrol engine and a choice of either a manual transmission or a CVT automatic. A diesel engine option will also be available.
Will Tata’s ‘1 lakh car’ push the two-wheelers out of business? It would probably affect sales of high-end motorcycles selling a little below the 1 lakh mark. Tata’s dream project could take away a quarter of the market from the motorcycle makers. But low running costs and fuel efficiency will always play a major role in the Indian auto segment. Hence, the presence of two-wheelers cannot be ignored.
