MUMBAI (AFP) - - India's Tata Motors on Monday launched the world's cheapest car, the Nano, hoping to revolutionise travel for millions and buck a slump in auto sales caused by the global economic crisis.
Company boss Ratan Tata said the no-frills vehicle, slated to cost just 100,000 rupees (2,000 dollars) for the basic model, will get India's middle-class urban population off motorcycles and into safer, affordable cars.
"I think we are at the gates of offering a new form of transport to the people of India and later, I hope, other markets elsewhere in the world," he said, describing the launch as a "milestone."
"The present economic situation makes it somewhat... more attractive to the buying public," he told reporters in Mumbai.
The wraps were taken off three Nanos -- dubbed "The People's Car" -- at a glitzy, open-air ceremony at a south Mumbai sports ground.
Tata confirmed that the basic model would be 100,000 rupees direct from the factory, not including tax and transportation. The cheapest showroom price is 112,735 rupees.
Potential owners of the car -- which is just over three metres (10 feet) long and has a top speed of 105 kilometres (65 miles) per hour -- can apply between April 9 and 25, Tata managing director Ravi Kant said.
A ballot will then select 100,000 people to be the first to get the keys to the vehicle and deliveries will start in early July 2009, he added.
Even affluent Indians are eyeing up the Nano , which has a two-cylinder engine and four-speed manual transmission but no air conditioning, electric windows or power steering.
Versions with air conditioning and power steering will be available, costing up to 170,335 rupees for a deluxe model straight from the factory floor, or 185,375 from a Mumbai showroom.
Shares in Tata Motors on India's 30-share Sensex index jumped eight percent in early trade but finally closed 2.8 percent up on profit-taking.
Car dealers say they have been flooded with queries about the Nano, whose debut was delayed after violent protests over the acquisition of farmland to build the plant, forcing Tata Motors to shift from West Bengal state.
But the new plant in Gujarat in western India will not be ready until late this year or early 2010, Tata said, meaning production must come from existing factories, reducing output and increasing waiting times for deliveries.
Kant said 250,000 to 500,000 cars could be produced from the Gujarat plant from next year but admitted some customers may have to wait more than 12 months in the meantime to take possession of their Nano.
Tata, though, said it was the right decision to push ahead with Monday's launch of the 20-billion-rupee project.
The Nano's arrival comes at a tough time for India's top vehicle maker, hit by the economic slowdown at home and abroad as it tries to absorb the British luxury marques Jaguar and Land
Rover that it bought last year for 2.3 billion dollars.
Tata is hoping the Nano will also be a hit overseas in the long term.
Earlier this month, the firm unveiled a European Nano sporting airbags and leather trim that will hit the market by 2011 but be costlier than in India due to the extra features.
A US version is also on the drawing board but requires redesigning to meet American safety standards.
Environmentalists, however, fear the Nano will accelerate congestion on India's already crowded, pot-holed roads and add to choking pollution.
"Every car that goes on the road is going to use road space. We're only adding to congestion," said Rajendra Pachauri, head of the UN's climate panel, which won the 2007 Nobel Prize.
Tata countered by saying that the Nano would be the least polluting car in India
Princess UK, Princess United State Of America, Princess United State Of America, Princess Car, Princess Cars, Princess USA, Princess USA
Popular Posts
-
Imam Syafie merupakan seorang ulama yang cukup banyak memberi sumbangan terhadap menggubal dan memperjelas hukum hakam dalam Al Qur...
-
TAHU MAKAN JEEEEE....ADAKAH IA HALALLLLL ? erkk...assalamualaikumm..seperti kamu semua sedia maklum bahawa ezza adalah spesis makhluk yang s...
-
Mcm biasalah hari2 aku kan,duk kat umah saja....Semakin hari semakin bosan okeh....Rindu nak jln2 tanpa ada rasa sakit...huk huk huk So hari...
-
Aku sebenarnya br lps baca entri salah seorang kenalan aku,dia menceritakan tentang tempat makan di "Little Penang Cafe,KLCC" .......
-
Setiap manusia mempunyai dua kelenjar dinamakan tonsil yang terletak di bahagian kiri dan kanan rongga mulut (orofarinks) atau bahasa mudahn...
-
Selamat berpuasa semua....Bersahur apa pagi td???Aku????Jgn lah ditanya..... (Malew).... hihihihi.... Dah lama aku x menghirup udara ptg di ...
-
Assalamualaikum n Aloha!! Aliaa sangat suka baca cite ni,jadi Aliaa rase nak share dengan korang n korang pun perlu tau,especially bagi oran...
-
Kita stop sat na citer "Percutian ke Bandung" ,nanti kita sambung ok....Nie kita buka citer pasal "Late Lunch" smlm......
-
Demographics: o World Jewish Population. 14 million o Distribution: 7m in America ...
-
assalamualaikum dan selamat petangg...arghhhh....pagi tadi cik aku bangun tekejut...ade ke patot aku mimpi di peluk lelaki berbadan besarrr...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Imam Syafie merupakan seorang ulama yang cukup banyak memberi sumbangan terhadap menggubal dan memperjelas hukum hakam dalam Al Qur...
-
Assalamualaikum & Aloha!! Malam nie Aliaa nak bercerita tentang nikmatnya bersama bidadari syurga , bidadari syurga adalah ciptaan Allah...
-
TAHU MAKAN JEEEEE....ADAKAH IA HALALLLLL ? erkk...assalamualaikumm..seperti kamu semua sedia maklum bahawa ezza adalah spesis makhluk yang s...
-
Assalamualaikum n Aloha!! cantiknya bunga matahari..subhanaAllah :) Ada sebuah hadis yang bersumber daripada Ummul Mukminin Saidatina Aisyah...
-
oke , ni bukan awek kilang bogel ,ni kembaq aku , nora danish ..eh .korang tak pasan ke muka aku ala2 nora danish ?hikkhikkk..heppp heppp ! ...
-
Jumaat lps,aku dpt jemputan ke majlis berendoi anak saudaranya.... Hahaha,aku gunakan gambar yg sama seperti entri yg sebelum nie... hihihih...
-
HOlla Bloggers, Dah tengok KL Gangster ? Pada aq, ni salah satu filem Malaysia arahan Syamsul Yusuf yang perlu anda tonton tahun ini!!! Ke...
-
HOlla Bloggers.. Skali lagi KRU Studio mengegarkan peminat-peminat filem tanah air, tetapi untuk pertama kali mempertaruhkan filem horror ...
-
assalamualaikumm...lambat pulak ezza update hari ni...usha2 belog sudah di tegur oleh mokcik AINI YANG KACAK MACAM SAYA sebab sunyiii je.....
-
Berbagai hadits shahih menyatakan bahwa Imam Mahdi akan hadir di Makkah dan dibaiat para pemuda yang berjumlah 313 orang, suatu jumlah yang ...
No comments:
Post a Comment