Brand new car for $2,400?

[T3rminator]

India to produce $2,400 car
Last Updated Thu, 18 May 2006 15:05:37 EDT
CBC News
India's Tata Motors has announced plans to build a five-seater family car that will cost about $2,400 new – less than half the price charged by its competitors for their cheapest offerings in India.


Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors, hopes to give India its first 'people's car' Associated Press
"We have decided to locate this rather revolutionary plant, which we hope will give India its true 'people's car,' in West Bengal," Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata said at a press conference on Thursday.

Tata hopes to price the car so that millions of Indians who now can't afford anything more than a scooter or motorcycle will be able to become vehicle owners.

The cheapest new cars in India are now no-frills compact models made by Maruti Udyog, which is majority owned by Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp. Maruti's cheapest models now cost upwards of $5,000.

How can Tata make a $2,400 car? Tata said he's planning to use less steel and more plastic. Strong adhesives would also take the place of welding, he said.

That has raised safety questions in the eyes of Tata's competitors. Suzuki's chief executive said Tata's $2,400 car plan wasn't "feasible" in light of tighter standards coming into effect in India.

Prototypes of the car are already being tested at another company facility, Tata said. The first cars will come off the assembly line in 2008.

The new plant will cost $250 million and will create 12,000 jobs in West Bengal – a state that hasn't attracted much investment recently because it's governed by a communist-led coalition. The Tata facility will be the first auto plant in West Bengal.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/business/nat.../cheapcar.html

[BPXR6T]

A nation as populous as india getting mobile. Get out your sun block, bye bye ozone layer...

[LUXO_8]

hello $5 per litre..........

[scotty_d]

That's great, now there is going to be more demand for fuel.

Edit: MADNC 8 you beat me to it.

[marcosambrose]

Originally Posted by scotty_d

That's great, now there is going to be more demand for fuel.

Edit: MADNC 8 you beat me to it.

Its a global issue, australians are lucky with petrol, i say deal with it, work harder, buy less alcohol...like it or lump it.

[WILDTRAKPX2]

Global flood of used camels, elephants, donkeys and bicycles coming up. God blimey.

[Fletty's EL]

Haha... used camels I like it. Can anyone else see a camel import market happening?

[BPXR6T]

Originally Posted by Fletty's EL

Haha... used camels I like it. Can anyone else see a camel import market happening?

Yeah, I can see a market for bling camels in south west sydney...

[TUF_302]

Thats less than i paid for my falcon and it was 12 years old when i got it!!

[scotty_d]

Originally Posted by marcosambrose

Its a global issue, australians are lucky with petrol, i say deal with it, work harder, buy less alcohol...like it or lump it.

I am dealing with it, doesn't mean I have to like it. I'd just be happier if they stuck to there scooters. lol.

[ltd]

Originally Posted by FourBarrel

Yeah, I can see a market for bling camels in south west sydney...

LMFAO.

How many camels will now have BMW badges and M3 stuck on their rear quarters now?

FUN FACT:

Australia is the biggest exporter of camels in the world.
Our camels are preferred over others as they are the only ones that are not "interfered with".

Back on topic, tata have had some light trucks brought to Australia in the last ten years I believe, and they're cheap as chips.

[FASTXR]

How can Tata make a $2,400 car? Tata said he's planning to use less steel and more plastic. Strong adhesives would also take the place of welding, he said.

Excellent. The money you save on the car can go towards more health insurance and a pre-paid funeral plan...

[XplosiveR6]

Originally Posted by FourBarrel

A nation as populous as india getting mobile. Get out your sun block, bye bye ozone layer...

Even with the huge population that India has, it still wont be as bad as the USA's 20 MILLLION BARRELS PER DAY usage!!

if you want to blame someone for oil usage, blame the americans, they take the cake

[BPXR6T]

Originally Posted by ltd

How many camels will now have BMW badges and M3 stuck on their rear quarters now?

I was thinking more along the lines of camels with a fooly sik bling bling third hump and subwoofer jammed up there ar$e...

[XR8putts]

How about you people blame yourselves for the cost of petrol?

You all own a car. Why can't they (Indians). Good on them I say, they shouldn't not start driving cars just so western countries can have cheap(ish) petrol for longer.
With the general attitude in this thread its "I want to drive my car, but you can't drive yours - because theres too many of you and not enough petrol"

[Gilesie]

Originally Posted by EF_Dave

Even with the huge population that India has, it still wont be as bad as the USA's 20 MILLLION BARRELS PER DAY usage!!

if you want to blame someone for oil usage, blame the americans, they take the cake

and I see that you are driving a fuel efficient car (NOT)
dont point fingers if you are as bad as the next next bloke

[Falcon Coupe]

I'd like to see how the crash test dummy goes in this car, especially if they ride them like trains.

[XR8 Uterous]

Originally Posted by Falcon Coupe

I'd like to see how the crash test dummy goes in this car, especially if they ride them like trains.

Not very well im guessing.

[Dazza XLT]

Ya get what you pay for.
It will probably have a sticker inside the car... "Zippie Ties were extensively used in the making of this car"

[Smoked]

Hmmmmm, reliabilty will be an issue, perhaps they could get the cars to run on opium, that would solve the fuel issue, as india has an abundance of opium.

[parawolf]

Originally Posted by Darran

... "Zippie Ties were extensively used in the making of this car"

So the difference between indian zippie ties and the average e-mutant is what now? :dr_Evil:

[Dazza XLT]

Originally Posted by parawolf

So the difference between indian zippie ties and the average e-mutant is what now? :dr_Evil:

Nope, fresh out of E Series falcons here.
But I reckon I would feel safer in an E Series. The "Strong adhesives would also take the place of welding" put me off... :

[Scott]

Originally Posted by puts99

How about you people blame yourselves for the cost of petrol?

You all own a car. Why can't they (Indians). Good on them I say, they shouldn't not start driving cars just so western countries can have cheap(ish) petrol for longer.
With the general attitude in this thread its "I want to drive my car, but you can't drive yours - because theres too many of you and not enough petrol"

How about you re-read the posts before yours where nothing was mentioned about who should be allowed to do what. There must be an anorexic, lesbian whale that needs your attention far more than this thread.

[HLC]

Originally Posted by marcosambrose

Its a global issue, australians are lucky with petrol, i say deal with it, work harder, buy less alcohol...like it or lump it.

now here's a thought... if cars could be powered by alcohol, or petrol made drinkable, all my expenses would be combined into one.

[RSgerry]

will it have leather seats?

[Scott]

No leather seats unfortunately, but it will have Passenger Side Sand Bags!

[YuGoStaR]

I'd rather stick to the scooter...as if you'd drive that thing.

[XplosiveR6]

Originally Posted by Gilesie

and I see that you are driving a fuel efficient car (NOT)
dont point fingers if you are as bad as the next next bloke

ok mate, whatever, my car is an average 6 cyl family car, it doesnt use anywhere near as much fuel as some of the Amrican SUV's and Tucks which are the most selling types of cars in the US, hell the ford F150 is the best selling car in the US, and your sooking over my average family sedan, which uses maby 2litres more then your compact corrolla every 100 kays. So how is my car getting 12l/100kms as bad as some of the SUV's getting double, or even tripple that (hummer) that again!

God forbit anyone to blame the US, lets just blame the Asians, its easier, for using half of what america uses, whilst the US only having a fraction of the population

[opium]

Originally Posted by Smoked

Hmmmmm, reliabilty will be an issue, perhaps they could get the cars to run on opium, that would solve the fuel issue, as india has an abundance of opium.

Mmmm I like that idea.

[max]

Originally Posted by FourBarrel

A nation as populous as india getting mobile. Get out your sun block, bye bye ozone layer...

Just possibly, in the fullness of time, they may eventually replace a lot of the smoke belching two-stroke little monsters that choke the roads now and actually reduce smog rather than increase it. But then again, this may be negated by the pollution caused by toxic smoke coming from the burning plastic and adhesives when they come together in the frequent road smashes India is renowned for!