[hrag]

Originally Posted by sbasak

One thought often ingtrigues me, why the autorickshaw was never considered as a private transport! Couldn't we make its price lower so that everyone can afford one?

As typeonegative has said, it is the prestige factor - the same reason why some people avoid the Indica / Indigo for personal buys.

[car_crazy1400]

Saw this news on a news channel as well (headlines today)-

Ratan Tata: One lac car to have 4 doors, rear engine, 600 c.c, 30 bhp(only?)

[navdeep]

Tata Motors and the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) signed the lease agreement for the Rs 1 lakh car project today.

Tata Motors confirmed the development but refused to give more details.

http://business-standard.com/common/...N&autono=21289

[amit]

Apparently, Tata commented that one of the major reasons for developing the low cost car was the lack of safety for two wheeler rider's. This ticked off Rahul Bajaj and he called the whole one lac car project a gimmick.

Source: Tata's talk of small car, a gimmick: Rahul Bajaj.

[johy]

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

Emphasising that the Tatas have “more than enough evidence” of involvement of a competitor behind the protests against the company's prestigious Rs one lakh car project at Singur, Tata group chief Ratan Tata today said he would name the company “at an appropriate time.” “We have more than enough evidence of the involvement of a competitor (behind the trouble). I am not known to make frivolous comments,” Tata told FE, when asked to reveal the name of the company that was behind the trouble at Singur, where the company is constructing a greenfield plant for its ambitious small car.Tata emphasised, “We will name it at an appropriate time or if I am aggravated enough. It is still not near my patience levels.”
.......................


Maruti Udyog, had dared the Tatas to name the competitor he felt had tried to derail the project. “I don't know which competitor he is talking about. Since he has the knowledge, he should tell it," Khattar had said. The Maruti MD had even added: "We don't do all these things (scuttling a rival's project). We believe in healthy competition.”



Source:
Tata stops short of naming rival behind Singur botch

Losers complain and that is sadly what exactly Dear Mr. Tata is doing. Complaining the Singur episode brought bad publicity, bad media, and bad blood. Well, it has been badly handled to say the least.

Originally Posted by amit

Apparently, Tata commented that one of the major reasons for developing the low cost car was the lack of safety for two wheeler rider's. This ticked off Rahul Bajaj and he called the whole one lac car project a gimmick.

Source: Tata's talk of small car, a gimmick: Rahul Bajaj.

Lack of safety, eh? Let's be serious. What kind of safety does Mr. Tata think he can give us with a 1-lac car? Okay, better than a two wheeler - agreed, but how safe? Safe enough for my wife to reach the kids to school? Also, we have been hearing about this 1-lac for a long time now - 1 lac is a fraction of what it used to be when the think tank first conjured up the 1-lac car. Yes, sad, but true - the TATAs have used the 1-lac "gimmick" to garner public support, government patronage, and the like.

Come when it may at whatever cost they deem fit, how many of us would daringly love to drive one of those cars? On the roads....in the midst of traffic, to work, with wife and children. You can count me out.

[man23ish]

Originally Posted by typeOnegative

I think it is the prestige thing at play here. In Sri Lanka, most auto-rickshaws are for private transport. An auto here should be between 1 - 1.5 lakhs I think.

Rs 75,000/- to 90,000 only depending on the road taxes in different states. I've seen auto-rickshaws being used as private vehicles in small towns. Heck, even a few people abroad have imported "Hamara Bajaj", Europeans and Americans find it cool to hop into the rickety rickshaw for a ride. Remember the last time Angelina Jolie was in Pune?

[LandCruiser]

There will not be any safety features available in that car. Ahem! May be the doors and windshield are the safety features (to protect you from dust, heat)!

Petrol is not going to sold for less for these cars alone. Assuming the 1L car gives 20kmpl mileage, just doing 40000 kms will cost you more than the car's price itself.

But I believe the car wont last till 40k kms! In case of accident, think of just like some one being in a cardboard box being run over by a water lorry! Sad!

[maxbhp]

I feel Tata should have developed this one for the Taxi/Auto segment and keep it out of private use coz am sure Traffic volume may well explode over the containable level.

[Rarrps]

Hi!

Many people say that now tata possibly cannot sell the 1 Lakh car for 1 Lakh because of the price rise etc. But consider the following.

Think about the Bugatti Veyron, on Top Gear they said that its selling price is about $1 Million but costs $5 Million (Not sure about the exact amount) to make. Similarly Zen (Read about it long ago) was being sold for more than it was worth but in return 800 was cheap. So may be Tata can sell their 1 Lakh car at a loss but can get that money from Indica and other vehicles.

So what do you think???

[gd1418]

A lot of water has flown under the bridge and a lot many opinions, for & against, have been expressed here including some lampooning of Ratan Tata.

My two cents: I dunno about 2-wheeler drivers of other cities, but here in Delhi & Gurgaon I've been seeing family of 3 and very often 4 travelling on 2-wheeler, precariously perched on those 2 seats. A total trafic hazard for the biker & other moving traffic as well. And at many times have seen expectant mothers in advanced stage of prgnancy pillion riding. I can go on but will restrict since this would generally give an idea. Add the vagaries of weather one faces as well.

Now, coming to the point, an average 2-wheeler, leaving aside the Scooty or the Peppy (pardon me if I got the name wrong) costs nearly half a lakh of rupees. Imagine if the below 1 lakh car from the Tata stable comes, how many bikers will find succour in terms of head cover, safety etc. I'm not discounting the thrill of biking and neither am I discouraging buying a 2-wheeler. I'm simply trying to convey that carrying your family, an infant in hand, very old parents & expectant mothers on a 2-wheeler is a BIG hazard.

[maxbhp]

Originally Posted by Rarrps

Hi!

Many people say that now tata possibly cannot sell the 1 Lakh car for 1 Lakh because of the price rise etc. But consider the following.

Think about the Bugatti Veyron, on Top Gear they said that its selling price is about $1 Million but costs $5 Million (Not sure about the exact amount) to make. Similarly Zen (Read about it long ago) was being sold for more than it was worth but in return 800 was cheap. So may be Tata can sell their 1 Lakh car at a loss but can get that money from Indica and other vehicles.

So what do you think???

In the case of Bugatti , I dont think the manufacturing cost per car is 5 million rather its that they have to sell for 5 million per car inorder to generate profit from the whole project of Dr.Ferdi

[Equus]

Yep, the 3 wheeler segment (for city commute) would be very interested. No wonder Mr Bajaj is pretty scared!

[harishsegar]

I find the concept interesting.. but considering indian adherence to road rules.. one must really ask this question again.. Do we really need these vehicles??

I doubt if these vehicles can do over 70 / 80kmph. We already have moving road blocks such as bullock carts.. cycles.. two wheelers.. those crazy 3 wheelers and now this!!

Knowing indians.. i wouldnt be surprised to find 4-5 people jammed in these cars doing 20kmph (considering load) on the fast lane of the highway....

[ajitkommini]

Originally Posted by harishsegar

I find the concept interesting.. but considering indian adherence to road rules.. one must really ask this question again.. Do we really need these vehicles??

I doubt if these vehicles can do over 70 / 80kmph. We already have moving road blocks such as bullock carts.. cycles.. two wheelers.. those crazy 3 wheelers and now this!!

Knowing indians.. i wouldnt be surprised to find 4-5 people jammed in these cars doing 20kmph (considering load) on the fast lane of the highway....

I guess the idea is that these cars will eventually replace most of those 2 and crazy 3 wheelers - so at least the pavements will be free of traffic jams if not the roads.

[chaxy]

Instead of making cheaper vehicles, car makers in india should focus on making safer and fuel efficient cars. With the current state of traffic conditions in india, a 1 Lak car will make the life of an average commuter all the more unsafe.