[navdeep]

Originally Posted by directinjection

We're all keen to know your source. Spy pics would be welcome too.
Tushky, are you listening?

Incidentally, the small car mock-up displayed at the Tata stall in the 1998 Auto Expo (in which Indica was unveiled) was named ZING.

Source is NET.. will find out ( and post ) where I read it.

[navdeep]

Here it is

The Hindu Business Line : Tata's Rs 1-lakh car: Is it `Jeh'?

[sbasak]

I wonder where Tata exactly aims to sell this - in India or overseas? Because the closest international rival (size wise) of this car I can imagine is Smart for two which costs a bomb. This car can be a very popular in congested European cities where as Indians will probably be better of buying a used M800.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by navdeep

Here it is

The Hindu Business Line : Tata's Rs 1-lakh car: Is it `Jeh'?

Thanks Navdeep!

I'm confused by the engine capacity (660 CC) stated in the article.
It's been speculated all along that the 1L car engine is derived from Indica's by slicing away two cylinders from the block. But 660 CC twin translates into 1320 CC four and that's not a size we see on the Indica. So may be this engine is an all-new design (somewhat unlikely given Tata's cost-consciousness) or has been sourced from an outside vendor. Or perhaps they've rebored the Indica head.

Of course it's also possible that the figure mentioned in the article is incorrect.

[autocrazy]

I do not know if this video will work in India, but this is what Channel 4 in Uk reported.

Channel 4 - News - Hot stuff: India's £1,000 car

As for the engine, it is a brand new engine and not the 1.4L of the Indica sliced into half!

[ashutoshb]

Ratan Tata's 'one lakh car' seems to be getting the finishing touches. The enigine may be roaring soon and it could be named after the legendary JRD, reports CNBC-TV18.
The heart of Rs 1 lakh car is ready. The engine of the world's cheapest car will be fired soon. In fact, it could be, as early as, in the next 2 months. The car is a four door, four seater. The car will house a 600 cc engine, India's first perhaps, along with an option of a slightly higher engine, perhaps an 800 cc as well.
The company has been performing tests and the engine has seen many changes in the past four months. While the engine may be ready, the car will only be rolled out next May when the Tata Motor's plant in Singur goes online.
The vendors and suppliers to the car have almost been finalised. Bosch is supplying the engine kit, both petrol and diesel, while, Lumax will provide the lights. Sona Koyo and Rane will put in the steering. Shriram Pistons will obviously supply the pistons for the engine while Ricoh Auto will add the clutch. Sources say, the iconic car could be named after the Tata Group founder JRD Tata. Infact, it may be called Jeh.
At the Geneva motor show, Ratan Tata had said the engine of the car will be fitted on the rear. The wind shield will drop down in the front and it will sport a steel body. The base model will be non-AC, and there will be several variants. The car will meet international standards on emission and crash tests. The company will primarily sell the car in the Indian market but may consider exporting it to international markets like Malaysia, Indonesia and Africa at a later stage.

Moneycontrol India :: News :: Tatas' Rs 1 lakh car may be called Jeh :: :: Wheels :: Ratan Tata, JRD, one lakh car, Jeh,Tata Group, car, cheapest, emission, Ricoh Auto, Tata Motors, Sona Koyo, vendor, supplier

[GeekSrik]

so how about base model (no steering, no ac, no windows, wooden seats) - 1 lakh - at 1 lac
next model - steering, windows, no ac, cushion seats @ 1.5 lacs
the next higher - ac, power steering and power windows at 2.75 lacs

reminds me of a train berth. i will live to see the 1 lac car day.

[autocrazy]

Originally Posted by GeekSrik

so how about base model (no steering, no ac, no windows, wooden seats) - 1 lakh - at 1 lac
next model - steering, windows, no ac, cushion seats @ 1.5 lacs
the next higher - ac, power steering and power windows at 2.75 lacs

reminds me of a train berth. i will live to see the 1 lac car day.

Atleast the one lac car gives you reasons to live. Also it is Ratan Tata who has taken the challenge and it is Tata Motors that shall deliver.

[iraghava]

If it comes to the market at that price can you guys even imagine what chaos will reign on our roads? The Infrastructure is nothing to even talk about & this on slaught of so many new cars it's going to be virtual hell to drive on our roads.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by GeekSrik

reminds me of a train berth. i will live to see the 1 lac car day.

What exactly reminds you of a train berth? Do you have ANY idea what you're talking about?

[Desert fox]

"JEH" is it? Excellent! signifies the same spirit of the Tata's. Remember the sarcasm expressed by the Briton's when J.N Tata evinced confidence in making steel on par with International standards in India?

Same sarcasm is circling around auto industry on Tata's pulling of the 1 lakh car. When it happens, it is going to be another milestone achived.

As for my humble personal view,even though i may never buy it,i will be mighty happy for Tata's

[Centro-P]

I for one will be extremely pleased when TATA launches this car. It would be good to see millions of Indians finally get a car. Atleast then the government would do something to fix the roads in the cities. It would be nice if they could export this car to nearby countries, could bring billions in profit. Am pretty sure that there are people in our neighboring countries that can afford a bike but not a car. This would be an instant hit there. Way to go TATA keep it up and make India proud!!

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by Centro-P

I for one will be extremely pleased when TATA launches this car. It would be good to see millions of Indians finally get a car. Atleast then the government would do something to fix the roads in the cities. It would be nice if they could export this car to nearby countries, could bring billions in profit. Am pretty sure that there are people in our neighboring countries that can afford a bike but not a car. This would be an instant hit there. Way to go TATA keep it up and make India proud!!

I agree. Many on this forum have argued that the roads will just become more conjested. Well, heres my take on this:
> Most of the people who have commented on this are from the big cities where traffic is a problem. But Tata's cars are not just for the cities.
> Even the M800 just a little more that the Tata, but you can see that it is not really selling like hot cakes. So, it might not really be that much of hotseller in the cities
> I always believe that people should have the choice of what they want. And the goverment should support it. The cost of ownership is bound to go up in cities one way or the other [with toll roads etc]. The government will be forced to make good roads. Tata or no Tata, good public transport is the real solution rather than say dont have innovative new cars.
> Pollution wise, cars have a lower pollution levels because of stricter norms. If you are worried about pollution norms, make the norms stricter. In all probability Tata's cars might be better on the envirnoment than M800 [comparing to m800 as thats the only car in that segment as of now].
> Further, cars in India cost phenominally more than the same ones in US. Logically they should cost less if globally used best practices are used. If Tata has used some good practices, and hence got down the price of the car, it may be a much better value for money option than the 800. Lets wait and see how it goes.

So, lets see the car first and then comment on it if it is really that bad.

[GeekSrik]

While i appreciate the sentiment behind tata trying to launch a 1 lac car, just think of the following too:

1. a 1 lac car with 10% road tax and 12.25% vat would cost atleast 1.25 lacs OTR delhi, and slightly higher than that say in bangalore, unless there is a one country one price scheme.

2. the reva starting at 3.2 lacs has no rollable windows but only slidable ones for some reason, so i m not sure how much knocking down will happen for the 1 lakh jeh

3. maruti tried to bring in the TWIN (which used both petrol and electicity) and it was costing them 2.5 lacs, but due to the fact that it had to be totally imported it costed them double almost 5 lacs. but it was only a feasibility and they never really brought it across. that would've been the first car if they could have managed it at 2.5 lacs that was a 2 seater that had good technology at that point of time (2 yrs before!)

4. not to again discourage tata, but i would see maruti just reducing the price of 800 by about a lakh or so when the tata jeh happens.

5. the singur row seems never ending and there could be a possibility of delay for the car to come out.

6. the 800 cc maruti with 4 people with a/c and decent bit of luggage runs like a 300 or 400 cc (after i had 2 cars of the same kind) and the pickup was unbearable in the city itself, leave alone the highways, i wonder how a 600 cc (perhaps even a new peppy engine) would be able to cope the load similarly.


yes i do agree with the fact that it will benefit millions of people who are migrating from the bike to a car. it will be a dream come true for them no doubt.

its worth seeing how this project goes about.

[kpbhatt]

One more feature that has not oft been discussed is that the tranny for the JEH is going to be a CVT -- this CVT has been sourced from Kinetic Motors who initially had plans for making a M800 Competitor somewhere in the late 90s. The reason for CVT is to make the car more drivable in all scenarios and to attract a host of female drivers -- who for some or the other reason take to it like fish to water rather than using a manual tranny