Indian Autos Thread

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 02 Apr 2009 09:15

More Nano vids:

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 02 Apr 2009 09:22

Tata says the Nano Europa model would also be made available in India:

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 02 Apr 2009 13:16

With all the excitement about the Nano, news of another Tata product has gone a bit under the radar.

Tata Prima

Pininfarina didn't show a new car at this year's Geneva Motor Show, but there was a surprise new model on the Tata stand adorned with the famed Carrozzeria's signature. Called the Tata Prima (meaning 'first' in Italian), the luxury sedan concept is the first official project of the Tata-Pininfarina cooperation.

Photo Gallery of the Prima

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 03 Apr 2009 04:28

2009 Tata Nano - First Drive Review

amit · Post by **amit** » 03 Apr 2009 07:33

Tata to discuss Singur unit with W Bengal

April 02, 2009 19:51 IST
Tata Motors [Get Quote] on Thursday said it will have talks with the West Bengal government on the Singur land when the Nano factory was originally slated to come up, a day after state principal industry Secretary Sabyasachi Sen said the world's smallest car would be made there.

"Tata Motors will discuss with the West Bengal government matters related to the Singur plot, which is on lease with the company," the firm said in a statement when asked about Sabyasachi Sen's claim that the Rs 1 lakh car Nano would "definitely be made in West Bengal".

Sen's comments came seven months after the Tatas announced relocating the Nano facility, citing an adverse political environment in the face of the Trinamool Congress's unrelenting opposition.

"Tata Motors does not have any other information to share," the statement said but did not detail the issues that the company would take up with the state government.

Anyone know what this is all about?

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 03 Apr 2009 07:34

April Fool's?

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 03 Apr 2009 07:57

Meanwhile, here's another news vid on Tata Nano:

I was thinking that once the Nano really takes off and begins transforming Indian society by extending the commuting options, then it stands to reason that the real estate market will feel the follow-on effects of this.

Road congestion will give rise to a clamour over infrastructure inadequacies, which will in turn give rise to more gated communities which this time are built around commuting convenience. This in turn will force real estate developers to improve road connection infrastructure

The emergence of a larger/broader class of people equipped with more robust commuting options would likewise give rise to increased suburban sprawl.

So communities will be more spread out, because they can be, and the ability of people to exercise more choice in where they live will force property developers to improve transport infrastructure or else face the loss of customers to rival developers who do offer such amenities.

Since infrastructure development is no easy task, it would force consolidation of developers into larger outfits who are more capable of taking on such tasks on delivering on them.
Municipal bond markets would also likely experience more activity in connection with more demand for infrastructure, in order to finance such development.

People armed with more robust commuting options would then be likely to flee from areas with poor infrastructure, over to areas with good infrastructure.
Leftists will whine about this increasing class divides, but I'd say that this will allow economically competent people to coalesce and consolidate together into stronger communities more capable of promoting the changes they seek. Meanwhile, the economically incompetent will be left together as a residue of bimaru ghetto communities that will be forced to seek subsidies and help from state govts to get by.

This polarization will ultimately lead to even more consolidation, so that even entire regions could become leftist-majority and rightist-majority.
That would then pave the way for being able to re-draw states, so that economically competent people can emancipate themselves from the grip of left-wing socialist-leaning people.
I'm a big fan of re-drawing Indian states for this purpose. Let the competent live with the competent, let the bimarus live with the bimarus. This will force the bimarus to either sink or swim.

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 03 Apr 2009 19:58

Will never ride Nano, is made of peoples' blood: Mamata

CPM should field a proxy independent candidate against Mamta with the 'Nano' symbol onlee...

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 03 Apr 2009 21:44

^^^^
Real reason she won't ride the nano is because she might have trouble getting inside it in the first place. She's positively corpulent and seems to be increasing in diameter every year. Tata Sumo is more in her line of interest.

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 04 Apr 2009 03:53

There suddenly seems to be a rush to cash in on Tata's global media success with Nano.

Suddenly Jaguar unseats Lexus for, of all things, "quality". Now like anything used for spinning by the west, quality is also a relative term and depends on whom you want to promote at a given point of time

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 19 March 2009 — Buick and Jaguar each rank highest in vehicle dependability in a tie, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS) released today. Buick improves from a sixth-place ranking in 2008, while Jaguar improves from 10th place. Following in the top five rankings this year are Lexus, Toyota and Mercury.

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 04 Apr 2009 11:25

Kaangress is busy appropriating the success of SlumDog for its own campaign, using the song 'Jai Ho', etc.
It won't be long before they appropriate the success of Nano for themselves, too.

Maybe they'll offer a Nano quota for every household that votes for them.

Meanwhile, the anti-India Financial Times of London gets to review the Nano and even they come away somewhat impressed:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3dd8e866-1e65 ... abdc0.html

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 05 Apr 2009 01:11

http://www.ft.com/cms/0e45e12c-0619-11d ... omSearch=n

video

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 05 Apr 2009 13:34

Nano Attention Rubs off on Reva

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 16E7OE.DTL

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 05 Apr 2009 21:22

oops wrong thread,

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 06 Apr 2009 11:00

Final proof that Mamata Bibi is a complete nutcase (or IOW, a closet Paki):

Article Hiyar

From above article:

Four days after the launch of the Nano in Mumbai, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday alleged that the event was timed
with the Lok Sabha elections in mind and was a conspiracy against her. (Yeah yeah you are so important that people will actually waste millions to 'conspire' against you)

"Where is the factory? The car is also not ready. Some parts of cars were bought from malls to make the model cars," she alleged in the programme broadcast by a local news channel.

She must be getting regular supplies from Golden Triangle warlords, Afghan poppy growers association (PGA) and the makers of Paki Zam-zam cola.

amit · Post by **amit** » 06 Apr 2009 12:38

I propose that Mamata Didi be sent to Swat Valley to tame the Tallibunnies there.

Just imagine Muslim Khan trying to flog Didi as two others hold her down.

Katare · Post by **Katare** » 06 Apr 2009 22:44

amit wrote:I propose that Mamata Didi be sent to Swat Valley to tame the Tallibunnies there.

Just imagine Muslim Khan trying to flog Didi as two others hold her down.

You are a bad boy!!

SaiK · Post by **SaiK** » 06 Apr 2009 22:59

She said she would not buy nano, 'cause it was made from blood of "the people"... wondering, wouldn't the same reason has high regard to actually own a car for the sake of supporting those blood. Ever since she said this, I am thinking of buying at least one nano sometime in the future.

KrishnaMu · Post by **KrishnaMu** » 07 Apr 2009 02:44

Sanjay M wrote:Nano Attention Rubs off on Reva

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 16E7OE.DTL

I saw few in Dublin, Ireland. Especially greens are in coaliation govt. they are pushing it. Few free charge points installed as trail. I am not sure about big fat american cities, but it will definately suits chic, windy and sexy european cities though.

http://www.greenaer.ie/news.php

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 07 Apr 2009 09:05

Ok folks I grew up with Morris minor car, then opel, and finally Landmaster/Hillman/Standard super 10 etc.

SO naturally I was mentally think Ratan Tata must also have thought of Morris Minor like car when he saw 6 people on Bjajaj.

So here is what I find after googling.
TATA nano circa 2008/2009

ENGINE 623cc, two cylinders
POWER 33bhp @ 5250rpm
TORQUE 35 lb ft @ 2500rpm
TRANSMISSION 4-speed manual
FUEL/CO2 67mpg/ 110g/km
ACCELERATION 0-62mph: 35.1sec
TOP SPEED 65mph
PRICE £1,390

******

Morris Minor

Circa: 1948-1971; 1,368,291 produced

803 cc A-Series Straight-4,
30 hp (22 kW) at 4800 rpm and
40 lbf·ft (54 N·m) at 2400 rpm

Layout FR layout
Wheelbase 86 in (2184 mm) [1]
Length 148 in (3759 mm)
Width 60 in (1524 mm)
Height 60 in (1524 mm)
Curb weight 1,708 lb (775 kg) (4 door saloon)

A tourer tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1950 had a top speed of 58.7 mph (94.5 km/h) and could accelerate from 0–50 mph (80 km/h) in 29.2 seconds. A fuel consumption of 42 miles per imperial gallon (6.7 L/100 km; 35 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £382 including taxes.

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 07 Apr 2009 09:26

Notice this Standard Super Ten from AP. 1956 model

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 08 Apr 2009 03:11

http://www.freep.com/article/20090407/B ... the+future

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 08 Apr 2009 05:35

Somewhere in Beijing, a PAP jernail must be already on the phone, waving his credit card....

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 08 Apr 2009 07:28

Somebody clue in GM on an already available state-of-art vehicle in this segment [see hiyar]
Maybe they can do joint-technical collaboration

....and meanwhile we are stuck with the gas guzzling Tata Nano

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 08 Apr 2009 08:01

quite a drastic comedown for the red-meat eating, "we hate jap scrap" boys to be working
on a flimsy rickshaw.

I suspect many of the GM/Ford/Chrysler "green" initiatives are just to placate the
public and media and get congressional incentives and tax breaks, not a product plan.

amit · Post by **amit** » 08 Apr 2009 13:33

Raja Bose wrote:....and meanwhile we are stuck with the gas guzzling Tata Nano

What to do we SDRE Injuns are stuck with this gas guzzling Tata Nano because we can't afford the Seagway scooter which just costs between $5000-$7000. See here

Now my overfed fish brain is trying to guess how much this new GM-Seagway contraption is going to cost???

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 08 Apr 2009 13:36

Acharya wrote:

http://www.freep.com/article/20090407/B ... the+future

why do I feel an urge to flip this thing from the back ?

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 10 Apr 2009 09:50

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 10 Apr 2009 10:09

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 10 Apr 2009 10:17

Haha, I like the old guy - "want a real clean environment? go back to the cave age"

ArmenT · Post by **ArmenT** » 10 Apr 2009 10:39

^^^^
The old guy is Rahul Bajaj, Tata's competitor!

bart · Post by **bart** » 10 Apr 2009 12:59

ArmenT wrote:^^^^
The old guy is Rahul Bajaj, Tata's competitor!

And the one of the worst contributors to pollution in India to boot, with his crappy rickshaws.

Not to mention that he is working on a Nano copy with Renault, and is reported to have a hand in the Singur fiasco to delay and drag down Tata.

vina · Post by **vina** » 10 Apr 2009 15:41

Just got back from checking out the Tata Nano (the kind of things you do when you are in an empty office on a long weekend

) . Suffice to say, that it is going to be a smash hit. An ultra , mega hit.

Oodles of space. Very comfortable, should be ideal for a four people to travel in absolute comfort. Beautifully engineered and maximum utilization of space. What was on display was the 'base model' , the no frills one. Huge crowds of people with 4 or 5 guys from different banks offering finance and everything.

For that kind of price, it is definitely worth it. I still remember our first car, the M 800. It felt streets ahead of it in space (M800 is downright claustrophobic ) build quality is pretty decent, just as bare bones in the base version as my dad's first car in the base version (our car wasn't air conditioned either, but it had a fan, while the Nano doesn't). The higher end versions are definietly worth it. I couldnt see them though. The seats in the base model are very comfortable indeed. I was told that the trims in the higher end are much better.

Big MINUS -- > NO CHILD LOCKS for Nano. That is not acceptable for me. They should make that into a law in India, along with child seats. I am aghast when I see Injuns having kids standing on their laps in the front passenger seat or mom holding the baby and sitting without belt in front seat. That lack of safety consciousness, especially for your loved ones is something I simply dont get. How much more dumb can you get? . You spend a couple of lakhs on a car, but wont spend 3000 Rs to buy a car seat and strap your kid safely in the back ?.

Big crowd of people, each taking turns to sit inside the car and play around. It attracts all kinds of people, from obviously well off IT/Vity types, to the more "posh" , I have R2Ied to India and asking where is the "Gas tank" with Phoren Mohtarma holding baby in her arms kind of dude, to people who have an "auto rickshaw" driverish kind of feel , brusqueness and none of the more civilized "genteelness" kind of guys to kinds who obviously would never have stepped into an auto showroom to buy anything but for the Nano kind of guys..

In short, all kinds of people, ranging from the "posh" types gawking and climbing down, the have scooter , but want car kind of aspirational type, to everyone in between, including bored at work kind of types like me. The Tata dealership is going to be a curious kind of place with all different "classes" mingling around

Checked out the Linea as well. Kind of disappointing after my Lancer. Plastics are 2 notches below in quality (hard touch plastics all around), sit in the back and you feel the "C" pillars nearly graze your head and close around your ears like a head phone , rear seats nowhere as spacious and comfortable as my current car , trunk has lot of space, but a high trunk lid will make hefting suitcases in and out of it a pain. Very mixed feelings about buying a car in that segment. The City is massively overpriced . The Linea's equipment level is good. If only it didnt feel so claustrophobic in the back. Also I simply don't get it. The manufacturers spend millions in homologating the car for India and DON'T put the turn signal stalks for right hand drive ?. What the hell !. Fiat, GM, Ford etc come to my mind here. Atleast the Japanese and Hyundai do the right thing (for Japs, it is easy, they too are right hand drive like in India)

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 10 Apr 2009 20:34

Any body seen the Reva car in India? There must be onlee a few thousand in the country. I read that they sold some cars in London. GoI seems to be giving subsidies.... good luck to the makers.

Rahul M · Post by **Rahul M** » 10 Apr 2009 20:53

^^^
I have. salk lake municipality in kolkata owns a couple. they also had a few electricity driven buses running on a commercial basis that I haven't seen for some time.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 10 Apr 2009 21:35

I was reading the below article and came up on Reva's review.

Delhi Vs. Detroit?
While GM and Chrysler struggle to survive, Indian automakers are building greener and cheaper cars.

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 11 Apr 2009 00:33

Thanks Vina garu for first hand BRF (Our won special correspondent, OWSC) review of nano.

I have one question, can nano accomodate (Fully Loaded Desi Arriving By International Flight = FLDABIF)
Two 65'' bags loaded with 60/70 Pounds weight, two hand bags 10 Kgs and a lap top with driver plus two passengers from typical Indian air port to middle class gulley (lane) in city approx distance of 50 Kms?

TIA

Abhijeet · Post by **Abhijeet** » 11 Apr 2009 01:07

I don't see a lot of high quality choice in the Rs.6-10 lakh market in India. There seem to be various Suzuki models in or just below that range, I think Chevy has the not-very-successful Optra, the Fiat Linea seems just introduced. The Honda City seems like a standout but paying $20K for a car smaller than a Civic really gives me pause. There really don't seem to be a lot of internationally popular models in this segment. And Toyota has nothing in this segment at all AFAIK.

The interior of the Honda City, especially the center console, is clearly of lower level of finish than more international models like the Civic. The pricing of the Accord (Rs.18L, almost $40K) is outrageous.

Oh for a Civic at a fairly priced Rs. 8 lakh, or a BMW 3-series at Rs.16 lakh.

Suraj · Post by **Suraj** » 11 Apr 2009 01:35

Higher local prices are partly due to their being imported fully assembled or in knocked down kit form, rather than being locally manufactured. Import duties decrease going from fully assembled to SKD to CKD to locally sourced/made with some imported components. It's not a bad approach - it incentivizes domestic production rather than lead to capital drain from cheap imported cars.

HariC · Post by **HariC** » 11 Apr 2009 01:55

vina wrote:

Big MINUS -- > NO CHILD LOCKS for Nano. That is not acceptable for me. They should make that into a law in India, along with child seats. I am aghast when I see Injuns having kids standing on their laps in the front passenger seat or mom holding the baby and sitting without belt in front seat. That lack of safety consciousness, especially for your loved ones is something I simply dont get. How much more dumb can you get? . You spend a couple of lakhs on a car, but wont spend 3000 Rs to buy a car seat and strap your kid safely in the back ?.
)

What is good in the US may not be good in india. Child safety is not just child seats in a car, what about scooters, motorcycles, autorickshaws ? it is not just implementable at this stage. Plus there are hell lot of other things that translate into direct benefits more than these child seats - like preventing unattended children from running across the road.