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Tata Nano looks neat, but will world's cheapest car come to U.S?
Tata brings Nano to Detroit
$2,500 Tata Nano shows 'frugal engineering'
Cheap car from India could cost $8,000 in USSwamyG wrote:More "nano meets" onlee
Nobody is going to buy it at 8K.Just read a report today speculating that the NANO would cost $8000 when launched in the US of A.
If the Accent (verna in India) sells for $9,970 sticker, Nano Americana should sell for $4,000. That is simple scaling.If the $8,000 price tag holds true, it would cost far less than the $9,970 Hyundai Accent, currently the car with the lowest base sticker price in the U.S., according to the Edmunds.com automotive Web site. The price excludes shipping.
Std Equipment is:Off-Road Capability
Min ground clearance: 145mm (5.7")
Powertrain
90 amp alternator
Fuel Tank Capacity: 11.9gal.
Recommended fuel : regular unleaded
Fuel Economy Highway: 36mpg
Emissions Type: ULEV II
5 speed manual transmission with overdrive
Front-wheel drive
Fuel Economy City: 27mpg
110hp 1.6L DOHC 16 valve I-4 engine with variable valve control
4.06 axle ratio
500 CCA 55 Ah battery with run down protection
Safety and Security
Front disc/rear drum brakes
Dual front impact airbags
Dual seat mounted side impact airbags
Manually adjustable front head restraints
3 manually adjustable rear head restraints
Manual door locks
Airbag occupancy sensor
Overhead airbags
Seats and Trim
Seating capacity of 5
Manual driver lumbar support
4-way passenger seat adjustment
60-40 folding rear bench seat
Cloth/vinyl seat upholstery
Driver armrest
Front bucket seats
6-way driver seat adjustment
Specs and Dimensions
Bore x stroke : 76.5mm x 87.0mm ( 3.01" x 3.43")
Engine torque: 106 lb.-ft. @ 4,500RPM
Engine horsepower: 110hp @ 6,000RPM
Cylinders: I-4
Engine displacement: 1.6L
Compression ratio: 10.00:1
5 speed transmission
Gear ratios (1st): 3.62
Gear ratios (2nd): 1.95
Gear ratios (3rd): 1.29
Gear ratios (4th): .89
Gear ratios (5th): .73
Gear ratios (reverse): 3.58
Curb weight: 1,119kg (2,467lbs)
GVWR: 3,638lbs.
Exterior length: 4,046mm (159.3")
Exterior body width: 1,694mm (66.7")
Exterior height: 1,471mm (57.9")
Wheelbase: 2,499mm (98.4")
Front tread: 57.9"
Rear tread: 57.5"
Turning radius: 5.0m (16.5')
Front legroom: 1,087mm (42.8")
Rear legroom: 871mm (34.3")
Front headroom: 1,006mm (39.6")
Rear headroom: 960mm (37.8")
Front hiproom: 1,275mm (50.2")
Rear hiproom: 1,240mm (48.8")
Front shoulder room: 1,359mm (53.5")
Rear shoulder room: 1,349mm (53.1")
Passenger volume: 2,611 L (92.2 cu.ft.)
Interior cargo volume: 450L (15.9 cu.ft.)
Interior maximum cargo volume: 450L (15.9 cu.ft.)
Body Exterior
2 doors
Driver and passenger manual remote door mirrors
Black door mirrors
Body-colored bumpers
Clearcoat paint
Rear lip spoiler
Convenience
Manual front windows
Driver and passenger door bins
Full floor console
Manual door locks
Day-night rearview mirror
Front cupholders
Entertainment Features
4 speakers
Integrated roof antenna
Lighting, Visibility and Instrumentation
Halogen aero-composite headlights
Low tire pressure warning
Trip odometer
Tachometer
Auto off headlights
Variable intermittent front windshield wipers
Rear window defroster
Off-Road Capability
Min ground clearance: 145mm (5.7")
Powertrain
90 amp alternator
Fuel Tank Capacity: 11.9gal.
Recommended fuel : regular unleaded
Fuel Economy Highway: 36mpg
Emissions Type: ULEV II
5 speed manual transmission with overdrive
Front-wheel drive
Fuel Economy City: 27mpg
110hp 1.6L DOHC 16 valve I-4 engine with variable valve control
4.06 axle ratio
500 CCA 55 Ah battery with run down protection
Safety and Security
Front disc/rear drum brakes
Dual front impact airbags
Dual seat mounted side impact airbags
Manually adjustable front head restraints
3 manually adjustable rear head restraints
Manual door locks
Airbag occupancy sensor
Overhead airbags
Seats and Trim
Seating capacity of 5
Manual driver lumbar support
4-way passenger seat adjustment
60-40 folding rear bench seat
Cloth/vinyl seat upholstery
Driver armrest
Front bucket seats
6-way driver seat adjustment
Specs and Dimensions
Bore x stroke : 76.5mm x 87.0mm ( 3.01" x 3.43")
Engine torque: 106 lb.-ft. @ 4,500RPM
Engine horsepower: 110hp @ 6,000RPM
Cylinders: I-4
Engine displacement: 1.6L
Compression ratio: 10.00:1
5 speed transmission
Gear ratios (1st): 3.62
Gear ratios (2nd): 1.95
Gear ratios (3rd): 1.29
Gear ratios (4th): .89
Gear ratios (5th): .73
Gear ratios (reverse): 3.58
Curb weight: 1,119kg (2,467lbs)
GVWR: 3,638lbs.
Exterior length: 4,046mm (159.3")
Exterior body width: 1,694mm (66.7")
Exterior height: 1,471mm (57.9")
Wheelbase: 2,499mm (98.4")
Front tread: 57.9"
Rear tread: 57.5"
Turning radius: 5.0m (16.5')
Front legroom: 1,087mm (42.8")
Rear legroom: 871mm (34.3")
Front headroom: 1,006mm (39.6")
Rear headroom: 960mm (37.8")
Front hiproom: 1,275mm (50.2")
Rear hiproom: 1,240mm (48.8")
Front shoulder room: 1,359mm (53.5")
Rear shoulder room: 1,349mm (53.1")
Passenger volume: 2,611 L (92.2 cu.ft.)
Interior cargo volume: 450L (15.9 cu.ft.)
Interior maximum cargo volume: 450L (15.9 cu.ft.)
Suspension/Handling
Front independent strut suspension with anti-roll bar, gas-pressurized shocks
P175/70TR14 BSW AS front and rear tires
Front and rear 14" x 5" steel wheels with full wheel covers
Rear semi-independent torsion beam suspension with gas-pressurized shocks
Speed-sensing hydraulic power-assisted rack-pinion steering
If reports circulated by Autocar are anything to go by, then the next generation Renault Clio will be built in India, alongside the 3 other cars based on the same platform. Yip, you heard it right, the next gen Clio will be based on the V-platform that also spawns the Micra, its sedan variant and a mini-MPV, most likely something similar to the Note.
http://www.wheelsunplugged.com/ViewNews ... ewsid=5450Nissan to begin first made-in-India car production by May 2010
Nissan Motor Company, which had earlier announced its plans to shift production of its Micra cars for the European market from the U.K. to Chennai plans production of its first made-in-India compact car by May.According to PTI, the Japanese auto giant, which also aims to use India as an export hub for Africa and the Middle East, has recently indicated that its Chennai plant would become operational by May 2010 and it will be the sourcing hub for the global compact car for Europe. In India, Nissan plans to add 55 dealerships, some of which would be owners of multiple outlets by 2012:
I really don't expect the Nano to do well in massaland. For one thing I guarantee that it won't find a single male buyer. Big cars are a status symbol and nearly everybody can afford a Honda civic, Ford Focus, or Chevrolet Aveo here. Its a very different car market. The cars I mentioned earlier are the "Low" endNeshant wrote:Nobody is going to buy it at 8K.Just read a report today speculating that the NANO would cost $8000 when launched in the US of A.
Probably a good 1/3rd of that are fees and commissions to various middle men.
They should sell it off a website to cut down on cost. If they lose sight of the car's biggest selling point (cost), it will be a total wash out.
The US media and auto unions will definately want to give it a hostile reception regardless of how good/low cost it is.
Even so, the price should come down significantly over some period of time. That would be an indication that the import duty policy that keeps cars in India so expensive is having its intended effect. There should be some empirical evidence by this point that the policy is working.Suraj wrote:It won't work in such a simple manner because domestic manufacturing means setting up facilities here, whose costs are deferred over the years into the prices of the locally manufactured cars.
hardly anything for a company that large.Nissan to source components worth $40 mn from India by 2012
A consortium of three companies including Jaguar Land Rover has won a �15m award from the government's Technology Strategy Board to help it develop a gas-turbine 'range extender' for electric cars.
pandyan wrote:I wonder if Hyundai Genesis
Not quite. I think Neshant is right in noting that. Infiniti, Lexus and Acura are different brands/badges which have an independent identity and logo as compared to their parents.Surya wrote:Err
you mean exactly the way LExus, Infiniti, Acura do it???![]()
The rear still has the Hyundai badge.After gauging public reaction, Hyundai has decided not to slap on the automaker's swoopy "H" logo onto the Genesis sedan's front grille.
There was also news about Tata and ISRO joining expertise to develop hydrogen fueled vehicles,wonder what happened to it?Tata Motors European Technical Centre plc (TMETC), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Tata Motors, has developed a range of hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial vehicles and is currently undertaking trial runs of these buses and light trucks.
Yup Surya, no arguments on the strong ties that Lexus/Acura/Infiniti share with their respective parents. My point was that Hyundai's Genesis positioning was still a bit different as compared to them.Surya wrote:manish
Its a part step.
In other words I am sure there were interesting internal discussions whether to badge it differently and the costs and headaches on that or do this which is a little step in that direction but does not have to spend as much.
Also for all the badging of Lexus , Acura etc we all know who it belongs to. Hence with Toyota getting a hammering Lexus will too.
Long ago in my studies we had a major branding exercise involving the Infiniti so I can see the arguments.
I agree with Hyundai - no point in all the extra logistics for a seperate badge in the present market. And Hyundai has come a long way and people realise it.
Carl-Peter Forster's move to Tata is not a surprise for those who have been following news from the auto industry - he has been linked with the Tatas from the day he stepped down from his GM job following the Opel-Magna mess. But what is surprising is the role that he has been given. Everybody expected him to be the head of JLR and/or TM Europe - not TM Group CEO.MUMBAI -- Tata Motors Ltd. Monday said it has appointed Carl-Peter Forster as group chief executive of the company.
Apart from looking at Tata Motor's India operations -- local and exports -- Mr. Forster will also be responsible for its companies overseas including U.K.-based premium brands Jaguar and Land Rover, the country's largest auto maker by sales said in a statement.
It does not happen that way. This is only for Tata Motors.manish wrote:
The appointment should be seen in the backdrop of recent statements coming out of Bombay House saying that Ratan Tata's successor need not necessarily come from within the Tata Group or from India - the head of Tata Motors would be a very strong candidate for any succession plans in place at the Group level. Ravi Kant and R K Krishna Kumar have often been tipped as favourites, but age is a factor that both have going against them.
Acharya avare, I am not implying that it will happen this way. Just saying that he would be a natural candidate as head of TM, especially given the earlier public announcements regarding potential foreign candidacies for Ratan N Tata's job.Acharya wrote:It does not happen that way. This is only for Tata Motors.manish wrote:
The appointment should be seen in the backdrop of recent statements coming out of Bombay House saying that Ratan Tata's successor need not necessarily come from within the Tata Group or from India - the head of Tata Motors would be a very strong candidate for any succession plans in place at the Group level. Ravi Kant and R K Krishna Kumar have often been tipped as favourites, but age is a factor that both have going against them.
Tata Sons holding is the key. That person will be the successor to Ratan.