Chancer Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Tata in India have just unveiled their new basic car, it is a 5 door hatchback styled like a smart car but bigger for the extra seats.The price is 100,000 rupees or 1700 Euros!, another report said "less than 1800 Euros so ther may have been some journalistic license on the exchange rate.The chairman said that initially it is for the domestic market but said that in time they would export an EU conforming model.Given the way that many complex manufactured consumer articles have fallen dramatically in price with far eastern manufacture and the Renault Logan already in production I think that we will see far more manufacturers following. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Not if they undercut local production by too much though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Got any pictures/links?Now all I need is the £6000 car wax to go with it and I'm sorted [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Here you go...http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3234,36-997614@51-997626,0.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I think that's pretty kewl!I have 2 sons in the UK that would like one I think as presumably they're RHD and the insurance etc can't be that much on a 623 cc motor. Hmmmmm.... now how would you go about getting and registering it...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbu Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Does anyone remember the Peugeot TV advert where an old, Indian-produced, Morris/Austin (I think) was changed to a Peugeot (well almost) with the judicious use of hammers and an elephant? I wonder what the engineering standards of this little baby are... if memory serves (and at my age it frequently doesn't) the latest City Rover (or similar name) was produced in India and got a general thumbs down raspberry on all counts. Apparently the Tata was produced largely to try to stop whole families travelling on a single moped. however, until some serious quality and safety checks are carried out independently, I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole... or stick my family in the back!This may sound a touch negative, but my native Celtic caution has been thoroughly aroused. If it sounds too good to be true…Yours aye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Yes I think I agree with you on every point (I especially liked that the car changed from a RHD to LHD after the elephant sat on it). It was the prnciple behind the car I liked. I still think there is a market for something like a Smart car to be built to decent standards but not at a price that Mercedes/Smart charge. Why buy a Smart when you can have a 'Proper' Mini/Fiat/Ford/Whatever for the same price. I wonder how long it will be before we consider a 600cc engine to be a huge gas guzzler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob T Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I think the 600cc engine is the problem. I used to have a 600cc 2CV in the UK which did 12,000 miles per year but only gave around 43 mpg from the 30 bhp. I now have a 4X4 Hyundai Tucson with a 140 bhp diesel (same as Pierre) but get around the same economy as the 2CV did. The difference is that I now drive with leather seats and air con on all the time, and it is much less work than the 2CV was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbu Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 Hi Pierre,Yes, I entirely agree with the principle, especially in countries where public transport is so dismal. But, as you infer, the principle would be a whole lot more sustainable with cleaner technology. My son has finally started to learn to drive as job requires him to, but I fear his heart is set on something a touch more 'sporty' than a Tata... something in the VW Golf area I suspect![:(]Yours aye,Barbu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I am in the same position of having 2 boys who will shortly take (and pass) their driving test and are looking for a suitable set of wheels. Near the top of the list is a Golf, trouble is although a used one of suitable vintage will cost not a lot, it will be the best part of £1400 a year to insure!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twingoman Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 [quote user="Pierre ZFP"]I think that's pretty kewl!I have 2 sons in the UK that would like one I think as presumably they're RHD and the insurance etc can't be that much on a 623 cc motor. Hmmmmm.... now how would you go about getting and registering it......[/quote]They are reporting that at the moment that there are no plans to bring it to Europe due to more stringent safety and emissions tests.I don't suppose, though, that there are any restrictions in importing one, assuming to would pass the tests to get it registered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onion van man Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I can't see them ever getting a Certificate of Conformity for european use. Even if they did, you can be certain that the price would be increased for us europeans. Anyway we already have a small pathetic car like that, Its called the Chevrolet Matiz ! Our local vauxhall dealer did a deal a while back, If you bought a top of the range Astra you got a Matiz for free to go with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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