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Tata steals the show

JEREMY CATO

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 2:36 PM EDT 16/03/08

In swank, overpriced Switzerland, the Tata Nano was the oddity in an auto show filled with glitzy, sexy models. But the little city car from India represents the future of the industry ...Read the full article

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  1. sam pitroda from Canada writes: Cheap cars never sell. Once the initial euphoria over the Nano wears off sales will be flat. In India the reason for people not buying cars is PARKING and PETROL not PRICETAG.

    In urban areas space is at a premium , a person who can afford a covered parking spot can well afford to spend 10,000 dollars on his car. Same goes for petrol , drive the Nano just 12,000 miles every year and you spend 2500 dollars on petrol and maintenance in just two years. Same as the car price.
  2. r alexander from Canada writes: I could agree that the issues of fuel and parking could be quite severe for India's urban areas, but I think for people aspiring to car ownership, these issues won't prove insurmountable. I'd also question the notion that cheap cars don't sell- I think history proves otherwise. The Model T Ford put America on wheels, the original VW Beetles weren't expensive, nor were the first Toyota Corollas premium-priced products. Even today, basic Hyundais and the like still have a role in the marketplace- primarily entry-level transportaion- and the Nano may well serve the same purpose.
  3. Sena. Siv from Toronto, Canada writes: Cheap cars dont sell - tell that to a university student or one who has just entered the Job Market. Its time we had cheaper cars better still much more efficient public transit .
  4. Lowen Wrainger from Canada writes: If these carz are ever to hit the North American market then you can bet your 'bottomed' dollar that the price tag won't be 2-3 grand. It will be more like 10-12 grand, plus options ( Hey, we're North Americans!). The safety and environmental regs plus insurance rates will further push this baby into that bare facts lane. On the other hand, it will be a great space saver and people in condos and apartments can just put them in their walk-in closets.
  5. MQ9 Reaper from Canada writes: J M - what do you have against Albertans? I've been to Calgary and Edmonton, and people there are generally no less fit and healthy than folks in Toronto and Montreal.
  6. Walker N from Calgary, Canada writes: Wow, J M, didn't take you long to start attacking western Canadians.

    I'd wager that the cumulative emissions from all of the small cars in urban Canada far surpases the SUV's/Trucks out in the country. Sure, your 4-banger might get 1.5-2.5x the fuel mileage of my truck (which with MDS is 25mpg on the hwy) but do you take into account that there is probably 10 cars for every truck??

    Me, I was there was less cheap small cars on the road, there'd be a lot less traffic jams. But then, I'd never tell people what they can and can't have because I respect their rights as individuals.
  7. John Percy from Halifax, Canada writes: I remember my dad buying one of the first Volkswagens in Canada in the mid 50's. He paid a whopping $500 for it and it ran for years and years and years and....
  8. MQ9 Reaper from Canada writes: The British need not worry about the dilution of their Jag and Land Rover brands under Tata ownership. Many in the Tata family have a better grasp about traditional British heritage than most of today's Britons anyway.
    If anything, those brands got diluted, i.e. Americanized under Ford ownership.
  9. Rtab 2 from Canada writes: I for one am loath to see the enormous, cumulative carbon footprint that millions of new, fossil fuel burning cars in India and China are likely to leave on the world. Not that motorists there are entirely to blame, as we westerners continue to lead the way on that score.
  10. r alexander from Canada writes: "I can imagine that those fat Albertans will just wear one of these cars to get to their oversize trucks and SUVs I don't know about Albertans, but I still remember sitting in a hotel in Rome as the 60-ish American stereotype (loud, cigar smoking, 5'2" tall and almost as wide) earnestly explained to the young woman at an adjacent table why she should get rid of her silly Ford Probe (this was the early 90s) and buy something more sensible, like the Chevy Suburban his wife drove. The ideal car for the single woman, he kept saying.... My relatives out in Saskatchewan drove pickups, but they lived in the country and needed vehicles with enough ground clearance to get down their rutted roads, and the payload capacity to haul their work-related equipment. I'm far more offended by sport-utes and p/ups down here in Toronto than by the same cars out in the country.
  11. Koolest Cat from Canada writes: Now we know why they were given a bye in the Kyoto Accord.

    So they could catchup with the rest of the western world with automobile penetration into the population.

    The Nano will allow them to fast track this.
  12. Dave Robinson from Toronto, Canada writes: Nano is a NONO since this world has enough cars already running on Gas. Buying a cheap coffin is no excuse to pollute the world further. From What I've heard about India, there are no roads to drive more cars. The roads, mostly left from the British Raj days, are very congested during OFF-PEAK times. Unless TATA is building new roads and highways in India, the Nano is going to make the planet even sicker. Now let's wait for China to come up with their own cheap as heck car and then we can all attend Earth's Funeral in a long process in our ultra-cheap but spewing dirtiest fumes, funny looking cars. Shame on GM, Ford, Chrysler, VW, and all these mature Auto makers who do the most damage to the Environment.
  13. No Left or Right Just Neutral from Canada writes: The OneCAT will be a five-seater with a glass fibre body, weighing just 350kg and could cost just over £2,500.

    The project is being backed by the Indian conglomerate, Tata for an undisclosed sum. It says the technology may also be used for power generation.

    The car will be driven by compressed air stored in carbon-fibre tanks.

    The tanks, built into the chassis, can be filled with air from a compressor in just three minutes - much quicker than a battery car.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7243247.stm
  14. Garry St. Seliva from Victoria, Canada writes: Remember the Lada?
  15. Stephen McPherson from Bradford, Canada writes: Good for Tata! Seems to me most of the major automotive players lost sight of the KISS rule a long time ago - that being Keep It Simple STUPID!
  16. Vickky Angstrom from Canada writes: Guys with metal between their ears ask other guys with metal between their ears whether consumer demand is high enough to warrant green cars and whether people will sacrifice power under the hood for better mileage. They tell each other no.

    Meanwhile, consumers are waiting for more choice in electric or hybrid small SUV's and crossovers and would be quite happy with 4 cylinders if that would enhance the environmental savings.
  17. r alexander from Canada writes: "Meanwhile, consumers are waiting for more choice in electric or hybrid small SUV's and crossovers and would be quite happy with 4 cylinders if that would enhance the environmental savings". Well, I don't know about this. In Canada we traditionally buy smaller more fuel efficient cars than the US, but that's really been driven by economics- gas is more expensive here. Hybrids aren't magic, they're pretty complicated for what they achieve. Electric? Most cases, don't have acceptable range. And what about the long term battery disposal/replacement issues? How do you define small suv's and crossovers? In most cases, SUV's, even, small ones, are bigger and less efficient than they need to be just because of their higher ground clearance and boxy dimensions. Crossovers? over styled 'station wagons'. Why not buy 'station wagons' or hatchbacks? They serve the same purpose, carry as much, and are smaller and more fuel efficient. And 4 cylinders? Well, that's also no guarantee of fuel efficiency or environmental protection. Just take a look at Consumer Reports and see the number of 4 cylinder cars that get poor mileage.
  18. Francois A. from Calgary, Canada writes: I look forward to the diesel-electric hybrid. VW showed a prototype 1.3l car with 90 MPG. 4 passenger about the size of the Golf. Til then I'll stick to my 60 MPG Jetta TDi. ...sigh
  19. Cheryl Nelson from Bloomington, MN, United States writes: Vickky Angstrom from Canada writes: "Meanwhile, consumers are waiting for more choice in electric or hybrid small SUV's and crossovers and would be quite happy with 4 cylinders if that would enhance the environmental savings." ______ My husband and I are currently looking at buying a new car. Almost every small vehicle has a problem - the front seats do not provide proper thigh support. We are not tall (I'm rather short), but we have long legs. For younger drivers, this isn't as much of a problem. For middle-aged or older people, the lack of leg support aggravates osteoarthritis. It's really annoying and unusual that I am finding this problem as I'm only 5'2". Also, we prefer our car seats to be more cushy than a block of granite. The bucket seats in my 1986 Honda Accord are far more comfortable. Buying another Accord is out of the question; Consumer Reports now classifies it as a large car. That's another gripe. Every redesigned model we've looked at - Toyota's RAV 4 and Corolla and Honda's Civic and CRV (for example) are significantly larger than their predecessors. That's a bit of a problem for short people who struggle with visibility issues when parallel parking.
  20. Jordan Pohn from writes: Might want look into a Volvo C30 or S40 - those buggers are a bit expensive, but I have always found Volvo seats to be outstandingly comfortable. Not sure about the fuel economy on their four-bangers but I imagine they are competitive although the higher end ones probably require premium. Great seats though... Cheryl Nelson from Bloomington, MN, United States writes: Vickky Angstrom from Canada writes: "Meanwhile, consumers are waiting for more choice in electric or hybrid small SUV's and crossovers and would be quite happy with 4 cylinders if that would enhance the environmental savings." ______ My husband and I are currently looking at buying a new car. Almost every small vehicle has a problem - the front seats do not provide proper thigh support. We are not tall (I'm rather short), but we have long legs. For younger drivers, this isn't as much of a problem. For middle-aged or older people, the lack of leg support aggravates osteoarthritis. It's really annoying and unusual that I am finding this problem as I'm only 5'2". Also, we prefer our car seats to be more cushy than a block of granite. The bucket seats in my 1986 Honda Accord are far more comfortable. Buying another Accord is out of the question; Consumer Reports now classifies it as a large car. That's another gripe. Every redesigned model we've looked at - Toyota's RAV 4 and Corolla and Honda's Civic and CRV (for example) are significantly larger than their predecessors. That's a bit of a problem for short people who struggle with visibility issues when parallel parking.
  21. Jagged Pill from Toronto, Canada writes: I think we've all forgotten the effect this will have on oil demand. It's already being pushed to the limits. If people can now afford cars at these low prices, the demand for oil will greatly increase, leading to insanely high gas prices.

    I'm on the fence with this one. I think cars are overpriced...but at the same time, living in Toronto, I can't bear to drive in traffic jams and live in a city with almost no available/affordable parking. Toronto is not a car-friendly city.
  22. Cheryl Nelson from Bloomington, MN, United States writes: Jordan Pohn from writes: Might want look into a Volvo C30 or S40 - those buggers are a bit expensive, but I have always found Volvo seats to be outstandingly comfortable. Not sure about the fuel economy on their four-bangers but I imagine they are competitive although the higher end ones probably require premium. Great seats though... _________ Jordan, thanks for the tip. You're right; Volvo seats were comfortable even back in the 60s. We attended the Mpls Auto Show yesterday and passed the Volvo exhibit. We didn't see the Volvo C30, however. I'm not sure if this car is sold in the States yet, though it was included in the 2008 Consumer Reports Auto issue. It's so new that CR didn't have mileage figures yet. We had not considered the S40 and now we will. Our choices are limited by Canadian import regulations as we plan to move to Canada in the future. Engine immobilizers and daytime running lights are not required in the U.S. These necessities knock a lot of candidates out of the running fast; manufacturers typically omit these and other handling and safety features from their small car lineups. Usually, they're not even available as upgrades. It's sad that one has to choose between safety and comfort vs. economy and gas mileage when buying a car. You'd think that wouldn't be too much to ask!
  23. Akarsh M from Canada writes: I would buy a nano.

    But I am 5'11, if I can be comfortable in a Nano, I would buy one.
    Safety standards ?

    If you work in Downtown Toronto, I don't think you need to be worried about a big rig, flattening you into a pancake, not where there is a traffic signal every 100 metres.

    Highway speed crashes might be something to be corcerned aobut, but if every idiot buys a "big" car because it is safe...what exactly are you accomplishing ?

    The nano is perfect for someone like me, a university student.
  24. david toynbee from Nanaimo, Canada writes: It's back to the future again. After WW2, the European countries were bust financially. Petrol (gas) was expensive and to get the economies running the working class needed cheap, economical transport.
    So, we got the Beetle, the 2CV, The Mini, the Fiat600. All getting 40mpg .
    Gas prices will become the major concern of car owners and working people are going to need a Nano style vehicle to make personal transport affordable. With modern technology a cheap and good basic car should be possible even in North America. Unless we consumers keep buying the V-8's and bragging about our horsepower ( gas consumption).
    Doesn't a cheap, economical car also satisfy our new found desire to " Save the Planet?" Now we can be cheap and trendy by buying a Nano.
    Dave Toynbee
    Nanaimo.
  25. True North from Canada writes: To those who say cheap cars don't sell have discounted the entire used car market. It will also be cheaper to just buy a new Tata than maintain a high-end car or get an expensive repair job. You could easily own several Tata cars over the years and still be ahead of the so-called 'premium cars' it terms of expenses. Of course premium automobiles will continue to be status symbols of wealth.
  26. A S from India writes: >> Dave Robinson from Toronto, Canada writes: ..........From What I've heard about India, ........ The roads, mostly left from the British Raj days, are very congested during OFF-PEAK times.........

    It's true, we haven't built many roads in the last 60 years ... the technology proved too difficult, not to mention the manual labourers found tar far too difficult to handle.

    :o)

    A visiting Canadian told me of similar 'horror' stories related to her by concerned folks back home ... quite surprisingly some of them Indians, until I learnt they had migrated out of India in the 60's & 70's.

    Now, I don't know how things were in the 60's, but since then we definitely have mastered the art of making roads :)

    As for congestion, umm ... your 30 million and better infrastructure to our 1.2 billion and poorer infrastructure. So yes, there's a lot of traffic, especially so in Bombay, where commuting can take a lot of time - then again, it might just be due to the old roads and the propensity of Indians to drive their cars during off-peak hours :)
  27. David R from Canada writes: So which better one bigger car that you can use all the time for the whole family, or two or maybe three of these cars because their too small for the aveage family and all there stuff. Gone are the days of the roads and just going grandma's house for sunday dinner will be a chore because these cars just aren't designed to carry more than two people. let alone a family.

    Small is not always better.
  28. r alexander from Canada writes: David R has a good point. It's hard to be excited about the Smart Car, when something like a Yaris gets almost as good mileage and can carry a more useful load. Heck, get a Prius!
  29. Cheryl Nelson from Bloomington, MN, United States writes: Dave Robinson from Toronto, Canada writes: Unless TATA is building new roads and highways in India, the Nano is going to make the planet even sicker. _________ Tata Motors is one of the many companies operated by the Tata Group. One of its sister companies is Tata Engineering - sort of like the Kaiser Engineering or Bechtel of India. I bet they are capable of creating additional infrastructure and improving what already exists. It wouldn't surprise me to find Tata Motors continue its research work into alternative methods of powering vehicles.
  30. Brian W from Canada writes: There's a picture on the Internet floating around of an accident involving a Smart Car. The driver pretty well exploded after smashing into a truck. If you think I'm going to buy a Tata, which doesn't have the benefit of Mercedes engineers behind it, you are mistaken. With our roads littered with 5000lb SUV's? Ha!
  31. Cheryl Nelson from Bloomington, MN, United States writes: David R from Canada writes: So which better one bigger car that you can use all the time for the whole family, or two or maybe three of these cars because their too small for the aveage family and all there stuff. Gone are the days of the roads and just going grandma's house for sunday dinner will be a chore because these cars just aren't designed to carry more than two people. let alone a family. Small is not always better. _______ True. If one has a family, they do need a larger car. The question is how much larger does it really need to be. Here in the Twin Cities, you can pass dozens of large SUVs, pickups and Hummers during the morning commute, most carrying only the driver. If you follow that large vehicle home, you'll likely find another equally large vehicle in the owner's driveway or garage. Multiple car households have become common here. Having two large vehicles is commonplace, one for each spouse. So has buying one or more additional vehicles for driving-age teenagers. Those additional cars are often not "entry-level" cars. Another factor driving large vehicle purchases in my locality is that many people partake in outdoor activities like jet skiing, recreational boating, camping, fishing and hunting. You can't tow a boat behind a Yaris or Corolla! Yet another is the popularity of outfits like Costco, Sam's Club and Big Lots. We are replacing both of our vehicles soon. Originally, we planned on buying a small SUV like a RAV 4 to handle the Costco run and occasional road trips. But we found that we won't be able to tow our pair of maxiscooters in a trailer behind small or most mid-sized SUVs. A 4 Runner became the answer. The second car, however, will be a smaller vehicle - if we can find one with proper leg support.
  32. D K from Canada writes: That's a nice pair of Tatas you've got there.
  33. Nelson C. from Toronto, Canada writes: LMAO D K
  34. The Wight from Canada writes: Brian W:

    "There's a picture on the Internet floating around of an accident involving a Smart Car."

    The survivability for the Smart Car is higher than almost every other small car in the market because of it's design. That doesn't mean it is safer than an SUV, of course, but certainly safer than its competitors. Of course, the there is the notion is that getting more of the Nanos/Smarts/Yaris's on the road means less 5000 behemoths to hit you, right? The SUV is the least safe vehicle ever designed for passenger use ... for the other driver.
  35. Ottawa Rocks from Ottawa, Canada writes: Having lived in India and visited India most recently 3 years ago, for me the biggest story is how Nanos will compete in India's scooter market. Bajaj be aware! In other words, people who normally buy a scooter are going to think Nano instead. Yes, (a) Nanos will gas guzzle more than scooters increasing pollution levels and (b) Nanos will attract newcomers to the market that would have never bought a scooter in the first place, thereby increasing the pollution level further. However, my point is not all Nano buyers are newcomers to the transportation vehicle market (some of them in fact would have been gas guzzling via the scooter market anyway).
  36. Ottawa Rocks from Ottawa, Canada writes: I'd like to add a 2nd point to the pollution/congestion story in India. I believe urban areas in India will NOT get as badly polluted as some people think.

    Things are a lot better than back in the 1970s. For example, back then, people in cities such as Kolkata (Calcutta) were jumping on gas guzzling road vehicles (whether they be buses, cars, taxis or autorickshaws) to get to where they were going. Although all those vehicles still form a large part of the transportation in today's Kolkata, it is nice to know an efficient & wide reaching metro train transportation system exists in the city, allowing the alleviation of serious traffic congestion from the city's road infrastructure.

    A further point is that as of the millenium much needed freeways have been built and this has allowed vehicles to more efficiently make their way through the city instead of idling at every street corner in Kolkata's normal road system as they used to do. In fact, in my last trip down there, I tried to film some of the "heavy traffic" congestion problems but was disappointed one weekend afternoon that there were hardly any cars in the street. That's not the Kolkata I remember from previous decades.
  37. Will Hoaccio from Toronto, Canada writes: I'd buy one... I wish they would star selling kei cars in Canada.
  38. Child of the North in Canada from Canada writes: Check out this video on cars that run on compressed air:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmqpGZv0YT4
  39. On Edge from Canada writes: I agree with Will Hoaccio. Japan already makes zillions of true "smart" cars, the tiny kei cars. We will never see tricky little versatile vehicles like that here, alas. These are partly the secret to Japan's success in engineering and designing good cars - if you can compete in that category, you can build anything well.
  40. Swordfish Trombones from Canada writes: Wow the equivalent in price to a three night stay in a swiss hotel. At that price every swiss banker should be able to afford 20 or more and give them away to the unwashed masses.
  41. Swordfish Trombones from Canada writes: and at this price you could buy two for your wife- that way you are sure she'll have a nice pair of .....

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