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The great Indian small car dream
Tata’s dream car to hit roads in 2007/ 2008
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
10 August, 2005: The small car from Tata, which the firm aims to sell for just Rs 1 lakh, would be launched between 2007 and 2008.
(Rs 1 lakh = USD 2326)
Tata group chairman Ratan Tata said a host of factors like inflation and probable rise in steel prices may make it difficult to maintain the proposed price tag at the time of the launch. But the Tata group chief said the company hoped to hold on to the price despite that.
The aim of the project is to replicate the immense success of Maruti 800 which dislodged Ambassador and Fiat, which were ruling the Indian roads.
In 1990s, Kinetic Group had made known their intentions to launch a city car which was to be priced around Rs 1.25 lakh. The Kinetic plan fell flat. Eicher Motors too gave it a try and ended up in the wrong side of history.
Tata Motors made known their intentions of making a roomy, affordable car when the company was known as Telco. Virtually every carmaker has eyed the small car concept as it is sure to drive the imagination of India’s huge middle class.
Ratan Tata announced his plans to bring the small car on the roads at the Frankfurt Motorshow in 2003. The Tata line of thinking was to unravel the mystery which went into the making of Maruti 800 as India’s most sold car. But the Maruti magic has eluded carmakers who tried to replicate its success story. Maruti sells almost 15,000 units of its 800 model every month. Maruti 800 is a 796 cc, three-cylinder car. Apart from being India’s largest selling car, it is also exported to many south east Asian countries.
Maruti 800 is a 796 cc, 3 cylinder, car. It can seat four persons and is the largest selling car in the country. It is also exported to a number of countries in the South East Asia region.
Maruti 800 has an AC and non-AC models. In Pakistan, the Maruti 800 is known as Mehran 800 and is manufactured by Pak Suzuki motors.
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
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