Unveil The Pros And Cons Of Tata's Rs. 1 Lakh Car

Pulse

-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, January 10, 2008, 12:51

When I first heard the news on the TV, the first thing that striked my mind was, "Oh! I will be late by 1 more hour from now to office". The growing traffic has always pulled me late to the doorsteps of my cabin. Well! This is the concern of many out there in the market with the onset of the world's cheapest car on the desi roads of metropolitan cities. Unfold the story behind its drive into the Indian roads and also its pros and cons.

The Owners Dream
Ratan Tata's drive to produce the cheapest, small car with no utter trumpery was born from a close observation of a jammed busy road where millions of ferry families of four, with their heavy luggage , drive to their destiny on two wheelers. The people's car is an attempt to tip the ratio from scooters to cars, thus improving public safety on India's over crowded and chaotic roads. The company's 70 year old chairman writes on the company website, "That's what drove me -- a man on a two-wheeler with a child standing in front, his wife sitting behind, add to that the wet roads - a family in potential danger,"

Tata's dream display a significant role in the life of he ruling middle class family. Before we conclude it to be the best of the lot, check below its pros and cons

Pros

Due to its cheaper rate a college student can also afford one. Its cost is less than half the cheapest car on the market now, the mini Maruti 800, and more than double an entry level 100cc motorbike.

It is safer than a scooter, thus improves public safety on India's crowded roads

The Tata group chief has said the car will be manufactured in three to four locations, including West Bengal and

Uttarakhand states. A plant in Singur, in eastern West Bengal state, is expected to employ 10,000 people.
It will not pollute more than the average motorcycle in India.

Cons

Last February farmers and activists staged violent protests at Tata Motor's Singur plant saying local people were forced off prime farm and to make room for the plant. However the government says it has compensated most of the affected farmers.

With such a low cost car, million will join the trend setter. The soaring car ownership will damage the environment.

It will lock India into greater dependence on oil. As today India imports 70% of its crude oil.
Tata"s new car would compel other manufacturers to lower the prices of their vehicles, and thus create a huge demand for cars.

Brief Car Review
According to CNBC-TV18 the car will be called Nano. Nano will have a 3 cylinders, 800-cc petrol engine with 33 bhp of power. The engine of the car will be at the back and the luggage space in the front. It will also have a 30-litre fuel tank and four-speed manual gearshift. The car will have front disk and rear drum brakes. The company claims mileage of 22 kmpl in city and 26 kmpl on highway. The car will come with air conditioning, but will have no power steering.