Showing posts with label people car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people car. Show all posts
Thursday, January 10, 2008
How can anyone sell a new car so cheaply
How can anyone sell a new car so cheaply and make a profit when, in this country, even a basic economy model like the Chevrolet Aveo begins at almost $11,000? Lower labor costs, of course, and Tata's Web site mentions cost-saving measures like an engine that fits under the rear seat, enabling the entire car to be smaller; locating the instrument cluster in the center of the dash so that one dashboard can be used for left- or right-hand drive versions; and obtaining unspecified incentives from local officials to locate the Nano assembly plant in West Bengal. Still, the cheapest car in India now is the Suzuki Maruti 800, which costs about twice as much.
It's called the Nano The People Car
It's called the Nano, for its high technology and small size. It's cute, compact, and contemporary. It's a complete four-door car with a 623-cc gas engine, gets 50 miles to the gallon, and seats up to five. It meets domestic emissions norms and will soon comply with European standards.
It's 8% smaller in outer length than its closest rival, Suzuki's Maruti 800, but has 21% more volume inside. And at $2,500 before taxes (value-added taxes increase the price by about $300), it is the most inexpensive car in the world. Starting this fall, the Nano will roll off the assembly lines at a Tata Motors (TTM) plant in Singur, Bengal, and navigate India's potholed roads.
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