HOT TOPICS
SPOTLIGHT AGENCIES
"Tata small car set to offer 25 kmpl mileage"!!
Written By blrsri - 19 December, 2007
KOLKATA: Ratan Tata and the Tata group have for months zealously kept a tight lid on the details of the Rs 1-lakh car that is slated to roll out of Tata Motors’ Singur factory in June 2008. But on Tuesday, the shroud came off in singular circumstances. “It’s an eco-car with a 25 km-per-litre mileage on petrol, meets every international standard and specification, including Euro-4 norms. Acceleration wise, it’s the same as a Maruti 800.” That’s exactly how RA Mashelkar, former CSIR director general, who is now an independent non-executive director on the Tata Motors board, chose to describe the Rs 1-lakh small car on Tuesday. He was recounting his recent ride on the prototype at the Tata Motors’ Pune plant. “It’s a tool for inclusive growth,” Mr Mashelkar said in Kolkata on Tuesday. He was speaking here on ‘Resurgence of Innovative India: The Phenomenon and the Consequences,’ organised jointly by East India Pharmaceutical Works and The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture. Mr Mashelkar also revealed how the small car concept first struck Ratan Tata, who’s now in the race to acquire two iconic British brands — Jaguar and Land Rover. “You know how ‘Ratan’ (Ratan Tata) thought about this small car. He talked to me on several things. One day, he was going on the road and saw a family of four getting soaked in the rain. That was when he decided to create a small car for all,” he said. “Just a month ago, I was at the Tata Motors’ factory in Pune, talking to their engineers and their fantastic team there. It was there that I had the privilege of sitting in that small car — the Rs 1-lakh car that they plan to roll out at Singur. It is incredible,” said Mr Mashelkar. “I sat in that car by the way, and it was amazing,” he said. “I am a six footer and it’s spacious both in the front and in the rear. In terms of acceleration, it is equivalent to a Maruti 800 and has an incredible design finished by indigenous Tata Motors’ engineers,” Mr Mashelkar added. Talking on the potential of economics of this car, the top-notch scientist said: “It will create a paradigm shift in low-cost transport and the whole world is looking forward to a car that efficiently runs 25 km on a litre of petrol and offers international specifications. These kind of fuel-efficient cars will be in demand as pollution is on the rise, climates are changing and fossil fuels are running out. People are looking at a new global eco-car and I have a feeling that this can be the new eco-car not only in the country but elsewhere — in other countries. I feel a sense of pride that it will be manufactured in India.” “In a bid to reduce weight of the car, Tata Motors’ engineers have used more plastics. The car does not use too many bolts which also helps in reducing weight. Instead, it’s all a new kind of welding — a new technology altogether,” said Mr Mashelkar when asked on the specifics of the design. “I got into a prototype and they had asked me to drive it, but I was a little scared as I have not been driving all these days. They wanted to show me their innovation as I am involved in innovation. The project is extremely close to my heart,” he added. Mr Mashelkar further said, “Every other company manufactures products for the top of the income bracket pyramid and I am concerned about middle, lower middle and the bottom of this pyramid. The issue is how do we create products for them and, therefore, the Rs 1-lakh car is like the dream as far as I am concerned.” About the general scepticism that the car would initially be priced at Rs 1 lakh which could later be raised, Mr Mashelkar said: “The way their engineers have been able to design it and style it to meet specifications — it is absolutely incredible. It does not look like the Indica and they have styled it differently, it has a sloping front. It can bring a transformation in low-cost transportation around the world. These days people are looking for products that will meet standards, safety norms and still offer comfort. With great concerns on climate change, depleting fossil fuels, pollution more green and clean products will come from India. Products that meet performance standard and price expectations will succeed.” ----------------------------------------------- Implications for the Bangalore roads?? I cant imagine! Btw the car sounds like the 'Dolphin', does anyone remember the old car? think was made in Bangalore. Sounds like the 'model T', where the production line would produce onlyblack/white cars to meet the demand..also looks like the auto's will go off the road soon!
COMMENTS
For God's sake, Give India a break
gowda - 19 December, 2007 - 16:23
Hybrid car will reduce only emission but not congestion
Vasanth - 19 December, 2007 - 16:30
tsubba - 19 December, 2007 - 23:15
C S Hemanth, DH News Service.
Bangalore City, which has one of the highest vehicular growth rates in the country with close to 1,300 vehicles being registered every day, witnesses scores of new small cars queuing up before its 10 Regional Transport Offices (RTO) for registration.
According to RTO officials, of the 1,300 vehicles which are being registered every day, 1,200 are two-wheelers and the rest are four-wheelers of which a majority are small segment vehicles.
“With more and more small cars entering the market there has been a shift from two-wheelers to small segment four-wheelers. Around 75 to 100 cars are registered daily and they are mostly small segment cars,” Syed Shafi Ahmed, secretary, regional transport authority said.
Among small segment cars, the tried and trusted Maruti 800 is the most preferred choice of Bangaloreans, followed by Alto, Swift and Wagon-R models.
“Small segment cars contribute most to the 2,500 to 3,000 models we sell every month. Mid-segment cars come next, followed by luxury models and SUVs,” said a Maruti sales executive. Small cars from Hyundai Motors like Hyundai Santro account for 60 per cent of its monthly sales.
“Every month around 1,200 new cars from Hyundai Motors hit the road and Santro is the most preferred car.
Small cars are generally what buyers are looking for. In the last two weeks since the launch of Hyundai i10, we have received over 300 bookings, while a high-end luxury car like Hyundai Sonata sells only two or three units every month,” said a senior marketing official of a Hyundai Motors showroom in the city.
Similarly, among Tata Motors’ sales, it is the Tata Indica which stands first as it is the most preferred vehicle used by cab operators to ferry one and all from tourists to IT employees.
Dr Pachauri’s concern on how small cars would imperil environment at a time when the world is running out of time to cut down emissions is only a tip of the iceberg. But Bangalore sure has a disaster staring it in the face as the City is ranked the seventh most polluted city in the world, according to a 2005 study.
Also read: Nobel Cause
Vasanth - 19 December, 2007 - 15:53
PRAJA.IN COMMENT GUIDELINES
Posting Guidelines apply for comments as well. No foul language, hate mongering or personal attacks. If criticizing third person or an authority, you must be fact based, as constructive as possible, and use gentle words. Avoid going off-topic no matter how nice your comment is. Moderators reserve the right to either edit or simply delete comments that don't meet these guidelines. If you are nice enough to realize you violated the guidelines, please save Moderators some time by editing and fixing yourself. Thanks!