World's cheapest car coming soon

[Bob Sacamano]

8,000 wow

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/auto...st-8000-in-us/

http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/autos_co...o.U_ADJFEec6zO Tata Nano (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki, File)

DETROIT (AP) -- The world's cheapest car is being readied for sale in the U.S., but by the time India's Tata Nano is retrofitted to meet emissions and safety standards, it won't be that cheap.

Tata Technologies Ltd., the global engineering arm of the Tata group conglomerate, brought the tiny car to Detroit as a publicity stunt for the engineering group.

Tata officials, while maintaining that they couldn't speak for Tata Motors, maker of the $2,500 Nano, said they were involved with the Nano from concept until it launched last July in Mumbai.

They wouldn't say when the Nano might arrive in the U.S. or how much it might cost here, although Ratan Tata, chairman of the group of Tata companies, has said it should be ready for U.S. distribution in about three years.

Tata Motors already has made a European version of the four-seat car that will cost about $8,000 when it debuts in 2011, and a Tata Technologies official said privately that the U.S. version is expected to have a comparable price. The official did not want to be identified because the price has not been made public.

Warren Harris, Tata Technologies president, would only say that the price would be more than the roughly $2,500 charged in India.

"The structural changes that would need to be made, the changes that would be required as far as emissions are concerned, and some of the features that would be appropriate to add to the vehicle for the North American market, obviously that would drive up the price point," he said.

Tata Technologies could be involved in bringing the car up to U.S. standards, said Tony Jones, associate vice president of the global automotive practice.

Before it can be sold here, the car's two-cylinder, 623cc engine would have to be engineered to meet stronger U.S. pollution standards, he said. Airbags would have to be added, the roof strengthened and the front bumper lengthened to meet U.S. requirements to limit damage in a 5-mph crash.

The Spartan interior, with flat bucket seats, three knobs, a horizontal switch and a steering wheel, also would have to be changed to comply with U.S. safety standards that limit movement of passengers not wearing seat belts.

Jones said the Nano Europa has airbags and has passed European safety tests with flying colors.
The Nano, with 12-inch diameter tires, electric windows in the front and crank windows in the back, gets 50 mpg on the highway and has a top speed of 65 mph.

If the $8,000 price tag holds true, it would cost far less than the $9,970 Hyundai Accent, currently the car with the lowest base sticker price in the U.S., according to the Edmunds.com automotive Web site. The price excludes shipping.


Copyright © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

[Hoofbite]

I do like me some Tatas......

The car is alright too.

[Yeagermeister]

I'll pay the extra money for a real car.

[kmp77]

The good thing is you save money since it doubles as a casket once you have a wreck in one.

[big dog cowboy]

Originally Posted by Bob Sacamano

The Nano, with 12-inch diameter tires, electric windows in the front and crank windows in the back, gets 50 mpg on the highway and has a top speed of 65 mph.

50 MPG? That is great.

65 mph top speed? That's not great.

[Bob Sacamano]

Originally Posted by big dog cowboy

50 MPG? That is great.

65 mph top speed? That's not great.

they are upgrading it to meet North American specifications

so I assume that will increase the speed

[Mavs Man]

Originally Posted by kmp77

The good thing is you save money since it doubles as a casket once you have a wreck in one.

[vta]

Originally Posted by kmp77

The good thing is you save money since it doubles as a casket once you have a wreck in one.

It's amazing these efficient and/or cheap cars always look like ****.
Can't good taste and efficiency meet somewhere?

[SaltwaterServr]

Where's the handle so you can pick it up and put it back in the closet when you're done with it?

Or does it have a box like every other pair of roller skates sold?

[Yeagermeister]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterServr

Where's the handle so you can pick it up and put it back in the closet when you're done with it?

Or does it have a box like every other pair of roller skates sold?

What really sucks is have to constantly wind the back wheels up every time you stop.

[daschoo]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterServr

Where's the handle so you can pick it up and put it back in the closet when you're done with it?

Or does it have a box like every other pair of roller skates sold?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...t-squeeze.html

[Yeagermeister]

Originally Posted by daschoo

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...t-squeeze.html

Holy cow I could put that thing in my pocket. My big *** would never fit in it.