Srinivas Padma: Personal Musings on Life, Growth, and Connections

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's Tata Motors unveiled the world's cheapest new car on Thursday, bringing car ownership closer for millions of poorer consumers in emerging markets but raising environmental concerns. The 4 seater Nano, with an engine around 625cc, will have a dealer price of 100,000 rupees ($2,500) , about half the cost of the cheapest car on today's market, a 25-year old model from Maruti Suzuki, Tata's great rival. The Nano will go on sale later this year, the company said. "Let me assure you and our critics the car we have designed will meet all safety norms and all foreign environmental criteria," Chairman Ratan Tata said as he proudly unveiled what had been dubbed the " People's Car " at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. The compact but curvy Nano stands in sharp contrast to the luxury Jaguar and Land Rover brands that Tata is negotiating to acquire from Ford Motor Co. Hundreds of people crowded into the pavilion to see the ...

Finally here is Tata’s 1 lakh car Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata’s dream project, the “people’s” car, is all set to become a reality by 2008. “The car should be out some time in 2008. Its cost will be somewhere between a motorcycle and a car: Rs 1.10 and Rs 1.25 lakh”. Here is the Renault’s 1.35 lakh. Car. Renault has just launched their Logan car in collaboration with Mahindra in the Indian market. The car is priced competitively and should give massive competition to existing players in the market including Maruti and Tata. Now, Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of French carmaker Renault and also Nissan Motor Co has hinted that they are considering developing a brand new car for the Indian market. This product could be made in collaboration with Mahindra & Mahindra and its targeted price is set at $3,000 or about Rs 1.35 lakh. If the plan goes ahead, it would become the firs...