The World's Cheapest Car Set To Launch

theodp writes "Ready for one-automobile-per-child (OAPC)? India's giant Tata Group is on the verge of launching the world's cheapest car. The People's Car, slated to be unveiled January 10th at a New Delhi auto show, will carry a sticker price of 100,000 rupees ($2,500), which some analysts say could revolutionize automobile costs worldwide. The Tata is a pet project of Cornell-trained architect Ratan Tata, who helped design it. The vehicle is aimed at improving driving safety by getting India's masses off their motorbikes and into cars."

Tatas

[sgtron]

Heh.. you said "tatas".

God, I would love to have a tata to ride around in.. Of course people might say I looked like a boob inside that thing, but I wouldn't care.

I didn't think it was possible to outcheap kia

[Anonymous Coward]

Here I thought KIAs were the cheapest form of crap I've ever seen in the automobile world.

2500 Rupees?

[Anonymous Coward]

My wallet only holds 500, I wonder if Golden Skulltulas are legal tender?
Maybe five of us could cut grass together and car pool.

Re:I didn't think it was possible to outcheap kia

[Anonymous Coward]

As a Kia owner (Sorento) I can tell you to STFU.

Low cost can equal value.

I have no problems with our vehicle and it handles a family of 5 quite well. (+dog)

Re:I didn't think it was possible to outcheap kia

[Anonymous Coward]

As a Kia owner (Sorento) I can tell you to STFU.

Yes, but you can only do it at a max of 25 MPH with bits falling off

Re:Sounds interesting, but any hope of US?

[aalu.paneer]

TATA is like Apple in that way. They reveal very little about their product before the official release.

Re:Tatas

[eclectro]

Stop making fun of their language! "Tata" is hindi for "rubber band!"

You know, like "Go wind up the tata so we can get going!"

People's car?

[CodyRazor]

What will its name be in Germany?

Re:Unintended Consequences

[fatmal]

such that the overall number of road deaths increased

Humans need some level of risk. My fear is that by wrapping our children in bubblewrap we are creating a generation that has no concept of realising the danger that they may be placing themselves in - because they have never learned those valuable lessons that come from hurting yourself. As they say, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Jeremy Clarkson said it best:-

Instead of having an airbag coming out of the steering wheel in an accident to save your head hitting the steering wheel, I favour having a large metal spike come out instead. If we knew that 0.3 seconds after an impact a large metal spike would stab us through the face then IMO driving standards would drastically improve immediately. Modern cars make us feel so safe that we feel we can drive like idiots and if we crash our cars safety features will save us, not so with my method. Simple psychology dictates that the survival instinct would kick in and make us all drive like Mary Poppins.

Re:Sounds interesting, but any hope of US?

[philwx]

They probably already have a knock off in China.

Re:This is not new . . .

[iminplaya]

And the deluxe model came with an electric rear window defroster... to keep your hands warm while you were pushing it.

Re:From an environmental perspective...

[Hognoxious]

And don't believe anyone who says we need the countryside to produce food. Anybody can see that the majority of it comes from supermarkets, which are mostly in the cities anyway.

Re:Sounds interesting, but any hope of US?

[Hognoxious]

LOL, well said. I forgot to allow for the 'conversion factor' [railwayshit.com] - though I guess the ratio (actual seats:designed seats) scales pretty evenly.

Re:Sounds interesting, but any hope of US?

[rvw]

An Indian version of the Yugo [wikipedia.org]? Cool! Does the CD player skip when hitting a bump and does it run Linux? ;)

No, when you hit a bump you have to close all windows and restart!

Re:Nanotube batteries

[Megane]

Yeah, maybe someone should submit that as a story. [slashdot.org]

Oh great...

[Anonymous Coward]

Just what the internet needs, a couple more dicks riding Tatas.

Re:Sounds interesting, but any hope of US?

[Seraphim_72]

33 Hit Points? Hell my 4th level Honda Civic has almost 90 and ... oh, Horse Power ... never mind

Re:Sounds interesting, but any hope of US?

[raynet]

4L/100km is about 59 furlongs per pint.