Tata Nano is a tiny Indian car touted as the world cheapest car. At only $2000, Tata Nano is approximately 5' width x 5' height x 9' length, smaller than a Toyota Yaris, environmentally friendly, it goes 56 miles to a gallon, has one windshield wiper, is a manual transmission, top speed at 65mph, and the most important is Nano has no air conditioning, stereo or air bags.
What's the world's cheapest car?
by John Fuller
* Cite
* Feedback
*
Share
o Digg This
o Yahoo! Buzz
o StumbleUpon
o del.icio.us
o Reddit
Cite This!
Close
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks article:
Fuller, John. "What's the world's cheapest car?." 20 February 2008. HowStuffWorks.com.
Inside this Article
1. What's the world's cheapest car?
2. The Nano
3. Lots More Information
4. See all Other Manufacturers articles
Future Car: Electric Cars
Future Car: Electric Cars
Play Video
* More Auto Videos »
Small Car Image Gallery
Chairman of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata drives the new Tata Nano car.
Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images
Chairman of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata, drives the new Tata Nano car at the New Delhi Auto Show on Jan. 10, 2008. See more small car pictures.
Most people spend years paying off their car loans. Many new cars cost tens of thousands of dollars, and interest rates can make financing a car expensive. But what if you could purchase a brand new car for about the same as just six months' rent? And by the way -- have you ever thought about moving to India?
One of the most anticipated cars of 2008 also turns out to be the cheapest car in the world. At only $2,500 before taxes, auto manufacturer Tata Motors' Nano will come to the streets of India by fall 2008. Ratan Tata, the chairman of the company that brought the tiny car to life, refers to the Nano as the "People's Car," and he wants to give those who might not be able to afford a new car the chance to take advantage of mobility. The company is marketing the affordable car to India's lower middle class, who only make about $200 a month [source: Time].
Next Up
* How the G-Wiz Electric Car Works
* How the Aptera Hybrid Works
* Car Buying Quiz
* Discovery.com:
10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars
Tata looks to accomplish the same thing Nicholas Negroponte did with the $100 laptop. By offering one of today's ubiquitous pieces of technology at a low price, Tata hopes to give everyone a fair chance at making a living, regardless of a person's economic background. But just like the laptop, the Nano is already receiving a fair deal of criticism. India already makes 1.3 million cars per year, and Business Week expects that number to grow 12 percent annually [source: Business Week]. With roads already suffering from excessive traffic congestion and pollution in cities contributing to global warming, the idea of more cars throughout India makes some people skeptical.
How fast will the Nano go? What kinds of emission standards does the vehicle meet? What did Tatan Motors do to offer the car for such a low price? If it's so cheap, will it be safer than the G-Wiz? Read the next page to find out.
Next Page
94 toyota small block dana 60 — Redding
* Location: Redding, California, United States
* Date Posted: Jan 29
* Price: $ 6,000
Toyota Aygo (2005 - To Date) summary car review
EYE-CATCHING AYGO
Just when we thought the Yaris was the definitive small Toyota, the Japanese company brought us the Aygo. Cheeky, smart and keenly priced, the Aygo was one third of a partnership that also produced the Citroën C1 and the Peugeot 107. Had Toyota risked their impeccable build quality record for a quick hit? It would seem not as Aygo owners seem very satisfied with their cars. Used examples are available if you search for them and they’re well worth tracking down. (full review)
To read further Toyota reviews, click here - View Toyota videos
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Ford's $20,000 hybrid?
Where is Ford's $20,000 hybrid vehicle to contend with the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight? Ford could gain a lot with small hybrid cars, such as the Ford Focus hybrid.Ford's third gen Focus
I was checking out new pictures of the third generation Ford Focus on MotorTrend, and I couldn't help but think, why not make the Focus Ford's Honda Insight and Toyota Prius contender?
Imagine a $20,000 American hybrid!?
Hello! You wouldn't be able to keep it in stock. Even if the car lost money per unit for the next few years, imagine the traffic it would bring into showrooms. Imagine the positive press. And, eventually it would make a nice profit.
Make the gas version the econ model. Offer the hybrid in medium and luxury level trims. Maybe do the same for an EV version.
Isn't that the kind of choice America's freedom from foreign oil requires?
Labels: Ford, Foreign Oil Dependency, honda insight hybrid, Hybrid Vehicles, toyota prius
No comments:
Post a Comment