The cheapest car in the world

The cheapest car in the world will be available in India
By Eko Murwanto
Translated by Yunita Ramadhana

18-Feb-2007, 05:14:35 WIB - [www.kabarindonesia. com]

The great will from almost people in this world who are still using the two-wheels vehicle (like motorcycle) is changing it with four-wheels vehicle (car). Not at the long times, it will be like “dream comes true”, at least for the Indian people.

It is Tata Motors Ltd which will realize it. Tata Motors which has TELCO (Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company) as its name before, is a great company in India which produces cars and others commercial automotives, and also placed the fifth position in the list of the great producers in the world. Tata Motors is the branch of Tata and Sons Group, which was established by Jamsetji Tata, and led by Ratan Tata at this time.

Ratan Tata’s old dream is to produce cars with cost only Rs. 1 Lakhs (around US$2200). Lakh is a term in Indian currency and another countries in South Asia. 1 Lakh balances with one hundred thousands rupees. 1 rupee is around Rp. 200,- (Indonesian currency). It means that the price of this new car producing by Tata Motors is not more than Rp. 20 million. It is a “amazing” price for those who are dreaming to have a new car.

It is absolutely become the cheapest cars in the world. Nowadays, in Indonesia, it is almost impossible to get a second hand car in good condition only by Rp.20 millions, but Tata will give a “fresh from the oven”car by that price. When Tata Groups’ director announces it in front of his stock holders, he said that this new car will give a revolution for Indian society. There’s no doubt for it. It will be a great revolution not only for Indian society but also for the world. These. Rs. 1 lakh cars like a “dream” for millions people who can’t buy a car because of its high price.

They keep going with this plan though there are so many doubts from its rivals, including Suzuki Motor Corporation which thinks that it is not possible to produce a car in that price. But, Tata is quiet confident about it and said that in its launching every doubts will be answered automatically. Ratan Tata states that its launching will become a new paradigm in terms of private transportation by its cheap cost, creating a new market segment and reaching the low society level.

Tata Motors has planning to launch this Rs. 1 lakh car which has “compact car type” in 2008. The designing process has been done and now its prototype is in examining process, it is only to skim the negative arguments that this project is too ambitious to be realized. These four-door cars which have capacity for 5 persons and with its maximum rear engine 30 HP will take us to the period of Beetle. This car is not scooter, three-wheeler, or auto-rickshaw that will be changed into car. The first type will be launched in petrol version, and then in diesel version. It will be the cheapest cars but without high speed such in available cars, however, it has CVT technology (Continously Variable Transmission) in which does not need any change in gearing.

These cars will be exported to the developing countries including Indonesia, depending on its success in distributing it in India. As the part of Tata’s planning to make cars in low cost, it also keeps probing the possibility to produce cars in such plastics material providing by General Electric (GE). While, this RS. 1 lakh cars are made of steel.

This car is two times cheaper than the cheap cars in India, so it is possible for low level society to get it. For those who are still going somewhere by using motorcycle and feeling the sun-light in their face and sniffing the dust, they will get the alternative to change it into this car. These cheapest cars will be appeared in Indian traffic and another developing countries including Indonesia. But, there’s a question will come after this, “Is it possible for the traffic life to receive so many kind of those cars?”

Eko Murwanto, Roorkee - India.