All eyes on Tatas' Rs 1 lakh car
8 Jan 2008, 0211 hrs IST,Adil Jal Darukhanawala
Around noon on January 10 at the Pragati Maidan, Ratan Tata will take the covers off the car which has been dominating mindspace both inside and outside the industry
Around noon on January 10, the massive Tata Motors pavilion at the Pragati Maidan would be the place to be, if you are a chronicler of history or an industry specialist or just a plain automotive enthusiast. At that time Ratan Tata will take the covers off the Tata people's car which has been dominating mindspace both inside and outside the industry for its sheer concept and execution since the better part of a decade.
The obvious need to provide a more stable, safe and protective set of basic transportation at an affordable price point to the Indian masses who prefer to be astride a two-wheeler was what got the Tata car project going in 1997. The genesis for this car took in a lakh as inspiration, one hundred thousand rupees ($2,500.00) being the target selling point and the team went to work, conjuring up an all weather car with seating for four and with a modicum of performance allied to low operating costs.
Earlier it was perceived that the car would be go down the same route as some microcar makers had shown, bare bones basic and almost akin to a four-wheeled autorickshaw. However all that changed midway through the project when Tata decided, in the face of zealous skepticism and also the apparent living in denial allegations from other more illustrious car makers that such a car could even be thought of at the price point outlined. Out went an easy approach to doing a four-wheeled autorickshaw and in came strong design and processes which went beyond prevailing thought.
Reinventing the manufacturing process (and minimizing that as well) was one mantra to meeting the rigid six figure price point while innovative product design and packaging brought its own worth to the table. A third aspect—as important as meeting the price and mission objective—was getting component makers to also question and challenge all prevailing work and design approaches and come out with practical solutions that were logical, contemporary and effective without being overly complex.
What will be revealed on January 10 will be a properly designed and built car which could have been done by any other car maker in the world but they shied away from this. Credit the team led by Ratan Tata for sticking doggedly to their task and beavering away for almost a decade to come up with what promises to be the most cost effective people's car in the history of the automobile. On this count itself India has shown the way forward and while many lived in outright skepticism of this, only know is there grudging recognition form the majority behind the viability of such a car. Of course strong praise has come forth from none other Renault's Carlos Ghosn, the man who knows all about value engineering and cost shredding. Ghosn has been the first within the international automotive world to have seconded Tata's concept and given it the ultimate accolade by announcing a rival to it!
Yes, Auto Expo 2008 will be notable for the spate of small cars and small car announcements from domestic and global players. The Tata people's car will dominate mindspace but there will be strong stuff from many other OEMs as well. Fiat Auto will be showing off its small car skills with the Grande Punto and Linea saloon which will get an Indian-premiere at the expo on January 9.
Both these models will be made in India later in 2008 but the interesting bit is that Fiat would also be bringing in its Cinquecento city car and the Bravo as CBUs in the second quarter of the year. Alfa Romeo is already mentioned but the bigger story on the Italian front would be an announcement of the Prancing Horse getting ready to gallop in India.
The author is editor-in-chief, auto, Times Internet Ltd
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