NANO or NO NO?

Tata motors latest kid on the block-NANO, is creating waves everywhere, ever since its first appearance in the auto expo held at New Delhi. Everyone and anyone is talking about it. What this tiny car has promised is phenomenal indeed. Now every middle class Indian can dream of owning a car, with the price tag of Rs1 lakh, and total costs incurred settling at around Rs1,30,000.
Just to see how it may change the traffic dynamics on road, the cost incurred in buying a simple 3-wheeled autorickshaw is around Rs200,000. I cant help but think of the future, those puny little irritating autorickshaws,with no shock absorbers at all, and the discomfort of sitting in one,where all the dust and pollution greets you strait into your face, can be replaced by this cutie.
OH WHAT A LUXURY IT WILL BE!!
I can see myself humming ‘come September’ very eagerly now. For the car will be available in market by sept 2008.
It is a total city car, and gives a very good average for driving on city roads. As for long distances,if you can bargain the speed of max upto 90 with with more efficiency,its your choice, but generally, for longer distances its not suitable. Also, the fact that the engine is situated at the back of the car is not a very happy thought, even experts are saying that in terms of security and safety, this car isn’t setting any high standards.

But anyhow, here’s a look at the autorickshaw community’s response to the Nano-
New Delhi: The Rs 1-lakh Tata car that was unveiled on Thursday may be targeted at the twowheeler market, but it has found an admirer in our very own autowallahs. They see Nano as a ‘‘cheaper, safer and more comfortable option’’ to their threewheelers. Though the transport department says that such a switch will pose legal and procedural difficulties, their enthusiasm hasn’t dimmed. A group of auto drivers was admiring the ‘‘good looks’’ of the new model on television on Thursday. They said that using the vehicle as an auto will provide commuters a more cost-effective and comfortable mode of commute. ‘‘Buying an auto today is not easy. Though the listed price is just about Rs 1.4 lakh, the vehicle is available for about Rs 3.85 lakh, that too after giving up the old auto. And if you take a loan, it’s a straight one lakh rupees extra,’’ said SK Garg, who has been driving an auto for 12 years. Garg added that if the Rs 1-lakh car was allowed as an auto, he was willing to buy two rightaway. ‘‘At least other vehicles will not splash water on us and we won’t have to brave the chill in winter,’’ added Satpal Singh, another auto driver. But some were sceptical. ‘‘I won’t switch to a car since the manoeuvrability of auto is more. With a car, I will need to look around and be more careful,’’ said Vijay Rawat, another auto driver. However, many auto drivers see it as a good deal for the commuter. ‘‘For the commuters, it’s more value for money as they will get to travel in a car at the fare of an auto. The cost of the vehicle is lesser. So if it runs on CNG, we will be able to provide better service at the same fares,’’ said Ramesh Gupta, another driver. Drivers said the government should consider it as a serious option and allow it commercially. But government sources maintained that the company will have to first approach Delhi government with a proposal and will have to come up with a CNG variant of the car since all commercial vehicles in the city have to run on the green fuel. If the government accepts it — which is subject to approvals of safety and size features — and autos get a motorcab approval, changes will have to be made in the policy too for grant of permits. At present, a new auto can be bought only in exchange for an older vehicle as there is a cap on the total number of autos allowed in the Capital. If the cars are agreed upon as a replacement, this policy will also need to be modified. Sources said that the government will also have to take permission of the Supreme Court for the same, as it will be done in noncompliance with an earlier order. The department will also reportedly need to re-do the badges and driving licences for auto drivers, who will also need training on four-wheelers. Tamper-proof meters will also have to be built into the vehicle.


But amidst all the hype and hoopla the concerns are high for the environment. With buying a car within any person’s reach who earns under the middle class slab, what will happen to the already growing traffic problem in the cities? It is pretty certain now, that the number of vehicles in road will shoot up as and when nano hits the market. So about the vehicular pollution? What about the emissions? Let alone traffic safety…

But on a more humorous note, I heard one person saying at the auto expo that this car will break relationships.how? because this car will be taken as a reverse status symbol, meaning that any person who will be seen driving the nano will be perceived as a poor one, with not enough income to buy a car worth more than a lakh.
All I can say on this is> LOL!