A car company at the New Dehli Auto Expo in India lifted its shirt earlier today to expose one perky, proportioned, pert little Tata. The unveiling got the attention of high-level executives. Cheapskates around the world are certainly aroused. Today, everybody is talking about Tatas.
They are teeny tiny, itty bitty, suuuuuuuuper cheap five-person cars. Retailing at around $2,500, it's meant to get India's growing middle class off scooters and into cars. Tata's Nano runs on something like a souped up lawn mower engine, topping out at about 50 miles per hour and gets 50 miles to the gallon. But here's why I, an admitted trunk woman, am getting excited about Tatas.
The Wall Street Journal: [Tata's] Nano is part of a global race to lower the prices of entry-level cars for millions of new developing world consumers.
That's good news! Because (1) we just don't need 2 billion people driving around in massive Chrysler Escalades and (2) maybe this means we'll get some super-tiny, cheap, cheap, cheap cars for sale here in the U.S.
I want one.
For almost seven years, we have been a one-car family, which is about one car too many for the hardcore urbanite, but since we live in Southern California, I think we're doing pretty well. However! There are times when I wish we were more like a one-and-a-half car family. As my kids get older, the schedules don't always coincide. But I hesitate to spend even $10,000 on something that will sit in front of the house most days of the week. Car-sharing isn't available here.
Anyway, how about you? Are you ready to wave good-bye to the era of enormously bloated and expensive cars and usher in spare and cute wheels? What do you think of these Tatas? Think even a single carseat would fit in the back? Yeah, me either.
