Comments on: Tata Nano and the Birth of a Middle Class http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/ Canada and its place in the world Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: factors of destruction | the rational post http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-10092 factors of destruction | the rational post Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:33:29 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/#comment-10092 [...] a nutshell, America can’t produce a $1 flashlight or a $2,500 car, but as long as consumers expect these price points to endure, the market will continue to [...] [...] a nutshell, America can’t produce a $1 flashlight or a $2,500 car, but as long as consumers expect these price points to endure, the market will continue to [...]

]]> By: The Walrus Blogs » First Tata Nano sold in Mumbai » The Haulout http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-9627 The Walrus Blogs » First Tata Nano sold in Mumbai » The Haulout Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:10:55 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/#comment-9627 [...] The cheapest new car in the world, the Tata Nano, was sold to its first customer this week, a 59-year-old customs officer from Mumbai. Devin DeCiantis first wrote about the Nano in January 2008 for The Walrus blogs, and wondered if Canadian auto companies could follow India’s innovation. [...] [...] The cheapest new car in the world, the Tata Nano, was sold to its first customer this week, a 59-year-old customs officer from Mumbai. Devin DeCiantis first wrote about the Nano in January 2008 for The Walrus blogs, and wondered if Canadian auto companies could follow India’s innovation. [...]

]]> By: HemiRT http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-2504 HemiRT Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:27:28 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/#comment-2504 Despite the name (I use HemiRT for everything) I actually appreciate this car. I am going to say that it does lack some important safety innovations (airbags to name a big one). But it is safer than 4 people riding a 1982 Vespa, or 90 people riding a bus designed for 35. I will not be so shortsighted to say this car will be responsible for for global warming, or even a major contributor. Oil won't shoot up any faster than it would otherwise, as for every Nano put on the road in India, an old polluting dinosaur will be crushed into a cube. What? A car guy saying it's ok to get old cars off the road? Yes, it's true. New cars pollute less than old cars. The Continuously Variable Transmission will also help with less wear and replacement. These people in India have to go from place to place just like people in America, Europe, or Japan. And if this has major automakers rethink what people consider the price of a car to be (mine was $40,000 after fees, taxes, taxes, fees, and financing) it may just be good for everyone. If you consider the burden of ownership to be an environmental deterrent to people "wasting cars" then you need to re-evaluate what the life cycle of a car is. By the way, it's 15 years for most (though I expect these to be pretty wore out after ten). After that, cars leak oil, burn fuel ineffeciently, need more frequent repairs, and ultimately cost more to run then their worth. These Nanos are not terribly inefficient and better yet, if each pollutes half as much as the car it replaces, saves more lives with the improvement in safety over rickety motorcyles, and makes cars more affordable worldwide, I can only applaud for a product that will see a very profitable life cycle in the marketplace - assuming it is build with quality and care. Despite the name (I use HemiRT for everything) I actually appreciate this car. I am going to say that it does lack some important safety innovations (airbags to name a big one). But it is safer than 4 people riding a 1982 Vespa, or 90 people riding a bus designed for 35.

I will not be so shortsighted to say this car will be responsible for for global warming, or even a major contributor. Oil won’t shoot up any faster than it would otherwise, as for every Nano put on the road in India, an old polluting dinosaur will be crushed into a cube.

What? A car guy saying it’s ok to get old cars off the road? Yes, it’s true. New cars pollute less than old cars. The Continuously Variable Transmission will also help with less wear and replacement. These people in India have to go from place to place just like people in America, Europe, or Japan. And if this has major automakers rethink what people consider the price of a car to be (mine was $40,000 after fees, taxes, taxes, fees, and financing) it may just be good for everyone.

If you consider the burden of ownership to be an environmental deterrent to people “wasting cars” then you need to re-evaluate what the life cycle of a car is. By the way, it’s 15 years for most (though I expect these to be pretty wore out after ten). After that, cars leak oil, burn fuel ineffeciently, need more frequent repairs, and ultimately cost more to run then their worth.

These Nanos are not terribly inefficient and better yet, if each pollutes half as much as the car it replaces, saves more lives with the improvement in safety over rickety motorcyles, and makes cars more affordable worldwide, I can only applaud for a product that will see a very profitable life cycle in the marketplace – assuming it is build with quality and care.

]]> By: suveer http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-2499 suveer Sat, 12 Jan 2008 04:26:03 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/#comment-2499 What a refreshing post - free from all the false sermonizing and snide rumor-mongering about its supposed "lack of safety" and "poor emmissions". I guess there are still some honest and intelligent people around in the Western world. Glad to see that the Anglo-American tendency towards lies and self-serving hyperbole haven't infected the author of this blog. Thank you!!!! What a refreshing post – free from all the false sermonizing and snide rumor-mongering about its supposed “lack of safety” and “poor emmissions”.

I guess there are still some honest and intelligent people around in the Western world.

Glad to see that the Anglo-American tendency towards lies and self-serving hyperbole haven’t infected the author of this blog.

Thank you!!!!

]]> By: Pat Tanzola http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/comment-page-1/#comment-2498 Pat Tanzola Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:40:13 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/01/10/tata-nano-and-the-birth-of-a-middle-class/#comment-2498 Will be interesting to see what torrents of Western enviro-hypocrisy will be unleashed ... Although this could be just the thing to drive oil up to $5000/barrel, and so who knows, the planet may benefit. I do know this: now's the time to open up a driving school. Will be interesting to see what torrents of Western enviro-hypocrisy will be unleashed … Although this could be just the thing to drive oil up to $5000/barrel, and so who knows, the planet may benefit. I do know this: now’s the time to open up a driving school.

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