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After the initial excitement I have not had any more news of this, "Peoples Car" that is supposed to sell for about $2,050 US. Obviously it would not meet safety and emission standards in very many countries but it did start me thinking of the concept. Could Ford create a modern version of the Model T that would sell for $ 4,000 -$4,500 US, Roughly 2,800 to 3,100 Euros ??? More important, would there be a market for such a machine in the US or Europe? My concept would be a small 4 seat machine, 2 door hatchback with a 1000cc TD motor. Construction possibly from recycled aluminum and plastic, with steel only where needed for strength and wear resistance. Very light weight with plastic body panels/steel door panels. It should get around 65 miles per gallon and have the option of 5 speed auto or 6 speed manual trans. I think Ford could do this but if too successful it would reduce their big car sales. Lots of room for comment here,,, go for it !!!
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I don't think we are that poor in this country to warrant one yet but give Gordon Brown a couple more years......
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There is information about the Euro version in car by car breakdown.
I guess Tata Nano production will initially be fairly labour intensive because labour is less than a tenth of the cost in India. This is something the West is going to have to get used to. Depending on the robot v/s labour equation the West going to continue losing production to poorer countries until poorer countries get richer and costs start to equalise. The new Hyundai factory in the Czech Republic is highly robotised in anticipation of Czech wages rising. Currently production line workers are on an average of ?800 (800 Euros) a month. Compare that to Ellesmere Port, Sunderland, Swindon and Chesterfield.
While is is a fantastic achievement to produce a genuinely cheap car, cars are not substitutes for motorcycles in Southern Asia. Anyone who thinks differently should visit countries like Thailand where there must be at least 40,000,000 motorbikes for a population of about 65,000,000, and about 15,000,000 cars and trucks.
My wife bought her two year old nephews a paddling pool. She, her father, and the two two year olds took it down the road on to be inflated. They didn't take her car. They didn't take one of the trucks. They took a motorbike. I've got film of it: two adults, two children and a paddling pool all on the same motorbike.
HJ
Edited by Honestjohn on 09/05/2009 at 05:14
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I would buy the £1500 version if it is possible to get a SVA on one.
Not interested in a westernised nanny state version.
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I would buy the £1500 version if it is possible to get a SVA on one. Not interested in a westernised nanny state version.
Instead of spending huge sums of money making the car suitable for western markets they should have just reduced the piston-stroke so the engine was under 600cc.
Then it would be classified as a quadricycle and wouldn't have to meet as stringent emission and safety standards. It would still be safer than anything in the 2-wheeled market which is what its aimed at.
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I am not thinking as much of a poor mans car as I am of economical and reliable transportation. Something that will not drain your bank account to own and operate. A car that does not have people complaining about poor starting, cams breaking, heaters not working, electrical gremlins, gearbox noise, rusting body panels, huge repair costs, etc. This has been done before with machines like the VW Beetle and others like Morris.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 09/05/2009 at 16:34
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You don't have to be poor to want a cheap car!
Many poor people buy an expensive car they cannot really afford - perhaps that is what keeps then poor.
Why can India and the far east and possibly America pollute the air with cheap motoring and not us?
I don't think we are that poor in this country to warrant one yet but
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