| Tata Motors's small car’ Nano has already | | | | achieve optimum operational costs. |
| attracted a long queue of customers. They are | | | | The worst hit will be the auto rickshaw |
| the taxi operators and BPO cab drivers across | | | | manufacturers. Currently, an auto rickshaw cost |
| the country. | | | | Rs 1.4 lakh (ex-showroom), an Indica car costs Rs |
| Many taxi drivers have postponed their plans to | | | | 3.5 lakh and an ambassador car costs Rs 4.5 lakh |
| buy new cars and prefer to wait for Micro to hit | | | | onwards. Auto rickshaw owners are also eagerly |
| the market next year. Tata Motors is likely to | | | | awaiting its release and want to upgrade their |
| showcase Micro prototype at the Auto Expo to | | | | services. The advent of Indica and Sumo into the |
| be held at New Delhi. | | | | market phased out India’s favorite |
| The car is expected to hit the roads by end of | | | | Ambassador cars. |
| 2008 and bookings are expected to begin much | | | | However the hitch is whether the government will |
| earlier. The small car will have a 600 cc engine and | | | | allow Tata’s Rs one lakh car for commercial |
| a seating capacity for four persons. | | | | purposes. The taxi operators are keeping their |
| BPO cab vendors are also eagerly awaiting the | | | | fingers crossed over the government’s |
| small car. Tata’s Indica and Sumo have for | | | | decision to allow vehicle. They hope that the small |
| long been the preferred vehicles on account of | | | | car will be a major hit in the intra city operations |
| high fuel efficiency, easy maintenance and easy | | | | and also the tourism segment. It could also create |
| affordability. | | | | huge employment opportunities in smaller cities |
| Tour operators and BPO cab fleet owners feel | | | | which have a huge chunk of unemployed youth. |
| the cars provide enough power to run their | | | | The small car will be available in both diesel and |
| operations at a lower cost. | | | | petrol versions. The diesel version contains the |
| Taxi owners’ and cab vendors around the | | | | new common rail direct fuel injection developed |
| country swear by Tata Motors’ hatchback | | | | by Bosch, German leader in automotive |
| car Indica and multi-utility vehicle Sumo. Indica is | | | | component manufacturing, especially for the low |
| the single largest used taxi across commercial | | | | cost car. |
| transport in India. The diesel and CNG versions | | | | The taxi fleet operators hope that diesel version |
| remain the most fuel efficient hatchback in its | | | | will fetch them high fuel efficiency than petrol. |
| segment. | | | | They are expecting the small car to repeat the |
| Inspite of spiraling costs, Tata persistently worked | | | | success of one-ton truck Tata ACE. It was a |
| out the cost/profit ratio and has managed to | | | | runaway success and sells more than any other |
| stick to Rs one lakh target, it had set for itself. | | | | light commercial vehicles and three-wheelers and |
| Taxi operators and BPO cab vendors want to | | | | is the highest selling small utility truck in Indian |
| have a combined fleet of Tata Indica and Micro to | | | | market. |