Tata Motors, will unveil its much-touted 'people's car', better known as the Rs one lakh car, at the upcoming Auto-Expo here next month.
NEW DELHI: Tata Motors, the country's largest automobile manufacturer, will unveil its much-touted 'people's car', better known as the Rs one lakh car, at the upcoming Auto-Expo here next month.
The company said in a statement that while it would unveil the car on January 10 during the expo, the commercial launch would take place later in the year.
The launch would mark the realisation of a dream for Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata, who is looking forward to silence critics of the project, just as he did with the company's first passenger car Indica.
Tata had in the past told that the 'people's car' would be a gearless one with a rear engine and meet all safety as well as emission norms.
While the initial plan is to come out with a 660cc petrol engine, the company is also planning to come up with the diesel variant. However, Tata Motors is facing a pricing issue with input costs going up manifold since the inception of the project. Tata had earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show hinted that ultimately customers might have to pay a tad more than Rs one lakh for the car.
Besides, the company had to face political opposition for setting up its manufacturing plant at Singur in West Bengal, which ultimately began earlier this year.
Reflecting the strengthening relationship with Italy's Fiat, Tata Motors said the two partners would be jointly participating in the expo, showcasing their products together.
Tata Motors will display a range of new passenger vehicles, while Fiat will display passenger cars from its international range.
From its commercial vehicles business, Tata's displays will include buses from the joint venture with Marcopolo of Brazil, newly-developed multi-axle heavy trucks, pickup vehicles, applications of panel vans, and new mini-trucks.
Fiat is expected to showcase its to-be-launched models such as the Grande Punto and Linea. The two companies have booked a pavilion spread over 5,200 square metres at the expo.
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