India’s Bajaj Auto has confirmed that it will produced a Nano-rivaling mini car through an alliance with Nissan and Renault. The new car — codenamed ULC — will be produced through a new joint venture company which will be 50 percent owned by Bajaj and 25 percent by Nissan and Renault.
The new car will wholesale from $2,500 — with retail pricing in the neighborhood of $3,000 — and will be produced at a yet-to-be-constructed plant in Chakan, India. The new plant should be up and running by 2011 with an annual capacity of 400,000 units.
The ULC will initially be offered in India, but will eventually spread to other emerging markets around the world.
Bajaj unveiled a prototype of the ULC earlier this year.
It is also reported that Nissan and Renault will both get versions of the car, with Nissan considering a model for the U.S. market.
05/12, 3:47 PM
posted by:
whinelikeaturbine
let the racist comments begin
05/12, 4:51 PM
posted by:
bdizzlefizzle
50% owned by Baja, and 25% by Renault and Nissan. What about the other 25%?
05/12, 4:52 PM
posted by:
F3INT))AP3X
Just keep it in India and other EM’s because the wealthier more powerful countries don’t need a budget car like that we have Honda.
05/12, 4:56 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
I would LOVE a few of these to abuse. Hop sidewalks, pull the handbrake and bomb around corners, fly off speed bumps. You know, like when you used a moped for a dirt bike back in the day…
05/12, 5:04 PM
posted by:
xyunya
Deanster, if those are made for Indian roads, they will take more abuse then 90% AWD in US.
As far budget cars, Chevy Avea is the price leader (and price only).
05/12, 6:04 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
In Canada Hyundai offers the Accent for $9995. The only car left under 10k – I rented one in Greece 5 years ago and it drive REALLY well for something that cheap. I would seriously consider it if I were on a serious budget.
05/12, 7:44 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
You’re right, Deanster, the Accent isn’t bad at all for the price and it is actually a real car. That thing- whatever it’s going to be called- will not be. Imagine trying to drive something of the Nano class from Calgary to Vancouver. You’d never make it. They have a law in Washington state that I thought was brilliant when I went through the Cascades a few years back. They have signs posted that say if you’re holding up more than 5 vehicles pull over. And they provide lanes to do this. Outstanding idea. Problem is if you were driving this Nano wannabe you might as well just set up camp in one of them.
05/12, 8:20 PM
posted by:
Bimmer
johnny,
there was an article in last years Toronto Star, how one writer drove ’stupid’ car from New Brunswick to Vancouver. I don’t think that it’s much bigger and much more powerful then Nano.
05/12, 9:35 PM
posted by:
Veda
Over here Bimmer suspensions require replacements every 50.000 KM, mind you we’re talking KM not miles. I’m sure those Indian mini cars are durable enough to take the extreme abuse of the even worse Indian roads. I wouldn’t want to get in one in the case of an accident though.
05/12, 10:05 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Bimmer: some people will do just about anything to get away from the boss.
05/12, 10:39 PM
posted by:
olds307
Why should we care? Isn’t this website marketed for North American readers.
Besides it’s a piece of crap death trap which is why none of us will ever see one, unless, for some ungodly reason you’d travel to India.
05/13, 7:23 AM
posted by:
JohnnyBlazE
Ironically you’re more likely to travel to India for Godly reasons…
05/13, 9:32 AM
posted by:
xyunya
Deanster, I drove donkey in Greece and it drove excellent: got me on top of the mountain, even so the darn thing smelled awful. I don’t intend to bring that ass into US for commuting on roads, although speed in downtown Boston isn’t much faster then on Greek island ass climbing up hill. Or yes, fuel efficiency was excellent, but heavy exhaust and **** damage for environment.
05/13, 9:34 AM
posted by:
xyunya
JohnnyBlazE, your comment was correct during Beatles era. Now people travel to India for purely ungodly reason: labour outsourcing. Even from London.
05/13, 10:29 AM
posted by:
jumpoffit
so we flood the world with these “micro” cars and noone sees the environmental hazard in this? they will all use gas and they all have it going out the exhaust, why is this good again?
05/14, 7:43 AM
posted by:
JohnnyBlazE
xyunya: true for businesses, not so for personal… What could you outsource there as an individual?
Most people I know go to India to see family, the second most for spiritual reasons, third to go clubbing etc.