http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 9:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Actually Chinese aren't all that bad, especially when the things are being exported.]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 21st 2007 3:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Oct 24th 2007 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Oct 25th 2007 9:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Can't wait to see which this turns out to be.]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
Though not as frightening as driving round in a 2 tonne American made SUV which rolls over at the slightest hint of uneven ground.]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
As a devout liberal, I hate that liberals fall into the same knee-jerk, toe-the-party-line thinking that conservatives do. People with bald tires talking about how dangerous SUV's are. People with old V-8 Fords with faulty exhaust ragging on people with SUV's. My mother bought a Hummer H2 because she simply liked it. She had come to America from Korea 40 years ago, worked her butt off, and got to where she could afford a nice house and buy a vehicle she liked. It's three years old and has around 12,000 miles on it. She buries all her organic kitchen waste, tries to save electricity, and is a good person. But liberal friends sneer at the fact she owns a Hummer, because that's the easy target they've been told symbolizes All That Is Bad In America. It's been keyed, and had stickers put on saying she's destroying the planet.

Liberal, conservative, Apple, Microsoft... shouldn't we be encouraging people to do what makes them happy, as long as they're responsible about it? Shouldn't we be encouraging people not to be mindless jerks to each other? (not that you were being a jerk, Fred, but come on, that comment is problematic in so many ways...)]]>Aug 20th 2007 12:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
http://www.theaircar.com/onecatsEN.html

]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/After 10 years you will be looking for a job in India. I promise you that.]]>Aug 20th 2007 12:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
India's has over 300 people per sq km to the US 30 per sq km...and the country still has an excessive birth rate.

But you're right, people on average aren't as fat and aren't on foodstamps here. I pass a very long line of poor Indian men, women and children in line for free food everyday. I have one more month left in India and can't wait to get back to the states. Partly, I can't stand to see how poorly this country is managed and maintained, but I also really miss having a good steak to masticate on.

Oh, and there is a great many overweight Indians among the upper and (growing) middle class. Even spotting Americans among Europeans has become pretty tough in the last 10 years. ]]>Aug 20th 2007 1:33PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
But I digress, considering we can make super hard plastic, I wouldn't doubt that there is a plastic that is harder than steel or whatever we use.
]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 7:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:31AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
I would like to lay my hand on one ASAP.]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://tinyurl.com/ywwakr
Your mileage may vary.]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 12:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 1:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
Please, the Aura wasn't the North American car of the year for any reason.

Just because the bumpers of a car aren't painted (sometimes that was an option, by the way) doesn't mean it's entirely made or plastic. That was like, a freaking trend from 99 to 03 (They all did it and pretended it was Euro-styling, which to a certain extent was true back then, I mean, look at all the old Euroboxes).

The Smart, as far as I know, is probably the most plasticky automobile you can get today.]]>Aug 20th 2007 1:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Nov 23rd 2007 9:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/They don't really need cars that are 'safe' in the first-world sense.

They just need something that's basically a motorcycle you can pack your family into.]]>Aug 20th 2007 10:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
haha another victim of the engadget comment system.. jk

thanks for the info I didnt know that.. i think TM is closly guarding this info from indian media ??

and one more thing i have to say as a TATA Motors customer myself (i own an Indigo) their service sucks !! They will sell the car for cheap and recover the costs by the way of service and spares... the cost of maintanence of TATA cars are very high compared to hyundai/honda and others here in India.
]]>Aug 20th 2007 11:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 11:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
The air car is a bi-fuel car which means it runs on both compressed air as well as petrol / diesel. And it is expected to launch in August 2008 - i.e., third quarter.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/06/09/autoblog-qanda-miguel-celades-sales-manager-of-mdi-they-make-th/
]]>Aug 20th 2007 11:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
Body panels are easier to replace than sheet metal ones, but of course, not as durable, especially if it's extremely cold and the car takes a hit. Instead of a dent, you get a shattered body panel. Ooops.]]>Aug 20th 2007 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 11:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
I can imagine that with a flexible plastic body and the right shock absorbing materials behind it, it could be a really cool rollover :-)]]>Aug 20th 2007 11:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
It spreads the shock of the impact and takes momentum out of the crash.

Will this 3000 euro car be using sophisticated techniques to pass the energy from an impact around the plastic shell? i doubt it, But i also doubt any of these cars will see motorway speed traffic.]]>Aug 20th 2007 11:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
I am sure you meant Carbon Fibre, right ;)]]>Aug 20th 2007 12:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
Like concrete reinforced with steal, is still concrete.

But like i said, i doubt for 3000 euro any of these techniques could be used.

]]>Aug 21st 2007 7:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
I am pretty sure it will ;)]]>Aug 20th 2007 12:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 12:24PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 12:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
Statistics say otherwise, the causes of fatalities are not just a strong structure and a airbags but also the power of the vehicle himself, for example many SUV allow "thousand of horsepower" while a little citycar just bring "a few ponies powers".
]]>Aug 20th 2007 2:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 2:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Nov 23rd 2007 10:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/
I assume this is an exaggeration, as I know of not one production SUV with 1000+HP, let alone "many".]]>Aug 20th 2007 3:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 3:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/20/indias-tata-motors-developing-uber-cheap-plastic-automobile/Aug 20th 2007 3:49PM