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Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 10:46 am
It’s called the Tata, not because it’s what you may say as you toodle away from the showroom at 30 MPH, but because that’s the name of the guy who runs the company. My first car was a Ford Maverick, in the color they called “St. Louis Blue.” I could have chosen “Thanks Vermillion” but decided against it. It cost $1,999. My Maverick had an AM radio, manual transmission, manual windows, decent horsepower, capacious trunk. I don’t remember if it had air conditioning. A lot of cars didn’t back then. It was quick and zippy and all that a new automobile should be, including the new car smell. If I had to pass a truck on the highway, it did not complain. Now let’s look at the Tata Motors new “People’s Car.” It has a rear mounted engine with 30 horsepower. No radio. No power steering. No power windows or AC. One windshield wiper, not two. Wheel bearings strong enough to handle speeds up to 44 MPH. All for $2,500. I assume also that it is tiny and very light, since big heavy cars do not go for that price anymore. This is clearly the shape of things to come. And that’s, you know, as it should be. If you go to Europe or some places in Northern California, you see people driving what are essentially golf carts on the freeways. Good for them! They are all saving the planet. And you know… we need this planet, don’t we? Even if we have to get around it at 35 miles per hour? I just hope when we start seeing Tata’s new People’s Car on the highways of America, or tooling around downtown in our streets, the good people who are driving them watch out for the Range Rovers, RAM trucks and GMC monsters bearing down on them, prepared to blow them away in their backdrafts. They won’t find much protection from their hollowed out steering wheel shafts and the teeny-wenny hollow space in front that they call a trunk. Good luck to them is what I say. It’s where we’re all headed, I think. Except by the time American auto makers fabricate something like it, it will probabaly cost three times as much and have a satellite dish on the roof. Yesterday I crossed a certain threshold. The lease on my Chrysler 300C Hemi eight-cylinder sedan having elapsed, I turned the car back to the dealership and walked away without a vehicle for the first time since I was a teenager. I have no car. I am a city resident and do not need one. I plan to use Zip Cars when I need to. Beyond that, I’m free. My carbon footprint has gone down to single digits, even though it’s still a triple EEE. One day, though, I’m sure I’ll get a new car. I hope it gets 100 miles per gallon and does not emit bad vibes into the ecosphere and all that. I’d also like it to go from 0 to 60 in about five seconds, though. Have they invented that yet? Well, if you believe the hype, there is the Tesla Roadster…. Posted By JD, Nashville, TN : January 8, 2008 11:45 am
One of my all time favorite vehicles was my 62 VW transporter. 1200 cc and 28 horsepower. 4 speed tranny and 4 wheel independant suspension. Had a radio. Rated as a 1 ton truck (probably a really short ton). 30-32 mpg. Good for 55 mph..but a little scary to go faster. Speed limited on hills. Not much frontal protection. But for good local transportation/hauling. The mania with horsepower and auto exotica options is killing the opportunities for fuel savings. Posted By Jim, Seaview, Washington : January 8, 2008 11:54 am
I also have a $2500 “(Original) People’s Car,” although it happens to be 17 years old and has been treated to approximately $10,000 in modifications. I admire you for giving up the automotive lifestyle. I often wonder if I’d be happier (I’d certainly be wealthier) if I sacrificed my love of driving and redirected those resources toward finding a lovely little condo on the Chicago lakefront. Please keep us updated on life sans automobile. Posted By Reese, Arlington Heights, IL : January 8, 2008 12:02 pm
Posted By J, Dallas, Tx : January 8, 2008 12:51 pm
I’m not sure why we’re so worried about our “Carbon Footprint”. In my opinion we all need a bigger carbon footprint. We’re made of the stuff, so let’s embrace it. Okay, so it’s January and it’s raining in Wisconsin. And yes, there were some tornadoes here yesterday. And yes, I’ll probably be swimming before the next time I go snow boarding. But is that such a bad price to pay for 60 degrees in January? I’ve been thinking that if I ran my car 6 or 7 hours a day, even while sitting at work, I might be able to get Wisconsin into the 80’s in February. So you can keep your eco-efficient vehicles and your hybrids. They just cost more money anyways. Sure my grandchildren will some day be forced to stay indoors all year long to avoid the heat and the sun’s rays and the pollution and the acid rain and the mutant giant roving death squads…… But I can live with that as long as I keep getting 14mph while driving the 9 minutes to work at 104mph. (while texting, of course) Posted By Dan, Waukesha, The State Formerly Known As Wisconsin : January 8, 2008 2:31 pm
Speaking of “look out for Range Rovers” and tata to power steering, Tata Motors is the preferred buyer (by Ford) for Land Rover and Jaguar. Posted By Robert, Scottsdale AZ : January 8, 2008 2:54 pm
I’m a multivehicle household. Yukon, Dodge Ram and a Geo Metro. Got all the needs covered. Baby seat in the first two. Boat pulled behind the 1st two. Work the land with the Ram. Commute and city driving in the Metro. 4 wheel drive for the winter weather. Yes, most of them get crummy gas milage but the other purposes make up for it and you can’t put a price on peace of mind for safety reasons when a baby or child is involved. Posted By Jessica, St. Cloud, MN : January 8, 2008 2:56 pm
Looks like half of Waukesha is on Bing today. Oh, recently I read somewhere that Tata Motors is also working on designing a car that will run on compressed air. Now what’s up with that? Posted By manbearpig, Waukesha, WI : January 8, 2008 3:04 pm
Manbearpig! I thought you were in Colorado! Posted By thebingblog : January 8, 2008 3:46 pm
Manbearpig – you have no idea! I live in the eastern part of San Diego, which is hickville. Public transport in SoCal is pretty nonexistent, so a vehicle is a requirement. But you won’t believe how many people have huge trunks, and huge SUVs. The safety factor they tell me is why. Or some of them have a boat or RV that they take out twice a year, which then requires they commute daily in giant road hog. It’s weird actually, in the richer parts of town, or more urban, people drive smaller, nicer cars. When people complain about $100 a barrel oil, I have to agree with an engineer who told me “gas is still cheap.” Maybe when it’s $200 a barrel people will buy smaller cars. Until then, I practice my swerve off the road routine for when these large vehicles try to plow into me. Bing I’m jealous of your city-dwelling, public transportation existence! In fact, I think the government should spend less money on ethanol and more money on metros, subways, trains. Posted By Miles, San Diego CA : January 8, 2008 5:37 pm
Bing, have a look at teslamotors.com. Pretty close to what you’re asking for (0 to 60 mph in 4s, 135 mog equivalent, 100% electric). On the downside, it is made in Canada. Posted By Luis Fernando, Jaraguá, Brazil : January 8, 2008 6:23 pm
Cars that have bigger engines are better vehicles, plain and simple. Posted By Yadgyu, Harkeyville, TX : January 8, 2008 8:24 pm
Miles@ first of all, those Chargers are something, yeah? thebingblog@ The “Adam” of our race was from CO. We are everywhere now! Posted By manbearpig, Waukesha, WI : January 8, 2008 10:24 pm
Jessica St Cloud MN@ “4 wheel drive for the winter weather”. WHY? Posted By manbearpig, Waukesha, WI : January 9, 2008 12:44 am
Yes, they have invented such a car! It’s called a Tesla Roadster. Posted By Ananth, Bangalore, India : January 9, 2008 7:04 am
http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/04/autos/electric_wright.fortune/index.htm http://youtube.com/results?search_query=wrightspeed+x1&search=Search Wrightspeed’s another company that’s out to build an electric, zero-emission sports car. Some of the videos are nothing short of breathtaking. I am in complete agreement with Miles regarding expanding public transportation. It’s easy for screaming econuts in Seattle to just say “People should walk more!” or “People should ride bikes!” … news flash: Millions of people don’t live near any kind of public transit or in places that are walkable or bikeable. Econuts reply “Then get a job closer to home!” — well, in most cases, that would require either moving (have you seen how much black stuff those old U-Hauls belch out? never mind the cost), or restructuring the local area’s entire economy. Anyway, rant aside… I have a 2002 Subaru Outback, which I fully own and plan on driving until the wheels fall off, but I definitely have my eye on the full electrics. I hope we see them widely available in the next several years. Posted By Rebecca, Philadelphia, PA : January 9, 2008 11:33 am
Why do people run their cars when they are not even driving? Walk your lazy butt into the air conditioned/heated grocery store if are warm or cold. Don’t sit in your car for the heat or a/c. People don’t care about conservation so gasoline is not nearly as expensive as it needs to be. Until the price is higher, people will continue to waste and eventually there won’t any left. What then and when will that happen? (I don’t know either, but it will come, won’t it?) Posted By Matt, Miami, Florida : January 9, 2008 6:50 pm
Bing.. Posted By David – Bexley, Ohio : January 10, 2008 2:42 pm
Bing… Posted By Jack, chennai,600 040 : January 21, 2008 3:39 am
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Stanley Bing
Stanley Bing is a Fortune columnist and best-selling author of business books noted for their wisdom as well as their sharp, slightly acrid sense of humor. He is also the only writer on business and the workplace who still puts on a suit and tie and goes to do battle with the dragons that breathe fire at corporate America every day. This blog captures what remains of his brain after it has exploded in all other directions.
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Bing, as to your eco-friendly sports car question, to my knowledge they already have. Tesla motors is producing a zippy little model. Also, I believe there is an offshoot from Tesla that is also designing an electric sports car. You can find the videos on You-Tube. You can’t tell me you didn’t see that ads for Tesla on those annoying elevator TVs they have in NYC.