Moto Poll: Would You Rather Spend $2,500 on a Car or a Scooter?
An Indian auto manufacturer by the name of Tata has been making waves with their recently unveiled $2,500 car, and while it's currently available only in India, the bargain basement buggy may someday spread to other parts of the globe.
According to company chairman Ratan Tata, the Tata Nano-- which features a 623cc, 33 horsepower two-cylinder engine and seating for four-- was inspired after he "...observed families riding on two-wheelers--the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It lead me to wonder," he says in a press release, "whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family."
Considering that the Tata costs almost exactly the same as a 2007 model year Yamaha Vino 125 scooter, which would you choose if you had the choice? Vote below, and comment on the finer points of comparably priced Japanese scooters and Indian cars.
1. I'd drive a tiny car for that chump change.2. Give me a scooter; I'd choose two-wheeled freedom over a cage any day.
3. None of the above. With options like those, I'd rather walk!
Click here to view poll results.
Photos © Yamaha, Tata
Comments
My thought is that if I’m in an accident, I’d rather be thrown free of a scooter where the EMTs can start working on me rather than entangled in a bunch of tin waitng for the jaws of life to free me.
That said, one of our cars as a kid was a ‘61 VW bug. It too was thought of as a death trap, but we survived twelve years in that.
They are going to sell millions of those things. Remember the VW bug, I still love those cars. I have seen 3 or 4 people on scooters and even 3 on bicycles. I think these cars are going to be a big hit.
Now you’ve peaked my interest. Tell me why these tiny cars aren’t already here, on the road…? Are they flinstone cars or do they really have engines…?
Piqued? (sorry, pet peeve)
I would prefer a scooter. This car probably has seating for four alright. If it’s anything like the Chevy Geo, you’d have to ride with your knees rubbing the steering column or worse yet sit in the back with your feet over the backrest because of the lack of leg room. At least with the scooter, I’d have plenty of leg room, head room, a little place under the seat for storage, and not get stuck in the traffic jam those little cars will still get into. I see this being a good car for those who need it bad enough though. The scooter can take the occassional passenger, I think and that particular scooter will do at least 60. I think the car would be slow.
Milton,
The Nano is about as bare bones as it gets– both structurally and mechanically. The fact that there is enough legroom and headroom for four passengers further suggests that there’s not a lot of substance to the car’s structure. The small exterior proportions combined with a lot of interior room tells me that there’s not a lot of reinforcement in the body– not only a lack of side impact beams and/or crumple zones, but also the basic heft to withstand an accident.
That said, I think that passing vehicle safety standards outside of India might prove to be quite a challenge to the Nano. While it may be safer than riding a scooter four abreast, the Nano is built so economically that I don’t know it could ever be reinforced to the point that it would pass U.S. crash tests, or those of other countries.
But I’m sure it will sell wonderfully in India, and it will no doubt open the roads to an entirely new subset of drivers… whether that’s a good thing is a whole other question, of course, but that’s a whole other discussion.
Basem
Confirms my long standing belief…put for wheel on a pile of dog crap and someone will buy it!
I would take the scooter right now. If the car is still around in 5 years the bugs should be worked out and be okay for very basic transportation if it’s the best you can afford.
I’m definitely going with the scooter on this one (although a used Ninja 250R goes for similar cha-ching). I just don’t see the car as practical. Look at those tiny little tires and wheels (bad for handling and tire wear), and I won’t even begin to imagine what kind of suspension this thing has. An entire suspension and wheel/tire setup on some cars costs well over $2500, so I’m interested in how they compensated. But with only 33 hp, this car’s definitely going to be a wheezer. I don’t see this ever passing any crash tests, at least not here. Which reminds me, Basem, any word on how much this thing weighs? I’d have to guess around 1500lb for the motor to move it. People will buy this because they need a roof, not because they want a $2500 car.
SM2,
I couldn’t track down the Nano’s curb weight, but top speed is estimated at around 60 mph… downhill in a hurricane, no doubt.
Basem
I’d like a street legal go-kart. I ain’t about saving fuel so i’d sink another couple bucks doubling the horse power and a grovey stero system. Great for parking, could drag it into the tightest of spots. I also don’t worry about it being a death trap considering i risk my life daily on a motorcycle…
I love motorcycles, but I prefere a litle car like Tata
When there’s ice on the road, I’ll take the car. Otherwise, the scooter. Either way, I’d save more money to pay on my house, which won’t depreciate 30% in 2 years.