Lascelles Linton
Filed under: India

In the video above, Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Motors, responds to critics who say the Nano is not safe and pollutes. Here's what he said yesterday:

Let me assure you and also assure our critics that the car we have designed and that we will be presenting to you today will indeed meet all the current safety requirements of a modern day car. Of late, when it became known that we will in fact be making such a car, the attention has moved to questioning the pollution it would create. Let me again assure those who have concerns for the environment, that the car we present you today will meet all current legislated emission criteria and will have a lower pollution level than even a two-wheeler being manufactured in India today.

Concerns are also now being expressed about the congestion that could be caused by the existence of our small car in large numbers. I believe this needs to be put in the right perspective. There is no doubt that India is woefully behind its neighbors in infrastructure. The government is now endeavoring to address this situation with its new road policy. Looking ahead, five years from today, were we to produce and sell 500,000 small cars every year, we would then, at the end of five years, constitute approximately 2.5 percent of all passenger vehicles in the country. This could hardly be considered the nightmare of congestion that is being raised today about our new small car.

Below the fold is another video where Ratan explains that he made the Nano because of unsafe driving on scooters by families. Also below the fold is a video where Ratan says the Nano will indeed retail for 1-lakh because "a promise is a promise." What do you think, readers? I have to admit, I still have doubts but I'm really impressed and excited with what he says.

Related:

• Here's the $2,500 Tata Nano, the Indian peoples car
• VIDEO: Live reveal of the $2,500 Tata Nano
• The World chimes in on the Tata Nano

[Source: YouTube]

Source: Videos: Ratan Tata responds to ctiticisms of the Nano's safety, emissions

Nissan has announced that it will not hold a press conference next week at the North American International Auto Show, and has no big plan for the Chicago show either. Instead, Nissan is focusing on the New York Auto Show in March.

Nissan plans to unveil its all-new 2009 Maxima sedan at the New York show. "We'll show the next Maxima in New York and a couple of other things — but not concepts," Nissan North America spokesman Darryll Harrison told Inside Line. Harrison failed to give any details on the Maxima — or on what other vehicles to expect at the show — but it is known that the next-generation Maxima will have a diesel engine option. It has also been reported that the 2009 Maxima will take on a four-door coupe body style, similar to the Mercedes CLS.

The Maxima's last overhaul was in 2004.

Despite Nissan's lack of a press conference, the Japanese automaker will show its Forum concept at the Detroit show.

Source: Nissan to unveil 2009 Maxima at New York show

just go with it

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Supplier sources familiar with the product cycle plans at Chrysler tell that the automaker is “trying to move investment up” in the effort to improve the Sebring, Avenger and Sebring Convertible even earlier than originally planned.

Look for interiors on those three key vehicles to be redone in time for the 2010 model year or shortly thereafter. “The interiors are too cheap,” said one highly placed industry source. “We call it ‘the Sebring problem.’ That vehicle is dying on the vine and it’s only a year old. They got cheap on everybody and said ‘the customer doesn’t mind hard plastic and ugly grain [in the cabin].”

Sources said Chrysler is moving resources away from other vehicles to fix the Sebring, Avenger and Sebring Convertible, which originally were scheduled for a redesign in 2011 or later.

In the meantime, a major revision, inside and out, is on tap for the big Chrysler 300 sedan in the 2011 model year.

With new owner Cerberus accounting for every penny, there apparently is mounting concern about the future of the Dodge Viper. Sources say Chrysler is prepared to “make an instantaneous decision” to discontinue the Viper, especially if it “no longer can deliver the desired halo effect.”

Source: IL Insider: Chrysler Moves Up Timetable for Redesign of Sebring/Avenger