Bajaj open to partner Tata for small car

The search for a people’s small car may bring together two of the biggest local players in the Indian auto industry. Bajaj Auto is working on a “non-traditional light car concept” for which it’s open to partnering with Tata Motors which is working on a Rs 1-lakh car.

Speaking to Indiatimes Auto, Rajiv Bajaj, MD, Bajaj Auto, said, “We are new-comers to this game, and a traditional car is out of our league. But we are doing something different and if there are synergies with what Tata Motors is doing, we would be more than open to talking to them.” Indiatimes Auto had reported Bajaj Auto’s foray into light goods and passenger carriers on January 29. Bajaj Auto, which is foraying in to four-wheelers with a light goods carrier, is also developing a car concept to be showcased at the 2008 Auto Expo. “The concept is a car as not a one-box passenger carrier, but a two-box vehicle like Maruti 800 or Alto,” Mr Bajaj said. “But it is very much a concept unlike the goods carrier which is for commercial production. We are trying an entirely new technology and we are not sure if it will work.”

The Bajaj concept will have the look and feel of a car, but will be equipped with an engine that’s as powerful as Maruti 800 engine but as cheap as an auto rickshaw’s. Because the technology is entirely new, Bajaj is not interested in talking to any of the traditional leaders of the compact car market.“Our concept will look and feel entirely like a car, but I am approaching it from a technology angle that is totally different, and the established players will not be able to help us with that. But if Tata Motors is interested, I would be open to teaming up with them,” he said. “If the two companies can complement each other in creating something as revolutionary as this, why not?”

The search for a small car that meets individual mobility needs is a global phenomenon, he said, with car makers looking at two ends of the spectrum. At one end, there will be niche and pricey small cars like Smart, and at the other, affordable small cars like the ones on Indian roads.

But to bridge the cost of ownership gap between a 100-cc motorcycle and M800, the new range of ‘light’ cars will have to be substantially lower-priced, meet functional needs like design, performance and reliability, meet all regulatory requirements expected of cars which are non-existing for two- and three-wheelers and be profitable as well. Is Bajaj Auto working on something like that? “As far as actual development work goes, we are working on a light goods carrier which will also meet all the above-mentioned requirements,” Mr Bajaj said. “As far as a passenger version goes, we are not in the process of actually developing one, but it is a project around which we are currently thinking.”

But it can’t be done with traditional technology, he clarified. “We have some ideas and we are trying to put together a concept vehicle which will also satisfy all the criteria, along with the goods carrier,” Mr Bajaj added.

Source : Indiatimes

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