02-10-2008, 06:46 PM
General Motors mulls ultra-cheap car with motorbike parts to compete with Nano
<b>Berlin - US automaker General Motors may produce an ultra- cheap car using inexpensive motorcycle parts to meet demand in emerging markets, a senior European executive was quoted as saying Saturday. Carmakers have been shaken by the challenge from the Tata Nano, a bargain car recently unveiled in India.</b>
Hans Demant, chief executive of GM's German unit Opel, told the German weekly Auto Motor und Sport that Opel was studying an 8,000- euro (11,600-dollar) rear-engined car that might be built in cooperation with a motor-cycle or motor-scooter manufacturer.
"We are trying something new in the city-car field. The conventional development approach won't work. So we are looking at the capabilities of advanced motor-cycle-style drive trains in connection with a rear engine," he told the magazine.
"Thereafter the question would be, who could we cooperate with? Maybe with a scooter or motor-bike maker. Or perhaps with an Asian supplier to such two-wheeler manufacturers," he said.
Demant said the ideas were just at the discussion and review stage, with no decision likely till next year.
<b>Berlin - US automaker General Motors may produce an ultra- cheap car using inexpensive motorcycle parts to meet demand in emerging markets, a senior European executive was quoted as saying Saturday. Carmakers have been shaken by the challenge from the Tata Nano, a bargain car recently unveiled in India.</b>
Hans Demant, chief executive of GM's German unit Opel, told the German weekly Auto Motor und Sport that Opel was studying an 8,000- euro (11,600-dollar) rear-engined car that might be built in cooperation with a motor-cycle or motor-scooter manufacturer.
"We are trying something new in the city-car field. The conventional development approach won't work. So we are looking at the capabilities of advanced motor-cycle-style drive trains in connection with a rear engine," he told the magazine.
"Thereafter the question would be, who could we cooperate with? Maybe with a scooter or motor-bike maker. Or perhaps with an Asian supplier to such two-wheeler manufacturers," he said.
Demant said the ideas were just at the discussion and review stage, with no decision likely till next year.