And now am having second thoughts
Earlier I had mentioned I would travel all the way from T.O. to vote for a party that would deliver a people's car by 2018. And then I came across this news report. Now, I don't know what to do.
Sitara, Pak's car, which 'beat India'
11 Jan 2008, 0139 hrs IST
,Manu Joseph,TNN
11 Jan 2008, 0139 hrs IST
,Manu Joseph,TNN| |
| The Sitara, Pakistan's Rs 1 lakh car (TOI Photo) |
In 2004, when Habib Motors launched Sitara, Pakistan's Rs 1 lakh car, the headlines inevitably read, ‘Pakistan beats India'. That nation's expats rejoiced in online chat rooms saying things like, ‘‘Today, I'm proud to be a Pakistani''. And Indians with unlimited broadband responded by saying that Sitara was not a car but a cart.
What makes a car a car is a philosophical issue and to be fair, Habib Motors has officially referred to Sitara only as a four-wheeler, an indisputable fact.
It is a self-propelled vehicle with a steering wheel and seat belts too. Till recently the roof was optional. It weighs 350 kg and can reach a maximum speed of 60 kmph on the power of its 200cc Chinese four-stroke engine. It is 2800mm long and 1820 mm high.
And, according to a company executive, ‘‘if driven properly'', it can get a mileage of over 25 kmpl. Since its launch, Habib Motors has sold about 60 pieces to individuals. ‘‘It is designed to help the poor man upgrade from the dangerous motorcycle,'' says Karachi-based Amjad Mehmud, chief executive of Habib Maritime which owns Habib Motors. He drives a Toyota Corrolla but finds Sitara, “good fun, really”.
What makes a car a car is a philosophical issue and to be fair, Habib Motors has officially referred to Sitara only as a four-wheeler, an indisputable fact.
It is a self-propelled vehicle with a steering wheel and seat belts too. Till recently the roof was optional. It weighs 350 kg and can reach a maximum speed of 60 kmph on the power of its 200cc Chinese four-stroke engine. It is 2800mm long and 1820 mm high.
And, according to a company executive, ‘‘if driven properly'', it can get a mileage of over 25 kmpl. Since its launch, Habib Motors has sold about 60 pieces to individuals. ‘‘It is designed to help the poor man upgrade from the dangerous motorcycle,'' says Karachi-based Amjad Mehmud, chief executive of Habib Maritime which owns Habib Motors. He drives a Toyota Corrolla but finds Sitara, “good fun, really”.
posted by temporal at 1/11/2008
2 Comments:
Lol...is this really car? Looks like a Chalti ka naam gaadi kind of thing. I love how happy the family looks though. That poor baby in the front does not look safe.
Common guys Do you call it a car?
Might have heard of Bhail gadi. That would be better that this. Jawahara said right about the safety. Low sitting levels are not safe. Any bikes can give you a crash and that would be ultimately dangerous. Thats just a cart. Check out the bikes that are better than the carts on indian roads
fuel economy, motorcycles comparison
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