Key Indian motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto is expected to announce final details of plans to develop a low-cost small car in partnership with Renault-Nissan in a “few weeks”.
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The small car project, widely seen as an effort to rival Tata Motor’s INR100,000 Nano, was earlier pursued only by Bajaj Auto and Renault but later joined by Nissan, in which Renault has a 44.4%, Asia Pulse said.
Asked when a final decision on project details was expected, BAL managing director Rajiv Bajaj said: “In a few weeks.”
A Renault India official told Asia Pulse there currently were several teams from the alliance, with different specialities, “’who were working to decide on the viability of the project”.
“At this stage, we are unable to comment on any date for the final agreement,” the official added.
Asia Pulse said BAL and Renault had initially announced that they were in preliminary deliberations for exploring the small car project together and Nissan later joined in as a partner in the programme.
BAL recently showcased its concept small car at the Auto Expo held recently in the capital New Delhi.
After Tata’s Nano was showcased [at the same show], Renault chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn scaled down the targeted price of the alliance’s small car, hinting that the expected cost would be around $US2,550 from the earlier stated US$3,000, Asia Pulse noted.
