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Tata Nano sale starts in Nepal from NRS 7.98 lakh
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Kathmandu,
27 June, 2011 The
Maruti 800, the cheapest car available in Nepal, faces tough
competition from Sunday as the world's cheapest car, Tata Nano,
launched its sale in the Himalayan republic at an introductory
price of NRS 7.98 (almost Rs.5 lakh).
A gleaming yellow Nano Standard was unveiled in the capital by
Johnny Ommen, Tata Motors' chief of international business,
passenger vehicles, and Siddhartha S.J.B. Rana, executive
chairman of Sipradi Trading, Tata's exclusive dealer in Nepal
for almost four decades.
The introductory offer would be open for 10 days with the
delivery of the first consignment scheduled in July-end. While
unlike in India, where the car's price varies from state to
state, in Nepal, there would be one single price for a model. |
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Sipradi, the second largest company
in Nepal with an annual turnover of NRS 1,000 crore last year,
will market the much-awaited "dream car" through 14 outlets in
11 cities.
Besides fuel efficiency and safety features, Tata Nano will be
the first car in Nepal to come with a four-year warrantee for
90,000 km, Ommen said.
While in Mumbai, the Nano Standard costs about Rs.1.51 lakh,
in Nepal, the price escalation is due to a whopping 240
percent taxes. These include 76 percent customs duty, 60
percent excise duty, 13 percent value addition tax, 5 percent
road tax as well as an annual NRS 16,500 road tax.
However, it will still be the cheapest car in Nepal and Ommen
said his company hopes to create a new segment in Nepal that
will draw two-wheeler owners wanting to graduate to
four-wheelers, first-time jobbers, young couples and small
families.
"The Tata Nano still offers magical price value in Nepal,"
Ommen told IANS. "Many people who could not think of
four-wheelers can now think of a magic car."
There have been over 5,000 queries already coming after the
Tata Nano went on a Nepal yatra this month to test-drive the
model in Nepal's difficult terrain.
The booking started after 6,000 km of the 40,000 km test-ride
was completed.
Nepal becomes the second international destination for Tata
Nano after Sri Lanka. Ommen said there are plans for further
expansion.
Bhutan could be one of the next destinations if the
assessments being made in the Buddhist kingdom are favourable.
To show they mean business, Sipradi has tied up with 10 Nepali
banks to offer car loans to buyers. While the Standard model
can be booked with a down payment of NRS 10,000, the balance
of payment could be made through five years at easy monthly
instalments of NRS 11,111.
The Nano CX can be booked for NRS 20,000 and the Nano LX for
NRS 30,000.
Despite the frequency of closures in the southern Terai
plains, that the consignments will have to traverse as they
roll out from Sanand in Gujarat and enter Nepal through Raxaul
in Bihar, and growing trade union trouble in Nepal, Rana said
Sipradi will continue to be innovative.
"We've been there, done that," he said. "We have lived through
a lot of bandhs."
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