Nano v/s RE 60 rivalry reaches a new frenzy
At NDTV’s Business Leadership Awards on Saturday, Rajiv Bajaj clearly took a swipe at the Tatas and their product and neither has Ratan Tata refrained from taking potshots at a possible new rival.
Small cars seem to be the cause for big battles between Corporate India's top two business families.
At the 11th Auto Expo last week, Bajaj Auto launched the RE 60. It is slated to be the potential rival to the Tata Nano. Rajiv Bajaj had said that Bajaj is ‘anti-car’ and avoided calling the four-wheeler a ‘car’.
However, at NDTV’s Business Leadership Awards on Saturday, he clearly took a swipe at the Tatas and their product. Tata Nano had redefined the entire low cost passenger car space.
He was asked whether it is a competitor to the Nano. “What is that?” he answered.
But neither has Ratan Tata refrained from taking potshots at a possible new rival.
"Nano rival should be a Nano rival, a three wheeler dressed as a car is not competition. Hopefully we can withstand all competition," he told editors at Auto Expo 2012.
So while on one hand, Rajiv Bajaj refuses to call his new product a car and maintains he is targeting the 3 wheeler space, the Tata’s refuse to admit that the RE 60 could provide any competition to its Nano.
What will be imperative at this point is the pricing of the RE 60.