When Internet celebrates Nano fever

MUMBAI, INDIA: The announcement by Tata Motors today that its Nano, the car that has been touted as the world's cheapest car, will be launched at a function in Mumbai on March 23, has been received with great frenzy in the real world as well as the virtual one.

While the dedicated website for Nano (www.tatanano.com) has got more than 30 million hits in the past one year, ever since the announcement in January 2008, there are over 6,000 interest groups and communities related to the 'world's cheapest car'.

The Nano site provides all informations about the car, its pictures, facts and figures, along with the message board of Ratan Tata. The site also has a provision to have a 360 degree view of the car with the move of the mouse.

And to boost the Nano fever high among the public, the site is also loaded with videos and links to contests ranging from slogan to review, some of which are already over.

Then there are community page for forums, discussion and blogs along with links to social networking portals like Facebook and Orkut, where again the Nano frenzy is at its peak. Netizens are discussing, debating, commenting and sharing their views. A phenomenal response even before the car hits the road.

Even personal websites have some Nano comments. “It was said that 'The People’s Car' was impossible to produce. Tata just proved the naysayers wrong. The Tata Nano is the cheapest car in the world,” writes New Jersey-based Vasanth Dharmaraj, a software development consultant working at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, on his website.

On the other hand, Bharat Kumar Oleti, a regular blogger on automobiles, comments on the website, www.blog.indianautomobile.com, that “finally the good news about Nano is out and all speculation and doubts about the people's car have ended with the company's official announcement.”

The online mood of the netizens seems more inclined towards the car maker and are not sparing any chance to blast the detractors against Ratan Tata's dream of world's cheapest car.

Last year, Sweden based David Carlson, founder of www.davidreport.com, had raised quiet a few questions and doubts when Tata Motors had announced plans for the one lakh car. David is an entrepreneur and works in field of designs with over 20 years experience.

In his blogpost had commented, “The launch of the Tata Motors People's Car is both good and controversial.”

Further, he had a few questions about capitalizing on country's expanding middle class or a transportation solution for the masses. What will happen with the climate changes when millions of new people (in Asia, Africa, Latin America etc) will start to drive cars, he asked.

In reply, Mudra Rakshasa commented, “The market that Tata is going for is not for people who don't have vehicles, but those who drive two and three-wheelers in India... While it might generate a little more in terms of CO2 than an two wheeler, I' d say four wheels beat two wheels any day in terms of safety.”

This is one among the many examples that one can find on the Internet, which shows how the online medium is actively used to raise voice across geographies in no time.

In many blogs like www.tech-flood.blogspot.com, www.autoblogs.in, also there are news and pictures of the dream car.

A step ahead is this website – www.indiastudychannel.com, which had conducted a blogging competition sometimes back, with prize worth of Rs. 1000 for best blog and review on Tata's Nano.

The frenzy over the Net is really amazing, beyond the imagination of anybody. But the question is – will this frenzy over Nano be translated into its market potential once the car hits the road. What do you think?

Name
Email
Comment Here
Code Verification

Facebook shares could fall below IPO price

Sims Recycling Solutions celebrates Earth Day

Spectrum refarming to disrupt services?

Book your trip to Vaishno Devi online

Do you know what Narayana Murthy has studied?

Why 122,680 Facebookers 'like' Nirmal Baba?

Do you think IT employees need unions?

DataWind terms Aakash II launch a revolution

Can Aamir Khan bring down female foeticide?

Bing or Google, what do you use?

Subscribe to PCQuest for iPad & Android tablets

Register Free at DQ Top 20 Online portal & get insights on the Indian IT Industry

Enterprise IT News and Analysis in your inbox

Subscribe to the free PCQuest newsletter

Do you think IT employees need unions?

Arun and Cipla - no ladders, no snakes

Cyber attacks: Have India's neighbours turned culprits?

Personal cloud will eclipse PC: Gartner

SMEs don't give much importance to security

Sponsored Links

Custom Site

Demo Downloads On :

1-Click News Updates