Jason

General Motors is targeting the emerging ultra-low-cost car market with plans for a compact for around $4,000, possibly producing it in Asia.

The segment is attracting increasing attention from manufacturers eager to keep sales momentum in developing markets following the sharp slide in car sales in North America and Western Europe.

"When Tata Motors in India came out with their $2,500 Nano vehicle, it put a lot of automakers on the spot," said Nick Reilly, GM's new executive vice president of international operations.

Tata Motors started shipping the much-promoted Nano to domestic customers in July, with a base price of just under $3,000, and executives have talked of selling versions of the car in other emerging markets and in the U.S. and Europe.

"We are not going to make cars that cheap because that is really a specific car for a very specific market that has different emissions standards and specifications than markets like the U.S. and Brazil," Reilly said at a media briefing Friday in Brazil, GM's third-largest market by sales, after China and the United States.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...CarFromGM.aspx

Codeman0013

Yea these cars are cheap but they are not safe at all.. Last month one here in my town was pancaked by 2 simi's and i have seen them flipped by wind on teh highway and i have seen them hit on the passenger side and the driver was killed becuase the cars are so flimsy and they just are too small to be safe.. I would never sacrifice my safety for a cheap car...

Basementgeek

I would consider having one very small car, as long I had a regular car to drive. Being retired most of my trips are under 10miles and not on the freeway.

Driving these tiny cars you need to pretend you are driving a motorcycle, always be aware of your surroundings/think ahead.

BG

M3guy

Well GM is finally getting realistic

Tumbleweed36

And, this company which received massive bailouts is going to repay the American taxpayers by producing this car in another country?

wolfen1086

Smallest thing I'll even consider getting into is Jeep, and thats only cause they can survive a crash pretty much still recognizable, smart cars, and nano's are like steping on a ping pong ball when you hit one, Personally I'd rather NOT drive around in my coffin.

kendallt

Since I ride motorcycles and put nearly 1200 miles a month (summer) on bicycles, I would have no problems jumping into a small $4000 car.
If it were reliable, and got decent mileage it would be a perfect car for most of the population.

Better driver education, and promoting driver responsability will do far more to reduce accidents than all the airbags in the world.

Ken.

wolfen1086

I totally agree with you ion the drivers ed part, since 99% or teh drivers here can't drive on dry sunny days without smashing into each other, throw in a motorcycle, or adverse weather, and the roads here become parking lots, to the point that you can shut off the engine and have a cookout.

But as for teh cars themselves, I'm holding out for a total electric one that goes at least 400 miles ion a single charge, has no gas or diesel engine, and I can plug into my solar panel battery at night