DNA

Mumbai, Dec 20 (mb): In just about 20 days from today, the world will finally get to know what Ratan Tata’s “Rs 1-lac car” looks like. But between now and January 10, when the car is to be unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Expo, the Tata group is going all out to keep it under purdah. And purdah for a “one-lac car” can cost you several times the much-touted sticker price.

Prototypes of the people’s car (as the Tatas would rather call it) have been around in the Pune plant -  usually covered with sack cloth and camouflage. They have been through tests over the last few months. A reliable logistics company has been entrusted with the job of carting it to Delhi under tight security and ensuring that it is kept away from the public eye till D-day.

Tata Motors has the biggest pavilion at the expo and sources say that their spend for this year could be in the range of Rs15-20 crore, thanks to the hoopla surrounding the Rs 1-lac car, the planned unveiling of the new Indica, and several other products. The cost includes every conceivable overhead right from airline/hotel charges for employees to money paid for the models.

According to sources, Tata Motors plans to have 6-8 models of the people’s car — codenamed X3 — displayed at the expo. The idea is to load them on to a truck from Pune less than a week from now and cart them all the way to Delhi where they will be kept at a warehouse far away from prying eyes. The trip to Delhi could take three days and is being planned well in advance so that there is no last-minute rush.

On January 9, the cars will be brought fully covered to Pragati Maidan, the venue for the expo, and placed in the pavilion.

Utmost care is being taken to ensure that nobody comes within miles of this place and security personnel will be extra vigilant through the entire night right up to the following day when the unveiling will be done.

The cars will be in a wide array of colours on the lines of gearless scooters which have, in a sense, been the inspiration for the product. It is a rear-engine (624cc petrol) five-seater with four doors.