A few days ago we carried a report about Tata being keen on buying a stake in the famous Italian design house, Pininfarina. Luck, it seems, did not favour the Indian auto giant, but there still is good reason to be happy.
Pininfarina had affirmed that they would sell shares worth a hundred million Euros in a bid to raise capital for the development and subsequent production of an electric minicar. The Italian design outfit has now confirmed that it has sold stake to three business magnates: Piero Ferrari, Vice-Chairman, Ferrari (son of the late Enzo Ferrari) and Alberto Bombassei, Chairman, Brembo are going to be the new shareholders along with the Marsiaj family which controls Sabelt, the famous seatbelt manufacturer.
What’s the reason to be happy, you ask? The development and production of the proposed minicar will be carried out by Pininfarina along with Tata and Bollore, a French industrial group that has businesses ranging from logistics to energy.
Think about it for a minute: the world already knows that Tata is about to launch the cheapest car in the world, the Nano, which is a minicar. The lessons that Tata learns while developing the proposed minicar could also filter down to our very own Nano. A Tata Nano that runs on electricity. Sounds like an exciting proposition, does it not? Reva, you finally might get some competition. But it is a long way off.
