Not down on American drivers

Reporters on the Job: After press conferences, I’m used to being the one to rush up to others for a quote. This time, after attending the unveiling of India’s new “Nano” car (read the story here), Indian television reporters descended on me and the other Western journalists in the room.

As I was being asked questions on camera, all three interviewers wanted to know whether I thought the inexpensive (and tiny) Nano would succeed in the United States. Ratan Tata, the head of the auto company behind the Nano, said he hoped to bring a souped-up version of the car to the US in three years.

I told the Indian reporters that the price was certainly right, but that I could also see Americans skittish about what would happen if they hit a Ford Excursion, or some other SUV, when driving a Nano.