Sitara

by Guruprasad

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Pakistan’s low cost car – “Sitara”.

“Pakistan beats India”
This was the headline in Pakistan newspaper after the launch of this low cost car(t).
It was Pakistan’s reply to India’s Nano.
Yes, Pak had beaten India!! Shocking but true.. Just read the amazing specs of the car below to know why.

Sitara was a “sophisticated”, “modern” car launched by Habib Motors of Pakistan in 2004 and a record 60 cars (yes, sixty!!.) have been sold since then!!
It had all the basic amenities like 175cc engine, steering wheel and normal drum brakes.
The lack of roof & doors was not a cost cutting measure, but a specialized feature. Because in Pakistan, you never know when you might have to jump immediately out of the car due to a bomb. Having a door will delay such immediate jumps. So better to eliminate doors altogether.

Apart from that, it had some extraordinary features which can only be found in high end cars like BMW and Benz. Features like the following:

1) Climate Control AC (means the outside climate influences the temperature within the car because it is fully open anyway. If it rains outside, it rains inside the car also. If it is hot outside, its hot inside as well. See, climate has the control!!),

2) Airbags, but without bags (they had to eliminate bags to keep down cost. Means only air. no bags),

3) Open roof (to enjoy the moonlight and natural breeze when you are “speeding” down the highway).

Thats the extraordinary feature-set of basic model. The high end model has more extraordinary features like self start, seat-belts, speedometer, hazardlights and handbrakes.

As a safety measure, the top speed was limited to 60 kmph so that people could slowly enjoy being one with the nature.

What more do you want??

All these for just Pakistan Rupees 1 lakh??
Unbelievable!!
Pakistan has indeed beaten India..

More photos of the car
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/2665-pakistan-beats-india-one-lac-car.html

News report
http://www.rediff.com/money/2004/jul/19car.htm