The cheapest versions won't have air-conditioning or power steering, but Tata hopes its cute looks will make up for missing creature comforts--just as happened with the VW Beetle and the Mini long before it.
That will be a key question for profitability as retailers aim to carry just the right amount of goods to meet demand without either running low and missing out on sales, as some did in 2009, or carrying so much that steep discounts are needed.