Though he's doesn't bear the Tata surname, he's linked to the family through his sister's marriage to Ratan Tata's half-brother Noel Tata, who was considered another contender for the chairman's post.
Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director of Mahindra, says he doesn't regret being trumped by Tata, which had to endure the harrowing fallout of the global recession following its pricey acquisition.
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.