India's Tata Group plans to make cars that cost about $2,200, brand new -- partially by not welding them

India's gigantic conglomerate (with 2005 revenues of $17.8 billion) is planning to make cars that are available to your average Indian, similar to the way Henry Ford made cars that one of his workers could buy, at least partially by eliminating the welding process in their manufacturing. In Forbes magazine, Ratan N. Tata, Tata's chairman, lays out the details:

Tata is producing a $7,000 car today called the Indica. Tata wants to reduce the cost to $2,200 (US), but the result will be a smaller car. All the high-volume parts manufactured in one plant. It's looking at more use of plastics on the body and at a very low-cost assembly operation, with some use of modern-day adhesives instead of welding.

Said Tata, "But the car is in every way a car, with an engine, a suspension, and a steering system designed for its size. We will meet all the emissions requirements. We now have some issues concerning safety, mainly because of the car's modest size, but we will resolve them before the car reaches the market, in about three years' time."