There is still a day to go for the Tata Rs 1 lakh car’s debut but if anybody had a doubt that it would be the spotlight for this year’s Auto Expo, the frenzy over the car on the first day was enough to prove it.

The small car’s giant presence was felt across a wide spectrum of the sector. From automakers as diverse as Volkswagen to Audi to Fiat it was the Tata car that was weighing heavily on everybody’s minds.

Skoda, for example realised its long cherished dream of foraying into the voluminous small car segment here with the Fabia today. Even as the company would have liked to keep the spotlight firmly on their car, the frenzy over the Tata car was such that even the Czech company had to acknowledge it.

“I am glad about the Tata car as with this lot many more people will be able to buy cars though I think it will create some problems and the government will have to face challenges on the front of infrastructure. Despite the huge potential that it creates we do not plan to enter that segment,” said Thomas Kuehl, Board of Directors member Skoda India.

At Volkswagen the scene was no different. The European automotive manufacturer is known for its technology and would have been one of the last companies to invest in an ultra low cost car. But at the unveiling of its mid size Jetta, the question came up again on whether it may manufacture an ultra low cost car someday.

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