HIS Portuguese accent and the fact that he doesn’t have a head office just yet leave some people with mixed feelings.

But Joe Ferreira is here to introduce an affordable choice to the auto market with the Tata Nano, a car that costs under $1 million brand new.

The principal and director of new markets at Metis Motors is responsible for tapping into new areas, having started operations in Jamaica last year. The company plans to expand to other Caribbean countries.

“The target market is very elusive, sometimes we think it’s one thing and then it’s another,” Ferreira said. “Right now, it’s the clever people who see the benefits.”

There are some who question the integrity of the vehicle, but he understands that.

“It will take some getting used to. It’s not a car that Jamaicans see every day,” the director said. “They say it’s so tiny and it’s standard (stick shift).”

But the car, which achieves a top speed of 110 kilometres per hour running on two cylinders, has high gas mileage, which Ferreira believes is more than ideal for Jamaica.

“Why use 200 kilometres per hour and you don’t need it? Why have so much space for the back seat, why have wastage?” Those are just some of the rhetorical questions the Brazillian asks potential buyers in clear English.

Parts for the small city car are also available through Metis, while servicing and repair can be done at any of the three garages in Kingston that Ferreira has signed contracts with, even though he says that the simple nature of the car’s mechanics makes it easy for any technician to work on.

Nevertheless, some people are already sold on the idea. He says he sells between five and 10 cars a month since January.

“A lot of people understand why it has the features, it can’t afford to have any tyre to be fuel efficient, it has to drive with the road, less roaming resistance,” he said.

When the laggards get with it, Ferreira says he figures he will be able to sell 25 cars a month, and then later introduce some more products.

He has a reason for not bringing them all at once.

Though Tata also makes SUVs and pick-up trucks, he’s waiting until people fully appreciate the brand.

“But here’s the problem, if I were to bring a Sudan right now, it just wouldn’t make sense, because there are other brands here that Jamaicans are used to,” he said.

What’s more, the dealership is gearing up to have a head office in the Sovereign area but he’s awaiting approvals.

In bringing these plans to fruition, Ferreira says he has encountered many challenges, chief among them being the slowness of doing business.

“Everything is very slow here,” he said.

For now, Metis Motors is establishing itself.

“So we open the business, let it grow with the Nano which is an amazing product, let it stabilise and then come with amazing products,” he said. “We have a network of trained people and authorised garages and the parts of the car can be delivered.”