A Poor Homeless Boy Who Built Pakistan’s First Local Car

Feroze Khan believes his future was already determined when his homeless mother gave birth to him on a car porch. More than half a century later, he has launched Pakistan’s first home-grown automobile – Revo from his Adam Motor Company Ltd. The compact, five-door 800cc model has made a splash on the roads of Karachi in recent weeks. The snub-nosed model costs 270,000 rupees (about 4,500 dollars), some 30 to 40 percent cheaper than entry-level rivals. It’s been a long road for the boy from a poor Karachi neighbourhood whose life-long fascination with engines, gears and wheels has just driven his native country into the exclusive club of nations designing and producing cars. Growing up in Aamil Colony, Khan learnt to dream big early, idolizing Ratan Tata, the legendary Indian automobile manufacturer and business tycoon. In April, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visited the Revo’s roll-out ceremony in Karachi. Still, not everyone is excited. Critics have grumbled that the Revo has foreign components, including a Chinese-made engine and transmission. But that is about to change now that Millat Tractor has agreed to build the transmission, Khan says.