2011 Tata Nano Diesel

Here’s an ICB exclusive straight from a very reliable source regarding the 2011 Tata Nano Diesel. Work on the 2011 Tata Nano Diesel is going on at a frenetic pace at Tata Motors as the Nano Diesel is the next big thing for Tata. We have many interesting things about the Nano Diesel, first of which is the launch. The Nano Diesel’s CRDI engined version should be all set to hit Indian roads by the end of 2011.

Simultaneously a lower priced Nano Diesel with a Direct Injected version of the the Tata Ace’s engine is being tested and that could follow the Nano Diesel CRDI as a cheaper alternative. However, the Nano Diesel DI’s launch is something that Tata Motors is still evaluating. Coming to the Nano Diesel CRDI, the 800cc common rail diesel engine has been developed by German diesel engine specialists FEV along with Bosch proving the injection system.

According to our source, the engine is extremely torquey and Noise Vibration and Harshness levels are pretty similar to that of the Indica Vista Diesel. Now, that is a huge positive as we were concerned about the 3 pot CRDI Diesel NVH levels considering that the petrol Nano’s engine is more on the audible side. The biggest selling point of this engine is said to be it’s fuel efficiency with Tata’s in-house testing managing 40 KMPL pretty consistently.

The boffins at Tata are gunning for an even better economy figure to ensure that the Nano Diesel CRDI really turns on the heat when it is launched later this year. Now, beat that! Coming to the fuel efficiency of the DI engined Nano Diesel, it is expected to be much lesser than the CRDI engine’s figures and will be in the range of 30 KMPL. Also, a major change in the Nano Diesel’s engine design is the location of the radiator which might be in all probability shifted to the front of the engine.

This, as Tata seems to be grappling with the temperature levels of the petrol Nano engine, especially with the CVT variant, with the radiator being located at the back of the car, struggling to cool the engine quickly over large distances. The front radiator design might be adopted in the CVT Nano, which is another product that is being developed quickly. While that is a lot of messy plumbing, it is imperative for the Nano’s engine to remain cool and reliable. The Nano CVT could see a 2012 launch and going by our source, the Nano CVT might just be the best solution for driving in Indian traffic.

Also, there have been reports about the Nano’s boot being redesigned to allow more access by means of a hatch type rear windshield design. No such plans for the Nano exist in the near future and the Nano’s design is set to be pretty consistent for some more time. While Tata continues to explore on the interior front seat redesign, no decision to incorporate it in the Nano has been arrived at yet.

Finally, coming to the Nano fires incident, Tata has been testing the Nano Petrol all along, even after it’s official investigation declaring the Nano’s design to be safe. Here’s some good news for existing Nano owners. The Nano’s design is safe and in most fire cases reported, the improper fitment of accessories have been the cause of short circuit fires in the Nano. So, if you’re are in a spot over the Nano’s safety, don’t worry. Just go ahead and buy it. Your Nano is safe.

So, that brings us to the end of this week’s big ICB exclusive on the Tata Nano Diesel. Stay glued as we bring you more juicy stuff soon. And thanks for reading!
Source:www.indiancarsbikes.in

2012 Tata Nano America to be launched soon in US

Tata Nano is expected to hit the US market either in 2011 or 2012 as a 2012 model. This will be known as the 2012 Tata Nano America, which will be a tough competitor for other group of minicars in US market.

Tata Nano was launched first in India during 2007. This was a blessing for millions of people to get this small car at an affordable price of just $ 2,500. The 2012 Tata Nano America is being called as the 21st century Model T.

The Tata Group's CEO, Ratan Tata came up with this small genuine car that can seat four passengers quite comfortably. This small car was a big relief for most of the people in India. Many Indian families, who cannot afford to have a car, would travel on a two wheeler with four persons on it.

Tata Nano is a mini car, which is shaped like an egg. It is a four door model car, which has taken it from the original British Mini of 1960's. Tata brought a deluxe version called Nano Europa at the Geneva Auto Show held on March 2009. This Nano Europa was meant to be launched in other developed countries in future. The source says that Tata Europa would be released for sale in UK, Spain, Italy, and Poland markets.

The new and the latest version of Nano is the US version of Nano called the 2012 Tata Nano America. This Tata Nano in US would compete with 2011 Chevrolet, 2011, Ford Ka, Smart ForTwo, Scion iQ, and other minicars in US. 2012 Tata Nano America will measure 129.5 inches in length, 62.2 inches in width, and 65.0 inches in height. The base curb weight of this car is 1,475 pounds. The wheelbase measures 89.8 inches. The 2012 Tata Nano America is 7.5 inches longer than the basic Tata Nano model. The wheel base of the Nano America is 2 inches longer and larger.

2012 Tata Nano America is a subcompact car with rear wheel drive. Its engine is placed in the back. It has a 1.0 liter 3 cylinder engine that produces 65 horsepower and 65 Ib-ft of torque. This new Nano America has a five speed automatic transmission, which is replaced by the basic Nano's 4-speed manual. The 2012 Tata Nano America is modeled after Nano Europa in Indian markets. The 3-cylinder engine is based on the Europa model. The Tata Nano America claims to have very low CO2 emissions. It gives a fuel economy of more than 50 miles per gallon.

The interior of the new 2012 Tata Nano America will have a high quality interior trim with leather upholstery. The outside appearance of the small car will surprise you with the more spacious interior. The new Tata Nano American version will have a restyled strong bumpers placed for the Western crash tests. The Nano America will also have a rear wiper and washer. Unlike basic model of Tata Nano, the Nano America will have safety features like four airbags, antilock brakes, traction control, stability system, which are standard safety features found in top trim levels.

2012 Tata Nano America also include air-conditioning, fog lights, front power windows, and power door locks. The new Nano America is more stylish in design. All these features in 2012 Tata Nano America comes with the base price of $ 7,000, which is very impressive for a person with low budget.

Source:www.auto-types.com

Big Bazaar helps Tata Motors drive Nano sales

Kishore Biyani's discounted retail format Big Bazaar, which started the concept of 'Sabse Sasta Din' a few years ago, is now selling the sabse sasta car-the Tata Nano.

In a novel move, Tata Motors has tied up with Future Group to sell the Tata Nano in Big Bazaar outlets.

"There is a lot of commonality between Big Bazaar consumers and prospective Tata Nano buyers. Big Bazaar as a concept appeals to the masses and with over 150 million footfalls every year, we are trying to see how we can sell Tata Nano, which has a similar positioning," said Future group's Customer Strategy president Sandip Tarkas, who heads this initiative at Big Bazaar.

Tata’s Nano becomes an exhibition in US museum

Heralding the role of design in profound societal change, an exhibition highlighting the Rs 1 lakh car Nano is one at the Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art here. On till March 27, “Unpacking the Tata Nano” explains how it is possible to design and produce a car that sells for equivalent of $2,500, the organisers said.

The exhibition, by a team of Cornell University’s faculty and students, features a full-scale Tata Nano, plus a production Tata Nano dismantled and suspended in air in its 2,000 parts.

The exhibition also has Tata Motors’ very first concept vehicle, which consists of two used motor scooters welded together under the body of a golf cart.

To show how little carbon dioxide the Tata Nano emits, a 25-foot in diameter balloon will float above the museum's sculpture garden. It represents the Nano's emissions for one year.
Source: hindustantimes.com

Tata Motors to build Nano car factory in Indonesia in 2013

Tata Motors is considering building a manufacturing unit in Indonesia which will be used to manufacture the famous Tata Nano model. According to Indian motoring sources, the plan is under “constant vigilance” by the various study teams. The report cited a Tata spokesperson as saying “Yes, we will be establishing a manufacturing unit in Jakarta. We will be announcing this piece of news shortly, but till then it is all under wraps.”

Indiandrives.com said the plan is basically to get a foothold in the large, as yet untapped markets, beginning with Indonesia. The next step is thought to include Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

If the reports are right, the decision will have been influenced by surging sales figures of light vehicles which expanded to 2.23 million units up 36 per cent, according to an Asian Automotive market report by JD Power and Associates in January this year.

This plan is expected to take “a definite shape” in the 2013 financial year. Once they establish production of Tata Nano, the company is then likely to start manufacturing the Tata Ace side by side. It is expected that this manufacturing unit will be capable of generating 50,000 units per year. Supplier are said to have already given quotations.

Currently, the company is planning to output between 12,000 and 15000 Tato Nano model a month in its Sanand, Gujarat plant from March 2011 onwards, according to Indiandrives.com.

Source: tyrepress.com

Tata Nano Sale Amongst Tata Motors Employees

The latest bid from Tata Motors to boost Tata Nano sale is to press its employees in large numbers. The offer is open for its Tata Motors employees with Rs12500+ as monthly salary and the loan can be availed for a period of 4 years. The rate of interest will be 2% per year against 14% charged on 100% loan for other public. Another advantage is the waiving of processing fees and the scheme comes into effect from the dawn of 2011.

Tata Motors has issued circulars to its employees by which it said the blood relatives of such employees too can avail this offer. The repayment shall be made through deductions from the monthly salary and there are 24000 Tata Motors employees. Under this scheme, the EMI comes about Rs3684 for the standard variant costing Rs1.69 lakhs(Mumbai ex-showroom); it is Rs4956 for the LX variant which costs Rs2.28 lakhs.

The company claims that by this repayment scheme Tata Motors employees can save Rs 48000 – Rs 61000 for the entire loan period of 4 years. In addition the employees may get exclusive facilities depending upon the profile and in particular, zero down payment. However, the company says this is not new offer since the employees are availing schemes for almost all of its products.

The company official said the recent launch of open sale of Tata Nano in 12 cities is doing well and the offer to employees is no way related to clearing of the year end stock. Yet, the fact remains that the Tata Nano sale has fallen in recent months making the company to come out with a series of sale promotion offers – extended warranty, maintenance contract for Rs99 per month, instant loan in 48 hours. The company attributed its decline in sale to the neglect of the semi urban sector.

Tata Nano sale came down to 509 units in November from 9000 units sold five months ago. The dealers of Nano started smiling with the introduction of finance scheme and the units are gradually reducing in the show rooms. There will be fresh orders from January 2011, they said.

Tata To Install Sale Stall For Nano

With more upside down and reverse gear move from its cheapest car fancy, Tata Motors is brushing its eyes to visualize the boost of the car Tata Nano. There has been a deep decline in its sales recently much to the contrary of its initial slogan from its Chairman Ratan Tata, we are at the gates to offer a new version of transportation for the people of India. He was actually initiating the move targeting the two wheeler segment to divert to his cheapest car much akin to Henry Ford’s move with his Model T. Much disappointing to the projected 85% sales for a year, the company faced an all time low sale in November this year just 509 units.

The irony is that the car market has been growing at a rapid pace all through this year. The Rs1 lakh car, as it was branded at the launch, had to undergo a lot of ups and downs especially the fire incidents in its electrical components. This event was highlighted through television news coverage. Though it had not involved any physical injuries, it had made a deep crack in the safety aspect of the car among the customers.

The company had to defend the incidents and convince the customers with a statement that Tata Nano is a safe car with a robust design. In a bid to woo the existing customers and new arrivals, Tata Motors has introduced a safety assurance scheme by offering refinement to the electrical accessories, quoting image engineering. However, the competitors reaped a good volume at the loss of this Nano decline. Maruti, in particular, secured a sale volume of 33000 units of its cheapest mode Alto even at the double price of that Tata Nano. Sensing all these hiccups, Tata Motors is now devising some strategies to revive the market for Tata Nano and the latest one is the Tata Nano Happiness Guarantee scheme. The scheme enables the buyers with extended warranty – for four years from the earlier 18 months- and a maintenance contract for Rs99 per month.

Also the company is aiding to arrange easy finance upto 90% for purchase of Nano at the revised low rates of interest in just 48 hours. The fall in the sale of Nano came from another major cause – the rise in its price- from Rs1 lakh to Rs1.37 lakhs (non-a/c model), since the company claimed the rise in input costs. The airconditioned model costs Rs1.6 lakhs which the car dealers claim that is high compared to the cost of seconds from top brands. Tata believes that Nano could still bring fortune for it though a complete review of the car has not reached the mass. The industry analysts claim that Nano do possess good features at its cost and the existing owners have no sort of regrets. The car can gain potential in coming days if Tata Motors devised any new dimensions. The tussles for Nano now are not recent one, but it faced such problems even before its launch in West Bengal, where it was supposed to install its unit. But unable to resist the local farmers, Tata Motors had to vacate and shift its unit to Gujarat. In addition, the acquiring of Jaguar and Land Rover faced a fall in its sale.
Source: http://living.oneindia.in/automobiles/auto-news/

Tata Nano Design Gets International Awards

Tata Motors’ Nano design has got the an international award- from the Chicago Atheanaeum :Museum of Architecture and Design with the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.ta

Tata Nano design is appreciated for the extra space provided for the passengers which can accommodate four adults. Tata Nano design in detail is that it measures 3.1m long, 1.5 mts wide and 1.6 mts high. Tata Nano designed with least exterior footprint yet it is spacious by 21% than the existing small cars in the markets. With these features, Tata Motors has added some more attractions for promoting Nano – easy and fast track finance within 48hours; in addition there will be manufacturing warranty upto 60,000 kms or 4 years, whichever is earlier.

Much contrary to its early claims, Tata Motors has let the open sale of Tata Nano through dealer network in 12 states in India from this August, which is to be expanded to remaining areas before March 2011.

Nano platform to be used for future electric and hybrid cars rollout

According to sources familiar with the development, Tata Motors is drawing up plans to roll out an electric car based on its ultra-cheap car-Nano. If speculation is to be believed, the Indian automaker is likely to develop the model in cooperation with the Norwegian electric car company Miljoebil Grenland. The price and other specifications have not been yet finalised by Tata Motors.

According to sources who requested anonymity, Tata Motors has plans to use the Nano platform to build electric and hybrid cars, adding that the Nano is just not a car for Tata Motors; it is also a platform to create more high-end models that will sell for higher prices and yield better margins.

After Nano, Tata Motors gearing up to roll out its micro-hybrid version also and would also use stop-start technology, likely to be supplied by German engineering major, Bosch. This technology enables the car's engine to switch off automatically at a traffic light when idle and in neutral gear and the engine starts seamlessly once the driver depresses the clutch before moving forward. Though the technology will add another Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 6,000 to the Nano's cost, it would cut fuel bills by around 5 per cent. Bosch is also keen to offer this technology as an after-sales fitting. Currently, Bosch is supplying the fuel and braking systems for the Nano.

Source:[wheelsunplugged.com]

Tata Nano receives over 2.03 lakh bookings

This car will sure go into the books of history for creating sensational news before its arrival and even after its launch. Now the Tata Nano is back in news with the latest update of receiving over 2.03 lakh bookings.

Looks like the Rs. 1 lakh car has received paid bookings that amounts to approximately Rs.2,500 crores. Talking about the hysteria in connection with the car, the car’s official site recorded 3 crore hits from the date of launch of the car to the closure of the booking period (25th April, 2009).


A whopping 6.10 lakh forms were bought from the booking centres. Out of these large numbers, only the first 100,000 allottees will be chosen, which will be via a computerized random selection procedure. This particular announcement will be made within 60 days of closure of the booking.

Whereas the deliveries of the car is expected to start in July 2009 and it is predicted that it will be completed in the last quarter of 2010. The company also plans on announcing the list of those booking applicants who intend to retain their bookings with the company in spite of them not forming a part of the first 1 lakh allottees. These allotees will get an added advantage, where they will receive an interest on their booking amount, effective from that date.

Tata Motors to sell $745 mln bonds in May

India's Tata Motors aims to sell 37.5 billion rupees ($745 million) of bonds in May to close a bridge loan, three banking sources with knowledge of the deal said on Tuesday.

India's top vehicle maker took a $3 billion loan to buy the Jaguar and Land Rover brands from Ford (F.N) before the credit crunch hit last year. The company, which has $100 million in cash, has to close the residual $2 billion loan in June.

Tata Motors, which began bookings for the world's cheapest car, Nano, this month will sell bonds in the domestic market between mid and late May in maturities of two, four, five and seven years, the sources, who declined to be named, said.

The bonds will be guaranteed by top lender State Bank of India, to help Tata Motors tide over rating downgrades, they said.

"The book is being built and the response has been robust so far," one source said, adding the five-year tenure will carry a coupon of 7.5 to 9 percent, compared with up to 11 percent Tata Motors had offered for one-year paper.

A spokesman for Tata Motors, India's leading truck and bus maker, declined to comment on the plans.

Citigroup, SBI Capital Markets and Tata Capital are the offer managers, the sources said.

The company plans to sell 8 billion rupees of 2-year bonds, 3.5 billion of 4-year, 14 billion of 5-year and 12 billion rupees of 7-year bonds as it looks at long-term funds to replace the bridge loan, the sources said.

The global economic crisis hit the company hard, reducing demand for its mainstay trucks and buses, hurt margins and affected its fund raising plans.

But the worst may be over. Its March sales fell 13 percent on year but rose nearly a quarter from February. The Nano bookings, with buyers having to fork out about 95 percent of the 100,000 rupees ($1,988) base price, would also give the firm easy money.

Tata Motors is expected to disclose the response it got on the Nano bookings on Tuesday.

Shares in Tata Motors, which has a market value of $2.3 billion, were trading 3.6 percent lower at 239.90 rupees at 0635 GMT in a weak Mumbai market that was down 1.6 percent.

The stock has jumped 50.7 percent in 2009, compared with a 16 percent rise in the benchmark index, after tumbling 78 percent last year.

Nano Elates The Delhi Enthusiasts

Motor wonder Nano has caused quiet a stir of elation in Delhi enthusiasts for its promise of enabling people to own a car.

A motor gift by Tata to the middle class for whom owning a car was a distant dream owing to the involvement of huge money and is expected bring about changes in the auto market in India.

"It is cheap. If you get a car at the same price of motorcycle, it is good. In a motorbike only two can ride but in Nano, the family of four can travel together," said Pankaj Chaudhary, a resident.

Many people want the other makers also to introduce low budget cars for the benefit of the middle class.

"Nano is good for middle class people. I would want that other car companies also come up with such low price cars, it will benefit the middle class people a lot," said A.P. Sharma, another resident.

There are various ways of how a Tata Nano can be booked. Bookings can be made at over 30,000 locations in 1,000 cities across the country which also includes Tata-owned department and electronics stores apart from booking online with application forms costing 300 rupees each.

Tata can as of now get into production for about 60,000 Nanos a year until it can get into big time production of 250,000-unit plant in Gujarat .

Tata Nano Showcased in Gujarat

The State government unveiled a mega exhibition, showcasing two of its most significant achievements. Tata Nano car and Bombardier metro train coach projects were the two major highlights.

The exhibition begins on the eve of Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit and will display the Rs 1 lakh car Tata Nano, amidst 227 stalls at the exhibition. The Chief Minister Mr. Narendra Modi spoke on the occasion and said that it is the promise that Gujarat exudes that gets these mega companies and projects to the state.

He mentioned that Gujarat was once a land of traders. It is evolving into a land of manufacturers and this transformation looks promising for the state of Gujarat.

Tata's Nano Minimum Release

India's automobile giant, Tata Motors has decided to produce Tata Nano Cars in few numbers, from its new Gujarat plant. And its release is expected between the month of January and March 2009.

Ravi Kant Managing Director Tata said "We are looking at something to bring it as fast as possible, kind of an interim arrangement from one of our existing plants. These will be small quantities. Let a few customers at least have a touch and feel of the car,"

He added, "If you think the Tata Nano is going to come out of Gujarat, the answer is no," "This is in the sense that it is already delayed. It will take more than a year (to roll out from Gujarat)," He also said that Nano will roll out from Tata Motors' plant in Pantnagar and Uttarakhand.

The Nano project was hit hard because Tata Motors had to shift its plant from Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat in October.

Ravi Kant said India can get over the worst, if the government, industry and banks engage in a collaborative effort but added that the scale of measures should be increased. "The economic package announced is just too small. The government is doing things in a very small manner. In this kind of situation, the government should go for big-bang approach."

Banks should also be lending out the extra liquidity that the government has provided them. "They need to release the money. They have addressed their balance sheet but haven't passed on this money for lending operations. People who want to buy commercial vehicles, are not being able to do so without help," the Tata Motors chief said. More than 50% of Tata Motors' revenues come from medium and heavy commercial vehicle sales.

He also suggested that the implementation of existing laws such as scrapping of old vehicles and law on overloading can put the CV industry on growth path. "We do not need new laws. Even if you were to begin following the laws that are there, it would be equal to doing tremendous set of initiatives. That would take care of the demand," he said.

"Larger quantities of the car will be rolled out from Sanand after a year or so," Kant added further.

The Tata Nano goes for a song

As a rule, I do not like to hear too much about a person before meeting them in the flesh. The same goes for cars. It can leave you open to disappointment.

So it was with some trepidation that I passed beneath the big blue tollgate at the entrance to Tata Motors in Pune, about three hours from Mumbai. I was finally going to meet the Tata Nano – the world’s cheapest car. It goes on sale this month, with a starting price of about Rs113,000 (£1,560), but was first unveiled at the Delhi auto show in January last year, prompting huge interest in the media. Would it live up to the hype?

Developed and engineered over six years by Tata, India’s “People’s Car” has tapped into something in the national psyche left over from the pre-independence Gandhian Swadeshi movement of early last century, which prized economic self-reliance. And like the Swadeshi movement in its time, it has now become almost a national duty to worship the Nano. (Amid the flurry over the car, one major English-language newspaper in India has even relabelled its front page news briefs column “Nano news”. )

I reach the plant’s test-drive track and catch my first glimpse of Nanos whizzing around. With its cheeky bonnet and oversized headlights, which look like the eyes of a Manga cartoon character, the Nano has a cheerful, almost bug-like look. But just as too many bugs can make a plague, there is something faintly menacing about the Nano.

The Obama-inspired marketing slogan is “Now you can”, referring to the millions of Indians who will now be able to afford a car. If this proves correct, one can easily imagine long-suffering commuters on India’s congested roads wishing the Nano were a bug that could be exterminated.

I am eager to get behind the wheel, but first Tata’s proud engineers take us through the wonders of their new vehicle, which until now have been shrouded in secrecy. Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata group, one of India’s largest conglomerates, told the engineers he wanted a car that would convince India’s lower-income families to upgrade their motorcycles to four wheels.

The engineers realised that to create a car that was not only affordable but also cheap to run came down to one basic principle – the Nano would need to be much smaller than the standard car. This would create a virtuous circle. The lighter the car, the smaller the engine required. The smaller the engine, the less oil and fuel it guzzles.

So, the Nano has about one third of the usual number of parts. Wiring is centralised; wheels are mounted with three, rather than four, bolts; the seats are in one single moulded piece. The two-cylinder engine is fixed on a common cradle along with the transmission, rear suspension, exhaust and radiator, reducing the infrastructure required for each part. This sub-assembly also makes it easier to manufacture the Nano.

The result is a 600kg car versus 683kg for its nearest competitor, the Maruti Suzuki 800, which sells for twice the price. The Tata Nano is powered by a 624cc engine compared with the Maruti 800’s 796cc motor. Both deliver similar fuel efficiency in the low to mid-20s kms per litre.

Although it is physically smaller than any other car, the engineers claim the Nano has 20 per cent more room – achieved by putting the engine under the back seat, the battery under the driver’s seat and leaving almost no luggage space.

The briefing ends, and we are unleashed on the Tata Nano. There are seat belts and other very basic safety features, but I notice that standard European features, such as airbags and two side mirrors, are absent, though the engineers say it has been collision and roof-crush tested.

I put the car into gear and it takes off smartly. The Nano can do 0-60kph in eight seconds. Not bad. But when I push the gears at the top of their range, the car sputters and the nose dips. The four-speed gearbox takes its time getting from 60kph to its capped speed limit of 105kph.

Although the engineers tell us they have taken the Nano on a 900km odyssey through India during testing, this is definitely not a highway car. I drive the LX version, which sells ex-showroom for about Rs170,335 (£2,350). Its features are surprisingly civilised, with air-conditioning, electric windows at the front and central locking. The basic model, however, is a hothouse on wheels. With no AC or even air vents, drivers will need to keep the windows down to avoid cooking in India’s 45°C heat.

After I bring the car to a standstill, one of the engineers takes the wheel, and the Nano transforms into something out of The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift. When he throws it, suddenly, into a turn at 80kph, threatening to roll it, it screeches sideways, its pizza-sized wheels holding their grip on the road admirably.

The basic drum brakes seem effective and the minimum turning radius of 4m should be good enough even for people who are used to motorcycles. This is amazing indeed for a car that I had expected to drive like a rickshaw, given that it costs about the same.

But as I leave the plant, whose main purpose is still to make the durable trucks that comprise the biggest part of Tata Motors’ business, I wonder whether the Nano will prove as equal to India’s tough conditions as its heavier cousins.

The engineers say they have given the Nano above average ground clearance of 180mm. For good reason: this diminutive lozenge has much to withstand – moonscape potholes, Himalayan road inclines, monsoon floods, extended families and innumerable other obstacles.

India is still one of the world’s most unforgiving motoring environments, even if it is now among the cheapest.

Tata Nano Launched in Mumbai

Amid camera flashes and the occasional shoving match between photographers, specifications and on-sale dates for the highly anticipated Tata Nano were finally announced at two elaborate media events here on Monday.

“We have made a promise and we have kept that promise,” Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, said during the first press gathering, held in the Taj Hotel.

The promise Mr. Tata was referring to was his ambitious goal to build a car with a starting price of only 100,000 Indian rupees ($2,000). While the Nano does meet its highly aggressive (and what many industry experts once deemed as totally unrealistic) price point, some hurdles remain to be cleared.

The Nano has been nicknamed “The People’s Car” because its starting price will make it accessible to more Indians than any other new car on the market. But the ultra-cheap, ultra-compact Nano comes with no frills. It runs on a 623-cc 2-cylinder engine with about 30 horsepower. Power steering and power brakes are optional on the base model. Airbags, antilock brakes and even a radio aren’t available at all.

The official launch of the tiny four-door car, however, was hardly lacking in pomp and ceremony. And perhaps lost amid the canapés and five-star service of the Taj Hotel (which is owned by the Tata Group and was a target of last year’s terrorist attacks) was the fact that, despite appearances, the Nano isn’t exactly on sale yet.

The first models arrive in dealer showrooms in early April. Application forms to register to buy the car will be accepted from April 9-25. And for the first time in company history, Tata Motors will charge a fee (about $6) to anyone who applies to buy the car.

First deliveries of the Tata Nano to customers will occur in July. This news comes after what has already been more than six months of production delays. Political protests over the company’s land acquisition methods forced Tata to abandon a nearly complete factory built for Nano production in the state of West Bengal. Rather than risk provoking the situation, Tata decided to base Nano production elsewhere.

A new factory is now being built in the western state of Gujarat, though initial demand for the Nano is expected to outstrip supply. The company revealed the Nano “a good nine months before the new plant has come on-stream,” Mr. Tata said. “We have done this to fulfill expectations.”

One of those expectations is that the company would stick to the 100,000 rupee price. The company has done this, sort of. The headline-grabbing price applies to only the base model and is exclusive of all taxes and transportation fees. The cheapest Nano, minus options but with all applicable charges, will cost about $2,230.

Tata Motors has applied for more than three dozen patents relating to the cost-cutting measures it took in producing the Nano. Some of these methods are quickly obvious: there is only one windshield wiper, the dashboard is a single piece of (hard and shiny) plastic, and the tires ride on tiny 12-inch steel rims.

One uncomfortable aspect of the Nano’s cost-cutting regime — and an exceedingly awkward moment during a Q & A session held during the early press event — was the importance of India’s cheap labor. An executive huddle followed a journalist’s query, which lead to another mad scramble among hundreds of photographers eager to capture the situation. Ravi Kant, managing director of Tata Motors, finally stated that the yearly salary of a Nano factory worker is 150,000 rupees – or less than $3,000.

After the elegance of the Taj Hotel’s ballroom, the next stop in the Nano’s Mumbai media launch was a 10 minute drive away, to an even more elaborate outdoor press conference held on the grounds of the Parsi Gymkhana. Journalists, executives, Tata dealers and “financiers” (according to the reserved seating signs) watched as lights flashed, music blared, and three Nanos slowly rolled onto the stage.

The presentation lacked the quiet dignity and humility of Mr. Tata’s earlier speech. Huge video monitors and a 40-foot tall sphere projected images of the Nano, along with a voice-over comparing the car’s introduction to the scaling of Mount Everest, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and Thomas Edison’s invention of the light bulb. It was an over-the-top send off for a car defined by prudence and economy.

Test Driving the Tata Nano

Before allowing me behind the wheel of a Tata Nano test car at Tata Motors’ engineering research center and high-speed testing center here two hours south of Mumbai, a team of engineers told the story of the car’s gestation.

Before allowing me behind the wheel of a Tata Nano test car at Tata Motors’ engineering research center and high-speed testing center here two hours south of Mumbai, a team of engineers told the story of the car’s gestation.

Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, envisioned a safe, affordable and all-weather form of transport for Indian families that couldn’t afford a car. The vehicle Mr. Tata dreamed of would have a starting price of only 100,000 rupees ($2,000).

The engineering team was never short of ideas, said David Hudson of Tata Motors. For instance, they considered the use of plastic body panels and, in one case, having only one door on the driver’s side, he said.

But the fact is, the Tata Nano is actually frighteningly conventional in its design, Mr. Hudson said. The Nano’s body and chassis are steel, while the bumpers are plastic. Only 122 inches long, the Nano is the shortest four-passenger car on sale in India, though it looks bigger than it is because of its height and wide stance.

The Tata Nano has a 32-horsepower, 624-cc, 2-cylinder engine mounted in the rear. Access is given to the engine via a removable panel underneath the foldable rear seat. Despite being a fraction of the size of most economy-car engines, the all-aluminum engine provides reasonable pep. Engine noise is also far less than one might imagine given the size and simplicity of the Nano.

Acceleration is hardly neck-snapping. An informal timed run from zero to 50 miles an hour took 16.4 seconds; a Tata engineer said the company’s testing time is about one second faster.

The steering lacks power assistance but directs the car nicely. The turning circle of the Nano is undoubtedly one of its best parlor tricks: With a turning radius of only four meters, the Nano is nearly capable of doing a 360-degree turn in its own tiny shadow. Three models are available in India: the base, midlevel CX and the LX.With taxes and fees, the base runs about $2,200; the fully equipped LX is $3,360.

The majority of cars Tata provided for testing purposes were LX models, with features like air-conditioning, power brakes, and fancier seat and door-panel trim. On a 93-degree day,the A/C was much appreciated and had little measurable impact on acceleration.

The Tata Nano car is capable of seating four adults, but five hopped on board for a short run to gauge the performance difference with nearly 700 pounds of people on board. The Nano itself tips the scales at only 1,322 pounds, so acceleration naturally suffered. Yet the ride remained stable and comfortable.

Perhaps the most crucial test of the Nano came when Tata allowed a brief drive through the neighboring town of Pimpri. Weaving the Nano between lumbering trucks, auto rickshaws and pedestrians (not to mention the occasional goat and stray dog), the Nano didn’t miss a beat. Many fellow motorists took notice of India’s “People’s Car” out for a spin. A group of children cheered and waved as the Nano rolled through town.

How Tata Built the Nano for Less

Exactly how does a carmaker build the world’s cheapest car? The answer is as simple as the spartan spec sheet of the Tata Nano, which goes on sale in India next week.

Much has already been said about some of the things that buyers will have to live without, including airbags and other safety items, an automatic transmission (though one is supposedly in the works), a passenger-side mirror and power steering. The engine is a small 624-cc 2-cylinder and the wheels, which are fixed into place by three lug nuts, instead of the usual four or five, are even smaller. And then there’s the much-talked-about single windshield wiper blade.

But there are other compromises that went into the conception and construction of the world’s cheapest car. “The Tata Nano is a refreshing new way of car manufacturing, one which targets the bottom of the pyramid,” said Deepesh Rathore, an auto analyst with Global Insight. “This is going to be the largest market segment in the future, especially in this tough economic climate.”


So here’s a closer look at what else goes into (or is taken out of) a car that costs only $2,000:

• The front seats are connected to a steel bar that runs across the cabin. This bar serves a dual purpose: providing an anchor for the seats, as well as a degree of side-impact protection and chassis stiffening.

• The passenger seat in the base model is fixed into position. Higher-spec Nanos have an adjustable passenger seat.

• Access to the luggage compartment is via the cabin. There is no separate opening for luggage. The rear seat has to be flipped forward and bags stowed behind. A hatchback would have added cost and weight.

• The dashboard is a large single piece of plastic. It has been designed to be adaptable to right- and left-hand-drive markets.

• The base Nano makes do with one stalk on the steering column to control the lights, signals and wiper. Higher-spec Nanos have two control stalks, one mounted on each side of the steering wheel.

• The base Nano does not have map pockets in the doors like higher-spec CX and LX versions. A simpler door panel is used, and a small felt storage bag is on the side of the front seats.

• Although the Nano’s body and chassis are made of steel and use traditional spot-welding, the bumpers are plastic and are unpainted on base models. Contrary to many reports, no glues or adhesives are used to bond structural components or exterior body panels.

• The scoops on both sides of the Nano are functional. The left-side scoop sends air into the engine. The right-side one directs air around the engine, for cooling.

• The roof has ridges for a reason other than just a stylistic flourish. They add rigidity to what would otherwise be a very wide and flat piece of sheet metal.

Application forms to register to buy the Tata Nano will be accepted from April 9 through 25. Sales officially begin in July. Tata has announced plans to sell in Europe and, possibly, even the United States, though those models will most likely be much different from the India-spec car. A larger engine, airbags, and additional convenience features will be added when the Nano makes a scheduled arrival in Europe in 2011. Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, has confirmed that an American version of the Nano is under development. But Tata has not confirmed the price range of these fancier export versions.

Tata Nano arrives in Orissa

The much awaited Tata Nano has finally arrived in the market. The vehicle that was commercially launched on March 23 was unveiled at Swapna Motors here Friday for the first time in the State where it remains for display.


Until the Sanand production plant at Gujarat is fully ramped up the vehicle will be available through booking mode only. Currently being manufactured at the company’s Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand, the Tata Nano is being produced in limited numbers and hence a pan-India booking process has been announced for the first one lakh units.

The sale of application forms are on at over 30,000 locations in about 1,000 cities through Tata Motor passenger car dealers, State Bank of India branches and outlets of Croma, Westside, World of Titan and Tata Indicom exclusive stores at a price of Rs 300.

Booking begins from April 9 and will continue till April 25. After a computerised random selection within 60 days of closure of bookings the delivery will commence from July.

Tata Motors revs up its Nano plans

The Tata Nano may be small in stature, but it could be a big deal for car buyers in India.

Mumbai-based automaker Tata Motors announced that the time has come for the commercial launch of the Nano, a diminutive design intended to put four-wheeled transportation in the driveways of ever more Indian families. Some analysts also say the Nano signals positive development in the Indian auto industry.


"Nano is good for India. It marks the country's coming of age," Abdul Majeed, auto analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers, told ZDNet Asia in a phone interview.

When it unveiled the Nano in January 2008, Tata billed it as "the people's car," a step up from overcrowded, unsheltered scooters.

That remains the driving notion behind the car. "It is to the credit of the team at Tata Motors that a car once thought impossible by the world is now a reality," Ratan Tata, the chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, said in a statement. "I hope it will provide safe, affordable, four-wheel transportation to families who till now have not been able to own a car."

Just 3 meters long by 1.5 meters wide by 1.6 meters high (about 10 feet long by 5 feet wide and tall), the Tata Nano provides what the company says is "an incredibly spacious passenger compartment which can comfortably seat four adults." The company goes on:

The Tata Nano has the smallest exterior footprint for a car in India but is 21 percent more spacious than the smallest car available today. A high seating position makes ingress and egress easy. Its small size coupled with a turning radius of just 4 meters makes it extremely maneuverable in the smallest of parking slots.


Under its wee hood, the 600-kilogram (a little over 1,300-pound), four-speed Nano has a 2-cylinder, 624-cc, rear-mounted gasoline engine that can push it to a top speed of 105 kilometers per hour (about 65 miles per hour) and up inclines with a 30 percent grade. It gets 23.6 kilometers per liter, which translates to roughly 56 miles per gallon.

The car will go on display at dealerships at the start of April, but deliveries won't begin until July. Expected to be priced starting at about $2,000, the Nano comes in three models:

• Tata Nano Standard: three color options, single-tone seats, and fold-down rear seat.

• Tata Nano CX: five color options, with heating and air-conditioning, two-tone seats, parcel shelf, booster-assisted brakes, fold-down rear seat with nap rest.

• Tata Nano LX: the features of CX plus complete fabric seats, central locking, front power windows, body colored exteriors in three premium colors, fog lamps, electronic trip meter, cup holder in front console, mobile charger point, and rear spoiler.

On the matter of safety, the company said:

The Tata Nano's safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements--it passes the roll-over test and offset impact, which are not regulated in India. It has an all sheet-metal body, reinforced passenger compartment, crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, besides mandatory seat belts, and complies fully with existing Indian safety standards. Tubeless tires--among which the rear ones are wider endowing extra stability--enhance safety.

The Nanos will be available "in limited numbers" at first, Tata said, but a new, dedicated factory scheduled to get cranking in 2010 is expected to produce 350,000 Nanos annually.

Protests over a proposed factory location spurred Tata to move its Nano plant to a more business-friendly state, according to the Associated Press. The AP also reports that analysts generally expect Tata to make no more than about 50,000 cars in the coming year.

Even with the work cut out for it in the domestic market, Tata also apparently has its eye on the European and U.S. markets. According to the Indo-Asian News Service, Ratan Tata said that the company hopes to have a version for Europe by 2011 and one for the U.S. perhaps by 2012.

For both those markets, though, Tata Motors would have to boost the safety features of the Nano and meet higher emissions standards, as well.

"It would not be a $2,000 or $3,000 vehicle, but it will encompass all the features required as per European regulations and by the customers like protective airbags," Tata said, according to the IANS. "Given the present indications, we plan to further develop the European model for the U.S. markets, like providing a better crash protection system."