The Tata Nano- the Dream to Empower a Billion is here Finally

The Tata Nano is here and the first thing that comes to mind while looking at the car is the Maruti Suzuki Estilo a car which retails for much more than double the retail value of the Nano.So is that a good thing ,for starters I know of quite a lot of the women folk who are impressed with the Estilo styling and so the nano should also get the Cute car tag.This car looks ideal for the city but using it on the highways does not seem to be a very good idea.

But all said and done a commendable job from Tata and all its suppliers Bosch included on the rabbit that they have pulled out from the Hat.This car is all set to revolutionize the automobile industry in India once more.

The base model of the would be available for the dealer with a price tag of Rs. 1 lakh which means on the road the price tag for an individual would be approximately Rs. 1.25 lakhs.This model is the stripped down version.There are to other versions ,one of which would come with air-conditioning but expect a price tag of close to 2 lakhs for that.So also for the diesel cars to be launched later,those also would be priced closer to the 2 lakh mark.

The car comes with a centrally located instrument cluster[image from rediff.com]:



The Detailed press release from Tata Motors.

Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, today unveiled the Tata ‘NANO’, the People’s Car from Tata Motors that India and the world have been looking forward to. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the People’s Car brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The People’s Car will be launched in India later in 2008.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, Mr. Ratan N. Tata said, “I observed families riding on two-wheelers – the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors’ engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. Today, we indeed have a People’s Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People’s Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility.”

Stylish, comfortable
The People’s Car, designed with a family in mind, has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Four doors with high seating position make ingress and egress easy.

Yet with a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the powertrain at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and manoeuvrability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars.

When launched, the car will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. Both versions[three versions announced at Auto Expo] will offer a wide range of body colours[Yellow,Red and Silver announced so far], and other accessories so that the car can be customised to an individual’s preferences.

Fuel-efficient engine
The People’s Car has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft. The lean design strategy has helped minimise weight, which helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.


Meets all safety requirements
The People’s Car’s safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.

Environment-friendly
The People’s Car’s tailpipe emission performance exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint.

For more information: www.tatapeoplescar.com