$2500 Tata Nano Revealed at Auto Expo (IN)

Tata Nano - The people's car

Launch later in 2008

By Frank de Leeuw van Weenen
January 10, 2008 10:49 AM
Filed Under: Tata

Launch later in 2008

Mr Ratan Tata's personal quest has taken a huge step forward today at the New Delhi Auto Expo in India with the unveiling of the Tata Nano, otherwise known as the people's car or Rs 1-Lakh car. Later this year the Tata Nano will be available in Indian showrooms for purchase, pricing is aimed at 1 Lakh (1 lakh is 100,000 rupees; Euro 1,740; USD 2,550)

Mr Tata said at the show: “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. 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.”

The Tata Nano measures 3.1 meters in length, 1.5 meters wide and 1.6 meters high, has plenty of ground clearance and is a little bigger than a smart car. The US is not likely to ever see the Tata Nano on the roads, nor is Western Europe, instead the people's car is most likely to be marketed in bottom-of-the-pyramid countries, ie Africa, South East Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

The Tata Nano is powered by a two-cylinder, all-aluminium 623cc multi-point injection engine producing 33 hp and runs on gasoline. The car is rear-engined and has rear-wheel-drive and will be available as either a standard or luxury model with plenty accessories and body colour options.

The Tata Nano was designed by Italy's Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering but Mr Ratan Tata, a trained architect with a penchant for designing consumer goods, stayed in the loop during the process.

Read on for further details.

Source: Tata Motors

Press Release (Click to expand)

A comfortable, safe, all-weather car, high on fuel efficiency & low on emissions

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 will offer a wide range of body colours, 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.

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