New Technology

Mr Ratan Tata on his vision and conviction - innovation & improvisation - and the giant leap of faith which rolled out 'People's Car'

Speaking about the Rs.100, 000 worth car and its conceptualization; Mr. Tata is believed to have said that it happened by chance. Here is what Mr. Tata had to say about it all!

"I was interviewed by the Financial Times [British newspaper] at the Geneva Motor Show and I talked about this future product as a low-cost-car. I was asked how much it would cost and I said about Rs1 lakh. The next day the Financial Times had a headline to the effect that the 'Tatas' are to produce a Rs 100,000 car. My immediate reaction was to issue a rebuttal, to clarify that was not exactly what I had said. Then I thought, I did say it would be around that figure, so why don't we just take that as a target. When I came back our people were aghast, but we had our goal."

At the hindsight, Mr Tata recalled how nervous he was during the launch of Indica - their company's foray in to car manufacturing - a first in its rich history.

"We were venturing into a new segment. We are again venturing into a new segment but in a product line in which we have 10 years of experience now." said Mr. Ratan Tata.

Final Words:

In the end, considering all things in perspective, Tata Nano will (and as last heard) definitely set up a trend of the sort and debut a manufacturing era of low cost and eco friendly automobiles.

No doubt, it is too early in the day to comment about its safety standards and environmental consequences, the car will stand up to the Tata repute of providing mobility with safety and an efficient mean of transport to match the requirements of a small middle class Indian family whose aspirations have been growing at a 'never before seen' pace to posses mobility, enhanced status and rise in self-esteem.

With only about 250,000 Nano cars to roll out of Tata stable each year, 'doubting Thomas' (traffic woes & congestion) will however be assured of the fact that this figure will only act as a drop in the ocean on ever increasing vehicles population. As for the environmental concerns, Tatas have assured of the vehicle adhering to EURO IV norms which is fair enough for a car maker to bring in latest vehicles in the markets.

For price, Indian middle class (even those considering buying a motorbike) will be swayed enough to purchase a Nano powering for even higher aspirations.

As regards road safety and decongestion, it is Indian Government's prerogative to deal such issues even as Mr Tata at a recent Nano launch press conference agreed to fund Car driving schools that may teach masses to drive in safety and under sanity.

For now, Tata's Nano car has truly taken millions on 'the flight to fancy'!

Stylish, Safety & Comfort

The design concept and interiors of the People's Car was laid out considering a typical Indian family in mind, which 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 meters, width of 1.5 meters and height of 1.6 meters, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly man-oeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the power-train 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 customized to an individual's preferences.

Fuel-Efficiency & 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 minimize weight, which helps maximize performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.

Safety Norms

The People's Car's safety performance exceeds all current regulatory requirements meeting EURO IV standards. 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, with rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres will 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.

Tata Nano Standard (BSII* and BSIII*):
This is the standard version, in three color options, single-tone seats, and fold-down rear seat.





Tata Nano CX (BSII* and BSIII*):
Equipped with heating and air-conditioning (HVAC), two-tone seats, parcel shelf, booster-assisted brakes, fold-down rear seat with nap rest. This variant is available in five color options.





Tata Nano LX (BSIII*):
It encompasses all the features of CX .It has 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. Many of these features are presently not available on the entry-level small cars in the country.

Overview

Fuel Efficiency

Specifications:

More Extra Features:

It will have 21% more interior space than Maruti 800 and it will be 8% small than Maruti 800.

Tata Motors Monday said it has received 203,000 bookings with a total booking amount of Rs.2,500 crore ($502 million) for its small car Nano.

'The Tata Nano website recorded an unprecedented 30 million hits from the date of launch of the car (March 23) to the closure of the booking period which was April 25, nearly 1 million hits a day', the company said in a statement.

A total of 610,000 forms were purchased from the booking centres. About 70 percent of the 203,000 bookings received were financed, while 30 percent of the applicants booked in cash by paying fully, the statement said.

Nearly, 4,000 cash bookings were made through the company's website.

Among the three variants of the car, 20 percent bookings are for the Nano Standard, 30 percent for the Nano CX and the remaining 50 percent for the top-end Nano LX, the statement added.