Tata NANO

Tata Nano

The Tata Nano is a proposed city car — a small, affordable, rear-engined, four-passenger car aimed primarily at the Indian market.Tata targets the vehicle as the least expensive production car in the world aiming for a starting price of Rs.100,000 (approximately US$2000)

Newsweek identifies the Nano as a part of a "new breed of 21st-century cars" that embody "a contrarian philosophy of smaller, lighter, cheaper" and portend a new era in inexpensive personal transportation — and potentially, "global gridlock" The Wall Street Journal confirms a global trend toward small cars, which includes the Nano.

Conception and design

The project to create the world's cheapest production car began in 2003, under the Chairman of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata, inspired by the number of Indian families with two-wheeled rather than four-wheeled transport.

Contrary to speculation that the car might be a simple four-wheeled auto rickshaw, The Times of India reported the vehicle is "a properly designed and built car". The Chairman is reported to have said, "It is not a car with plastic curtains or no roof — it's a real car."

To achieve its design parameters, Tata has refined the manufacturing process, emphasized innovation and sought new design approaches from suppliers. The car was designed at Italy's Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering — with Ratan Tata requesting certain changes, such the elimination of one of two windscreen wipers.

The Nano has 21% more interior space and an 8% smaller exterior, when compared with its closest rival, the Maruti 800. The car will come in different versions, including one standard and two deluxe variants. The deluxe version will have air conditioning, but no power steering. The initial production target set by Tata Motors is 250,000 units per year.

Expectations

According to one report, India as well as other nations, such as European nations, have great expectations from the Nano and are keenly and eagerly awaiting it, especially the electric version of the Nano, making it in all probability the "world's cheapest electric car" officially on record. The car itself is expected to boost the Indian Economy as well as expand the Indian car market by 65%, according to rating agency CRISIL.

Special Features of Tata Nano

Rear mounted engine

Variants

Besides the regular and conventional gasoline-variant ,electric-variant (E-Nano) , the following variants are also expected.

Diesel

Together with Diesel Engine specialist FEV Tata Motors is developing a 684 cc diesel engine for the Nano. Diesel variant Nano will sell for Rs2 lakh (200,000 rupees). Nano will have the smallest Common Rail Turbocharged Diesel engine in the world and is expected to deliver sterling fuel economy figures.

Eco-friendly variants and initiatives

Tata Motors is reportedly working on some very revolutionary and eco-friendly initiatives, some of which are personally-supported and appreciated by Mr. Ratan Tata. Other than their Gasoline engine, Tata Motors will offer following options.

Compressed-air engine

Tata Motors is working with a French firm on using compressed air as an energy source which is eco-friendly and revolutionary in itself for a car of such large-scale. The company has tied up with Moteur Development International (MDI) for this purpose

Electric drivetrain or electric-version

Tata is also believed to be making an electric version of the Nano, called the E-Nano which might prove to be a boon for the society and the world, both in terms of cost and technology, as it might well turn out to be the "world's cheapest electric car"] which is more eco-friendly and has many enthusiasts and media for its support. It's supposed to be as cheap as the conventional gasoline version.


Hybrid

Some news-sources state that "a hybrid version [of Tata Nano] is also likely, although it is not yet known whether the electric motor will be paired with a gasoline or diesel version."

Trim levels

The Nano will be available in three trim levels[citation needed]:-

* Standard
* Deluxe
* Luxury

The base $2,500 getting no air conditioning[citation needed]. The Deluxe and Luxury variants will get AC and body colored bumpers. Luxury variant will also have alloy wheels, fog lamps and ICE[citation needed]. Tata Motors plans to sell more expensive version in order to keep product line profitable


"The ambitious Nano car has not rolled out of the assembly line of the makers Tata's plants yet. But it is already in the Guinness book as the world's cheapest car."