Tata Nano bookings to start officially in less than a week from now. People are curious to know about the booking details and pricing. News reports suggest that the bookings can be made online as well through a wide network of State Bank of India (SBI). Various banks are charging around 12% interest for new car loans in India, not sure what would be rate on Tata Nano as it belongs to low cost category. It would be interesting to see how much SBI would levy on this car as their profit margin would be smaller. Whether people really need loan to buy this cheapest car on earth or not, my intention was to know more on what made Tata’s come up with “People’s Car”. Here is the gist of what I found…
Inspiration:
During the launch of Tata Nano, Ratan Tata revealed the story on what inspired him to think about a small car. The saying goes like this – “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. Today, we indeed have a People’s Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms.”
Guinness Record:
The Tata Nano has already made it to the Guinness Book of World Records 2009. The 54th edition of the record book, which was launched at London’s Trafalgar Square, has listed the Nano as the world’s cheapest car.
Price:
Tata Nano – the world’s cheapest car as on date, costs almost half of the cheapest car currently available anywhere in the world. The Maruti 800 costs approximately Rs 2 lakhs (Ex showroom price). It may be noted that a Bajaj autorickshaw costs approximately Rs 90,000 INR. While comparing the Nano to the Maruti 800 at the launch ceremony of Tata Nano, I recall Ratan Tata’s words – “It is 8% smaller bumper to bumper, has 21% larger seating capacity than the Maruti 800”.
Engineers:
The Nano has been bought to current design and shape by a strong team of about 500 engineers, headed by Girish Wagh, at the Engineering Research Centre (ERC) of the Tata Motors plant in Pune.
Nomenclature:
The name ‘Nano’ was coined for this small car as it denotes high technology and small size, as mentioned in their website. There are unconfirmed stories as well on how the car was called the Nano, as nano means small in Gujarati, the mother tongue of the Tata family.
Concept to Reality:
This story again dates back to the launch ceremony of Nano in New Delhi. There Ratan Tata quoted, “This has been referred to as one man’s dream and indeed it was. But it took a tremendous amount of team work to convert this or translate this into reality. And I think it would be but fair and fitting to recognise and acknowledge the achievement of a young group engineers who undertook the challenge for four years and great sacrifice to themselves and produced this car.”
Innovation:
How can we miss to talk about the innovation aspect here? How could they design a car that costs only half of the price of the cheapest car in the world? Well the answer lies in the cost cutting by minimising components, particularly steel, and taking advantage of India’s low production costs. Because of its size, the Nano uses less sheet metal, has a smaller and lighter engine than other cars, smaller tubeless tyres and a no frills interior. No surprise for guessing, the company has applied for 34 patents to cover its innovations.
Here is an update on Tata nano models, engine performance, booking and warranty details.
V Lakshmi says
The problem is not with the car! I feel the marketing campaign of Nano was the biggest blunder ever that is where Nano failed. The company tagged Nano as ‘cheap’ in the market. In fact, Nano is the best car, unfortunately, the marketing blunders have set them back. I suggest people read on Why did Tata Nano devised for burgeoning middle classes fail?
venkatrajaraman says
This is ok, but current situation the people need electric car instead of this.
Tata will try same nano with electric, price around INR 1.5 Lakhs will be good.
Tata contribution to India again more environment………..
mona says
The world’s cvheapest car is finally here….back with a bang again…….The Tatas are now offering warranty against the Nano..So get your offer availed today @ the Nano cost
Avadhesh says
i got Nano through Lucky draw system.
I found it very comfortable and calm in driving.
it is having very spacious leg room and head space.
only issue is that it is generating much sound in cabin.
Mohan says
Thats nice to know! Congrats Avadhesh 🙂
PRADIP says
As per specification compared to price is nice. But driving while on up gradient will be able to push the load in speed as the the engine is fitted rear? -if I am not mistaking. We expect also DVD/CD desk with audio and video facility on dash board specially in luxuary model.
Then a middleclass dream will be realistic true.
Yeshwant Kaushik says
If I did’nt get Nano in lottery system can my booking be continue in waiting by Tata Motors considering that we are so eager to drive Nano on road. Obviously I have tick marked on refund option in booking form.
nisha says
Nano comes with top speed of 106kph and can reach 100kph in 29.7 seconds. Now thats a decent peformance considering cars price. It has about one third of the usual number of parts.
Mohan says
@Yeshwant Kaushik
No comments from my side on the performance, pickup, speed and mileage of Tata Nano until I get to test drive the car… has anyone managed to test drive a Nano?
Yeshwant Kaushik says
Ofcourse Nano is quite good lookwise but people are talking regarding it’s performance, pickup, speed and comparing it’s engine with a auto rikshaw even. What to do, I told them it has Tata’s name beind it so how it can fail.
Mohan says
@ramakrishnan
That is a heart breaking story. Thanks for the heads up.
ramakrishnan says
Hi Folks
Before judging the Tata Nanao.
Please red through what i had to go through.
We bought a new Tata indigo and were driving it for the first time.
on the Highway mid way the Bonnet openend Automatically and hit the Front Glass and the Entire Glass borke and the Bonnet was disaligned.
Remember the bonnet was never openend before and the proof for the same was the Ribbon tied to the Bonnet.
We requested Tata Motors to attend it immediately.
they said everything was fine with the Bonnet lock and it was a mistake at our End.
If it was our Mistake how come the Ribbon tied was present and tied to the Car.
Seems strange.
So please request you all ot to land up with a Tata Vehichle like me.
THey are not realiable at all.
prashant k says
tata compony is absolutly human oriented i m usin indica since 7 yer a grt car pls dont mis understad.. it was jus co insidance
Mohan says
You think so even after so many fire catch incidents on brand new Tata Nanos?
Mohan says
@anshuman
your guess is as good as mine too!
@Ram
Correct. Only the basic model is set to cost 1lakh, where in other variants will cost more.
@Yeshwant Kaushik
Yeah, it would be good to see how much it will affect.
Yeshwant Kaushik says
Wow, what a car as got the ‘darshan’ at Sanghi Bros. Indore. ‘Nano’ will have far behind other cars those prizes are around 3.50 lac.
Ram says
Another unknown fact is that the One lakh rupee car is not really 1 lakh it is atleast 1.5 times more. Yes. CX and LX models are nearly 1.5 to 1.8 lakh rupees. I prefer Maruti 800 than this match box nano.
anshuman says
its interesting to see how it affects the traffic
Guruprasad Mada says
TATA NANO has paved the path for a new segment in the world of motoring industry. Finally Indians got their much awaited 1 lakh dream car. Happy to read the reviews. Din’t test drive it yet so can’t really comment on pros and cons. Appreciate the looks and other features that are bundled within the promised price tag. The most important thing is the world’s cheapest car is not manufactured by Germans, Americans or Russians, it is only by INDIANS 🙂
vishu vikas says
yes !
it’s the time wen we can ssay thattttt.
tata has been made come true the dream of common indian people.
from- vishu vikas (Bareilly)
Pramod Kumar says
Shri Ratan Tata made true the dream of every Indian. Nano become ambition of every Indian.
biren says
Yes only tata can do it.many many heartly congrats to loyal industrialist
shri ratan tata.
vinay jaiswal says
advice, how I book tata nano car ?
Mohan says
@Thejesh GN
Not just you… A huge number of Indian population is waiting for it!
@Amar, @Ruchi
Thanks! Yes, it is indeed much insightful.
@Shrinidhi Hande
That is a good story to uncover!
Ruchi says
Cool info about how they named it nano…i was not aware about its name origin, it is correct “nano” is a gujarati word means small.
Shrinidhi Hande says
How they managed to keep Nano design an absolute secret before revealing it in Auto Expo is also a matter worth studying.
Since loan amount is very small, Banks can afford to charge lower interest rates for this car as possibility of defaulting is less… interest rates for 2 wheelers are around 5-7% I guess. 8-9% should be ideal for Nano if not cheaper
Amar says
34 patents for Tata Nano! good stuff Mohan. Thanks for the insight!
Thejesh GN says
I am eagerly waiting to test drive it 🙂