The Tatas have finally released the Nano – their small car for the aam admi, at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi. It was released by the Tata Scion, Ratan Tata amid much fanfare to the music of Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra (or “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” in English). (Coincidentally Tatas, are Zorastrians)
From a locomotive making TELCO to the Tata Motors, the company has traveled a long way. Unlike competition that still prefer tie ups, the Tatas by successfully completed projects like the Indica singlehandedly, have shown their mettle. The under a lakh ($2500) small car project , that was the dream of Ratan Tata, has now attained fruition.(something the competition laughed off as economically impossible)
image from Dancewithshadows
Image from Rediff
The nano reminds me of the German VW Beetle or Bug .
It has a similar shape and design, tiny tyres and the distinct rear engine (if im not mistaken). So will it be the Indian beatle that becomes the giantkiller, and kill demand for the Maruti 800 – one of the most sold cars in India?
Puchoo has some tech specs.
9 responses so far ↓
Ankur Aggarwal // January 10, 2008 at 3:16 pm |
read this article on rear wheel drive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear-wheel_drive
if the car is good enough and if my essar oil deal goes through, then i am buying this car
Prax // January 10, 2008 at 3:24 pm |
rambodoc // January 10, 2008 at 7:35 pm |
This looks much like the Globetrotter car designed by my nephew (that won his the Australian Designer of the Year award) about which I had blogged.
Prax // January 11, 2008 at 12:16 am |
ur nephews car is way more jazzy !
shine87 // January 11, 2008 at 12:56 am |
Its design is cool but i dont think its going to be very practical or able to end Suzuki’s rein
.Look at its suspension,it cant last on the sub-continental roads!
Priyank // January 11, 2008 at 6:58 pm |
Finally, something affordable for my pockets
Paul // January 12, 2008 at 3:06 am |
I wonder if there will be an export version?
well paul the premium model and the export one are what they are betting on to make them money
mbjesq // January 12, 2008 at 4:44 am |
The “people’s car” is a wonderful example of India’s mid-20st Century mindset and its squandered chance at 21st Century development. My short essay on this can be read at http://memestreamblog.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/india-going-nowhere-fast/.
MBJ
From Around the Net (January 18th) « Café Philos: an internet café // January 18, 2008 at 11:27 pm |
[...] to the masses — for better or worse. Prax over at Tech and Trek has an article on it here, and Pr3rna, over at I Love Life… So I Explore, blogs about the car [...]