Tata to launch Nano on March 23, begin taking orders April first week in April
Click on the image above for a gallery of the Tata Nano
The Tata Nano has endured more than its fair share of delays, having originally carried a planned sale date of October, 2008. Needless to say, that time frame came and went with zero Nanos rolling down the assembly line, due to a wide range of issues, not the least of which was a great deal of civil unrest at the first site where production was planned in West Bengal. The Nano's assembly plant was relocated to Gurajat.
All that bad news seems to be over today as Tata has announced that its little city car will finally be launched on March 23 and the Indian automaker will begin accepting orders just a few short weeks later. The price being thrown around is 100,000 rupees, which translates to just under $2,000 in U.S. dollars at current exchange rates. That would make the Nano, which comes equipped with a 625cc twin cylinder gasoline engine, the world's cheapest automobile.
Gallery: Tata Nano: The People's Car
[Source: Tata Motors]
PRESS RELEASE:
Tata Motors to launch Nano car on March 23
New Delhi - Indian auto major Tata Motors announced Thursday that it would be launching the Nano, said to be the world's cheapest car, in Mumbai on March 23 and order books would be open from April. A prototype of the car, which is expected to be priced around 100,000 rupees (about 1,983 dollars), was unveiled at an auto exposition in the Indian capital in January 2008 and was earlier scheduled to roll out by October 2008.
But protests by farmers whose land was acquired for the main plant in the eastern West Bengal state delayed the commercial launch.
The factory was relocated to Gujarat state in the west of the country.
"The car will be on display at Tata Motors dealerships from the first week of April 2009. Bookings will commence in the second week of April," a Tata Motors release said.
The booking process and the time lag for delivery of the car would be announced on March 23, said Debasis Ray, Tata Motors' head of corporate communications.
The Tata Nano had evoked "unprecedented interest" and its website had recorded 30 million hits in the past year, the statement said.
Tata Motors is part of Tata Group, one of India's largest business conglomerates, comprising 96 companies in seven different sectors with a market capitalization of 49 billion dollars.
Tata Motors acquired Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Stan Wellaway 3:36PM (2/26/2009)
My skateboard has bigger wheels than that. Is it made from scooter parts?
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rdiddy 6:48AM (2/27/2009)
Best of luck trying to fit a family of four on your scateboard.
jeffzekas 9:48PM (2/26/2009)
Okay, the Nano-- like the original VW Beetle-- is adorable,
underpowered, and affordable (I believe my 1958 Volkswagen cost
$1,595, with Blaupunkt AM radio!). So, take this car, modify it for
safety and emissions, and sell it in the West... after all, not ALL
great ideas come from North America! Small is beautiful. And the Tata
Nano is quite amazing-- and beautiful, in an efficient,
well-engineered way.
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Taxi Tim 8:44PM (2/27/2009)
Bring it on, as well as $5-6/gal gas, since demand from another 5- 6 million new drivers will be on the road either in Podunk, KY, lower Slobovia or in the black hole of Calcutta. P. S. just to let you know, it's as polluting as that other cheap transport, if not more so than, the Vespa two wheel scooter.
drktranquillity 2:29AM (2/28/2009)
It cost $1,595 in 1958 ;P
tom 1:36AM (3/01/2009)
yes the original VW Beetle was a great car, though i never owned 1 but i knew people that did ,and though of course there was complantes with them, they was pretty minor (how many cars are built that can float on water)
Look at cars like the Yugo,and others in that class. They have let death trap imports be sold here, and yes there was some from the Big 3 also, like the Pinto ,and Ferro the only reason they showed 1 person sitting in this car ,was that it was probbaly 2 more people than this death trap could hold as for the comment of fitting a family of 4 on there skate board i would fell safer on the skate board
Kyle 8:19PM (2/27/2009)
Junk.
I wouldn't drive that POS if you paid me - it doesn't even look safe, not to mention it is hideous.
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mike 8:26PM (2/27/2009)
sh!tbox
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Paul 8:50PM (2/27/2009)
I had a Geo Metro, tiny three cylinder. It looks like the Indian car has more legroom, and with a thirty five horsepower engine probably more pickup. The question is will the Ferrari raceing team invest in it?
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Shanel 8:39PM (2/27/2009)
I think it would be very foolish to write this off instead of give it a chance. This car and its attitude could really change things, I say lets cut this crap and give this car a chance.
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girlythug72 12:07AM (2/28/2009)
I AGREE
shannon 8:41PM (2/27/2009)
Accessories include one new sparkplug and a bagger. 35 horsepower should be good for a 0-60 in about 2 days. When did Torro start making cars? I see Barbie has grown up. Now I know where my trailor wheels went. I could go on and on...........
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shannon 8:43PM (2/27/2009)
Accessories include one new sparkplug and a bagger. 35 horsepower should be good for a 0-60 in about 2 days. When did Torro start making cars? I see Barbie has grown up. Now I know where my trailor wheels went. I could go on and on...........
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Peter 9:15PM (2/27/2009)
Does this car comply with US crash test standards or are the exempt like evrything else.
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dave46260 9:33PM (2/27/2009)
I read on another site this car does not comply with US safety standards and will not be sold here for the time being.
JV 8:49PM (2/27/2009)
HA! What a joke. Who wants to support another country. BUY AMERICAN! Keep the money in our own country.
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Terri 10:32PM (2/27/2009)
It's too late. Haven't you paid attention? GM and CHrysler are beyond recovery. Ford is the only one that managed on their own to stay afloat. Besides that? The Trillion dollar "recovery package" includes 300 million dollars in new government autos. There ya go. Now the rest of us can afford to buy what you call a poc, just like what I call BO.
m 11:51PM (2/27/2009)
I agree-want to live like they do in China-keep buyng their stuff and lose your job.
jimmy 2:02AM (2/28/2009)
do you realize that by initiating trade we IMPROVE the economic welfare of each country involved, including our own... if we stop importing, other countries will stop importing from us, hurting our economy even more... so the best thing we can do is continue to buy both domestic AND foreign goods and not cut back on spending. With that we will create more jobs, more people will be able to spend money and the economy will get back on track
Jim Dicken 5:51AM (2/28/2009)
Buy American is a great sentiment, but the economy is now tied to the rest of the world. IF we do not buy stuff from other countries, they do not buy from us.Success breeds success. Buy American no longer works. It does not create jobs in America. It may even kill them when trade tarriffs are put in place.