Tata Nano launches today - 56 mpg for $1,985
by Domenick Yoney on Mar 23rd 2009 at 1:18PM 
After overcoming rises in commodity prices, protests and subsequent change of production venue, the Tata Nano has defied critics and skeptics to launch commercially today at the The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in Mumbai, India. Amidst an awe-inspiring amount of security (the Taj was the scene of a horrific terrorist attack last November), the humble "1 Lakh" (= to $1985) car had its big coming out party with over 1,000 guests and 100 media teams on hand to witness the event.
Amongst the newly released numbers the most eye-opening is likely the official mileage figure. The 624 cc two cylinder engine, aided by a 4-speed gearbox, is certified by the Automotive Research Association of India to give the Nano an amazing 23.6 kpl (56 mpg U.S.). That gives it not only the highest fuel rating of any other Indian petrol-powered car but also the lowest CO2 figure at 101 gm/km. Available in 3 trim levels, the Tata Nano, with its frugal practicality, may one day prove to be the most common automobile of all time and keep the Nano-dedicated Gujurat plant close to its 350,000 annual capacity once it comes online in 2010. Hit the jump for all the details from the official press release. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Gallery: Tata Nano: The People's Car
[Source: Tata / Indian Autos Blog]
PRESS RELEASE
The Tata Nano arrives
Tata Motors today announced the commercial launch of the Tata Nano, keenly awaited across India since its unveiling on January 10, 2008. The Tata Nano is BS-III* compliant and comes with an all-new 2-cylinder aluminium MPFI 624cc petrol engine mated to a four-speed gear box and will be available in three variants. The cars will be on display across the country at Tata Motors passenger car dealerships and other select authorised outlets from April 1.
Speaking at a press conference, the Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, Ratan N Tata, said, "The Nano represents the spirit of breaking conventional barriers. From the drawing board to its commercial launch, the concept, development and production of the car has overcome several challenges. It is to the credit of the team at Tata Motors that a car once thought impossible by the world is now a reality. I hope it will provide safe, affordable, four-wheel transportation to families who till now have not been able to own a car. We are delighted in presenting the Tata Nano to India and the world."
The Tata Nano is currently being manufactured at the company's Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand in limited numbers. The new dedicated plant, at Sanand in Gujarat, will be ready in 2010 with an annualised capacity of 350,000 cars.
The three variants
The Tata Nano offers an incredibly spacious passenger compartment which can comfortably seat four adults. With a length of just 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, the Tata Nano has the smallest exterior footprint for a car in India but is 21 per cent more spacious than the smallest car available today. A high seating position makes ingress and egress easy. Its small size coupled with a turning radius of just 4 metres, makes it extremely manoeuvrable in the smallest of parking slots.
The three trim levels and their key features available at the launch are:
Tata Nano Standard (BSII* and BSIII*): The standard version, in three colour options, single-tone seats, and fold-down rear seat.
Tata Nano CX (BSII* and BSIII*): In five colour options, with heating and air-conditioning (HVAC), two-tone seats, parcel shelf, booster-assisted brakes, fold-down rear seat with nap rest.
Tata Nano LX (BSIII*): With the features of CX plus complete fabric seats, central locking, front power windows, body coloured exteriors in three premium colours, fog lamps, electronic trip meter, cup holder in front console, mobile charger point, and rear spoiler. Many of these features are not available on current entry-level small cars in the country.
Performance and specifications
Performance: The 2-cylinder engine - delivering 35 PS @ 5,250rpm and a torque of 48nm @ 3,000rpm - enables the car to have a top speed of 105kmph and negotiate inclines with a gradeability of 30 per cent.
Fuel efficiency: 23.6km/litre, certified by the Automotive Research Association of India under mandated test conditions, which is the highest for any petrol car in India.
Emission: The high fuel efficiency, coupled with a low kerb weight of 600kg, ensures that the Tata Nano - at 101gm / km - has the lowest CO2 emission amongst cars in India. The Tata Nano is BS-III* compliant and is BS-IV* ready. It is also available in BS-II* norms.
Safety: The Tata Nano's safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements - it passes the roll-over test and offset impact, which are not regulated in India. It has an all sheet-metal body, reinforced passenger compartment, crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, besides mandatory seat belts and complies fully with existing Indian safety standards. Tubeless tyres - among which the rear ones are wider, endowing extra stability - enhance safety.
Warranty: 18 months or 24,000km, whichever is earlier.
The booking process
In view of the expected significant demand and limited production capacity initially until the Sanand plant is fully ramped up to capacity, the Tata Nano will be available through a booking mode.
Tata Motors has entered into an exclusive agreement with the State Bank of India to manage the booking process.
The sale of application forms and acceptance of booking will start from April 9, 2009 till the end of day April 25, 2009. The application forms will be available at a price of Rs300, with a range of offers from select associate Tata group companies. The application forms will be available at over 30,000 locations in about 1,000 cities through Tata Motors passenger car dealerships, State Bank of India and its branches, its subsidiaries and associates, other preferred financiers, and outlets of Westside, Croma, World of Titan and Tata Indicom exclusive stores.
After collecting the forms, customers have two options. They can either pay the entire booking amount themselves or seek financing of the booking amount.
For those who seek financing, Tata Motors has entered into agreements with 15 preferred banks / NBFCs for the Tata Nano booking loan product. The booking product offered by these banks will enable a Tata Nano to be booked by paying an amount starting Rs2,999 only. Their chosen financier will directly submit their application forms to the State Bank of India on their behalf.
Those who choose to themselves pay their entire booking amount can submit their application forms to State Bank of India through 1,350 notified branches in 850 cites, and also at Tata Motors passenger car dealerships, and Westside and Croma outlets. Option to submit bookings online is available at: http://www.tatanano.com/.
Within 60 days of the closure of bookings, Tata Motors will process and announce the allotment of 100,000 cars in the first phase of deliveries, through a computerised random selection procedure. These 100,000 allotments will be price protected for the launch prices till delivery of the cars but the booking amounts will not bear any interest for the customers. Deliveries will commence from July 2009.
Applicants have the option to retain their booking deposit, even if they do not get allotment in the first phase. Those who choose this option will be eligible for interest on their deposit, effective from the date of announcement of allotment of the second phase, at a rate of 8.5 per cent for retention period between one year to two year and 8.75 per cent for a retention period of more than two years. Allotment of retainees will be simultaneously communicated, along with the allotment of the first 100,000 cars.
Preferred financiers
Tata Motors has entered into agreements with 15 preferred banks / NBFCs for the Tata Nano booking loan product. The preferred financial institutions are: State Bank of India, Tata Motor Finance, State Bank of Patiala, ICICI Bank, State Bank of Travancore, State Bank of Mysore, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Indore, Axis Bank, Punjab National Bank, Federal Bank, Corporation Bank, Indian Bank, and the Central Bank of India. The updated list and details are available at: www.tatanano.com .
Merchandise and accessories
The Tata Nano comes with an attractive range of accessories and merchandise. The range of merchandise includes a Nano phone, Nano watch, T-Shirts, etc, and will be made available online at www.tatanano.com as well as at all Tata Motors passenger car dealerships, and Westside and Croma outlets. Tata Indicom will also market the Nano phone, and Titan the Nano watch.
Accessories include alloy wheels, body kits, decals etc, to customise the Tata Nano to individual tastes. Details are available at: www.tatanano.com.
*BS II, BS III and BS IV are the India mandatory norms for nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulates. These norms are substantially aligned with the European norms Euro II, Euro III and Euro IV; the main difference is that the peak speed in the extra urban driving cycle is 90 km/h in India and 120 km/h in Europe.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Alex G 1:40PM (3/23/2009)
I guess it's safe to say that won't ever make it to north america :( i could use one of these to commute.
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Gordio 2:02PM (3/23/2009)
I don't think you'd like this. Cheap cars like this cut corners in parts of the car you may have taken for granted i.e. steering wheel that is correctly aligned with direction of wheels. Another major example is safety.
Alex G 3:36PM (3/23/2009)
i'm fine with that for basic get around needs... for longer trip i already have a decent car :)
Herm 2:00PM (3/23/2009)
I read somewhere that they were planning to import them to the US, around $4k I think.., I imagine the demand will be hot in India for a few years... but the one I'm waiting for is the Manhindra pickup truck.. small pickups have disappeared from the US auto market. Ohh remember the Volkswagen rabbit diesel pickup truck?
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/13/first-mahindra-pickup-trucks-to-be-imported-from-india/
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Nude Love 8:58PM (3/24/2009)
"Small trucks have disappeared from the US auto market"
Does the Colorado, Ranger, Tacoma, or Frontier ring a bill?
Frylock350 9:13AM (3/24/2009)
I think what you meant to say was that small truck sales have disappeared from America. Its a niche market.
Herm 12:14PM (3/24/2009)
Ford Ranger is good, $16k, 21/26mpg
Toyota Tacoma, $15k, 20/26mpg
Nissan Frontier, $17k, 19/23mpg
Chevy Colorado, $18k, 18/24mpg
most of these have gotten too fancy, engine too large, cost too high.. and still no small diesels.
......................................
Does the Colorado, Ranger, Tacoma, or Frontier ring a bill?
jeffzekas 2:17PM (3/23/2009)
We should remember that US and Euro versions of the Nano will meet our standards, i.e. air bags, crash protection, and smog. In order to do this, the Euro version will cost around £5,000, which is still thousand less than a Hyundai or Kia. Remember the Honda N600? I do, because TWO kids in my high school bought them, brand-new: Costing $2,500, with a 600 cc air cooled motor, front-wheel drive, and styled like an Austin Mini, and totally cute!!! (the original Mini cost less than $2,000 when it first came to North America). So, you see, the Nano is merely carrying on the tradition of small, affordable mini-cars (my math teacher had a Fiat 500 another instructor owned a BMW bubble car-- the Nano is light-years ahead of either of these "automobiles"). If Tata gave the Nano a 1000 cc motor and five speed gear box-- voila!-- ready for the city! Truly, Tata has out-smarted the Smart car. Or, as the editor of Autocar India said, "pocket science, not rocket science"!
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Sasparilla 2:23PM (3/23/2009)
You can bet the Nano does not come close to meeting the US required safety standards (its somewhat expensive to build this into the vehicle). If the Nano could be sold as a motorcyle, then it would probably meet the safety standards here in the US and be allowed in. ;-)
Its a proud day for India though as they are potentially seeing their Model T being introduced. (this refers to the Ford Model T which enabled widespread car ownership here in the states a ways back) Enjoy it India.
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Herm 4:33PM (3/23/2009)
Apparently all it lacks is airbags.. how much do airbags cost?
It would be neat if it could be classified as a motorcycle, but Obama owes too much to the UAW to allow its importation.. many excuses would be found.
Yes, I remember the Honda N600.. what a neat car!.. I seem to remember that the quality was not up to current Honda standards. Then the Civic came in and the revolution started.
gorr 2:23PM (3/23/2009)
Where these chaps come from ? I think that they come from mars or maybe farther. They offer ridicously underpowered cars unnable to carry 4 peoples with luggages at 70 mph while climbing a hill. Gasoline is inneficient and it's not by downsizing it to the utmost that it will change this situation. If they want something better, then they can adopt hydrogen gas for more power and fewer cost without mandated suffocatiog exhaust fumes comprising, co2, co, sulfated ash, soot, acid rain, particulate matter, etc.
They are cavemans managed by c.i.a and big oil. Their brains must be paralysed by something unknown by them. I recommend to them to adopt water as a spiritual value and use it to maximum.
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Alex G 3:46PM (3/23/2009)
@gorr: if you typical drive involves 4 people with luggage, by all means get something else. For the rest of us, this would do just fine to get to work or train station.
Chris M 11:58PM (3/23/2009)
Those "chaps" are from India, where the average wage is quite a bit less than what you make, Gorr. Of course it is a small under-powered car, that is how they can make it so cheap. That's the whole point, the average Indian family can't even afford a Dodge Neon, that would be considered "luxury" from their viewpoint.
Of course it doesn't use hydrogen, H2 storage tanks alone would cost more than 10 times what this car sells for, there are no H2 refueling stations in India, and the Indian government can't afford to subsidize it. As for "onboard electrolysis" supplying all the fuel, well, Tata Motors doesn't believe it will work so they won't waste any time or effort on it. I keep telling you, Gorr, if you want a water powered car, you're going to have to build it yourself, as nobody else believes in it.
Brn 3:43PM (3/23/2009)
I realize this vehicle has severe limitations (like not even close to being legal in the US), but does anyone have any idea as to what "Automotive Research Association of India " ratings really mean?
Will this car really get to highway speeds (70mph) without blowing a rod?
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Brn 3:46PM (3/23/2009)
Ignore the second question. Rereading (scanning) the article, the answer is no. It's top speed is 60-65mph. I wonder how long it can sustain even that.
Gordio 4:00PM (3/23/2009)
Remember that the purpose of this car is not only to make the cheapest car, but also to encourage indians (or overcrowded asian countries) to drive cars, than dangerous polluting scooters. I don't think reacing 70mph is a big deal. Most of these places don't drive a lot of highway miles.
Herm 4:22PM (3/23/2009)
Top speed 60-65 mph but note that it will climb a 30deg incline, so it has some serious torque.. perhaps you can put bigger wheels on and get more hwy speed?.. 35hp should do better than 65mph in a small car.
Durability may not be bad at full throttle, 5200 rpm is nothing for two cylinder engines.. and you could probably replace the engine for $200 :)
meme 5:52PM (3/23/2009)
Ready for me to be a downer?
ARAI rates vehicles on the modified Indian Drive Cycle. The modified Indian Drive Cycle is a low speed (read: more efficient) variant of the New European Drive Cycle. It doesn't even test speeds greater than 56mph *at all*. The New European Drive Cycle is, in turn, more lax than what we're used to here in the states.
Tagging "US" to the end of a mpg figure to point out "US gallons" only serves to help distort the fact that if this exact same car were rated for sale in the US, without any changes, it'd get way, way lower of an MPG rating than that.
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Brn 7:13PM (3/23/2009)
Thanks! I was very curious to how it compared to the Euro cycle.
For all we know, this thing won't do any better than a Smart.
TIMMAH! 6:38PM (3/23/2009)
So from the looks of it, the more expensive models just comes with additional "BS"...
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