bangalorebeats

And the name is “Tata Nano”, the Rs 1 lakh People’s Car

Yes, the much anticipated Rs 1 lakh people’s car was unveiled at the 9th auto expo in New delhi around 11.30 am today by Tata group chairman Ratan Tata. I think it is a very pround moment for the Tata group and his speech showed that. It also a very pround moment for every Indian that we can do it now. A car which has been a distant dream for most of Indians may become a reality now. Ratan Tata said the concept of making such a car come when he saw famalies of 4 driving on a scooter and managing with great difficulty. A child at the front, wife is holding a baby and the husband manouvering the two wheeler with difficulty. He wanted to make the scooter safer and that dream give to this day what we see as “Tata Nano”. Ratan Tata has lived upto his promise and it is a great gift to the people of India in the beginning of this new year. View the Tata Nano unveiling, click here. Check the videos.

Now comming to the car, please do not go by the name Nano – which typically describes small. But Tata Nano is no small, it is a big car. Though it is 8% smaller than the Maruti 800 externally but it is 21% bigger than Maruti 800 internally. The internal space is what matters and it is great when it comes along with a compact car. Tata Nano will be having a rear 624cc engine which will generate 33 bhp of power. It will feature a 30 litre fuel tank, a 4 speed manual gear, front disk, and rear drum brakes. The dashboard of the car just has speedometer, fuel gauge, and oil light. This will typically form the Standard or basic model and will be followed by two deluxe models. The standard version will be a pertol variant will hit the road first. Keeping in mind the section of the people using this car the fuel efficiency has been given priority and the Ratan Tata told it is suppose to give a mileage of 20 Km per litre. The design of the car is very nice and it looks like a geniune car. On the contrary the Bajaj’s prototype car’s rear view looks like a modified auto which has been put on metal frame. Also, the Bajaj structure looks like a car body has been fitted on an auto chasis and front has been elongated a bit to give it a car’s look. The dealer price for the car is very likely to be Rs 1 lakh plus taxes and transportation charges.

This unveiled model is not a prototype but tested ones on the pre production lines. Serial production will start shortly at Tata Motors mother plant in Singur, West Bengal. They may also manufacture the car at few other locations. It is indeed a great day as after courting so much criticism, problems and to an extent violence Ratan Tata has delivered dream to many Indians. Many who were against the car earlier will either eat their words or simply give in that it is worth it. Hectic work is going at Singur and serial production cars may hit the road by the end of this year. I would like to request the environmentalist and infrastructure talkers to note that this vehicle is Bharat 3, Euro 4 compilant and the company claimed it will produce less polution than a two wheeler. It is the government’s responsibility to create better roads and infrastructure. In the name of infrastructure(which can be improved and has to be improved), environment (we have to save it but not just playing it), people’s dream should not be crushed.