Nano Car By Tata Motors India

Tata new car launched video

2008-01-10T20:38:00.002-08:00

Tata New Car "NANO CAR" also called The People Car

For $2,500, is it made of cardboard and powered by rubber bands? The Nano has a rear-mounted, two-cylinder, 33 hp. engine driving the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission. It has a steel body like most cars and a top speed of about 60 mph. It can "comfortably" seat four, Tata says.

How does it ride and handle? Only Tata knows. Reporters at the Nano unveiling at an auto show in Delhi weren't even allowed to sit in the car.

How safe is it? It comes with seat belts and, Tata says, meets safety requirements in India -- though it's not clear if it meets U.S. standards.

Tata new car launched video - 2

2008-01-10T20:38:00.001-08:00

Tata new car launched video - 1

2008-01-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

Tata Nano Car Image Gallery - 5

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Tata Nano Car Image Gallery - 4

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Tata Nano Car Image Gallery - 3

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Tata Nano Car Image Gallery - 2

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Tata Nano Car Image Gallery - 1

2008-01-10T20:30:00.000-08:00

How can anyone sell a new car so cheaply

2008-01-10T20:29:00.001-08:00

How can anyone sell a new car so cheaply and make a profit when, in this country, even a basic economy model like the Chevrolet Aveo begins at almost $11,000? Lower labor costs, of course, and Tata's Web site mentions cost-saving measures like an engine that fits under the rear seat, enabling the entire car to be smaller; locating the instrument cluster in the center of the dash so that one dashboard can be used for left- or right-hand drive versions; and obtaining unspecified incentives from local officials to locate the Nano assembly plant in West Bengal. Still, the cheapest car in India now is the Suzuki Maruti 800, which costs about twice as much.

2008-01-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

India's Tata Motors attracted worldwide attention yesterday by announcing plans to sell what apparently will be the world's cheapest new car, the Nano, starting at the equivalent of $2,500.

It's called the Nano The People Car

2008-01-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

It's called the Nano, for its high technology and small size. It's cute, compact, and contemporary. It's a complete four-door car with a 623-cc gas engine, gets 50 miles to the gallon, and seats up to five. It meets domestic emissions norms and will soon comply with European standards.

It's 8% smaller in outer length than its closest rival, Suzuki's Maruti 800, but has 21% more volume inside. And at $2,500 before taxes (value-added taxes increase the price by about $300), it is the most inexpensive car in the world. Starting this fall, the Nano will roll off the assembly lines at a Tata Motors (TTM) plant in Singur, Bengal, and navigate India's potholed roads.