Tata unveils Rs-1 lakh People's Car 'Nano'

NANO TECH: Ratan Tata unveiled Nano, Tata's Rs 1-lakh car, at the Auto Expo in New Delhi on Thursday.

      

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New Delhi: The secret is out. As Ratan Tata drove in in what is perhaps the most-hyped four-wheeler of the year, excitement was palpable at the Auto Expo show in New Delhi. Christened Nano, and famously priced at Rs 1 lakh (about $2700), the car was unveiled on Wednesdayto a thunderous applause.

First Look: Exclusive pictures of Tata Nano

However, not all seemed as excited over the launch. "If everyone buys the small car, where will they keep it. Where will they drive it?” Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil quipped.

Allaying fears of environmentalists, Tata said the 624 cc, 33 HP petrol engine meets Bharat Stage-III emission norms and can also meet the Euro 4 norms.

Nano will also have a 30-litre fuel tank and four-speed manual gearshift. The car will come with air conditioning, but will have no power steering.

The car comes with front disk and rear drum brakes. The company claims mileage of 20 kmpl in city and 26 kmpl on highway.

The base model of Nano is expected to cost Rs 1 Lakh excluding levies.

''Since, promise is a promise the standard dealer version will cost Rs 1 lakh,'' said Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata.

He also said that that the car is eight per cent smaller bumper to bumper, than the Maruti 800 but at the same time 21 per cent larger in its interiors and can sit up to four people.

Talking about the safety of the car, Tata said, ‘‘the car has passed the full-frontal crash and the side impact crash''.

The car will be available in many variants, which will include one standard version and two deluxe versions with AC.

First Look: Exclusive pictures of Tata Nano

The initiative will determine Tata's place in the global automotive arena, where the battle is increasingly being fought in emerging economies such as India, China and Russia.

Only 10 years ago, Tata Motors Ltd unveiled its first car, a hatchback, that established the truck maker's credentials as a car maker.

The new model, using re-engineered plastics and modern adhesives, is a far cry from the premium Jaguar and Land Rover bands Tata is negotiating to acquire from Ford Motor Co.

Tata Motors' drive to produce a cheap, no-nonsense, small car was born from close observation of a local market where millions often ferry families of four, plus baggage, on motorbikes and scooters.

First Look: Exclusive pictures of Tata Nano