Tata Motors and the New Nano Auto

I'm not sure it will replace other automobiles, but if it were able to maintain that price point around the world - and if it proves to be safe and reliable, it will make inroads. It lacks carrying capacity, so that would limit its market. Like the Smart Car, it would fill a limited niche in the US, but at about $15,000 (USD) cheaper, it would be more successful if it's as safe.

Great Price, Well see how well that price sticks once its brought to the US market.

I suppose its too much to ask for something in this ball park to look halfway stylish. Is it really that hard to design a safe, lightweight, aerodynamic car body that still looks appealing to the eye? It's only my opinion, but this thing is hideous.

It is a result of functional and value analysis. But it is thought for a special market. You cannot compare the Indian market with the spoiled western market where the car is not any more a mean to transport from one site to another but many times a social symbol or a toy.

The concept goes in the same direction as the other "low cost" car developed by a French company (Renault car named LOGAN) which is as well centered on "basics" without any adds on but with more space as the Nano ans an other look. It is sold in Europe for Euros around 7000 and in eastern European countries for about 500O euros.

An example of economy for the Nano, the engine is a 2 cylinder one although this concept generates more vibrations but a cylinder more would have been due to the piston and connecting rod a very important plus cost. I saw on TV a comparison of other components for the nano and for "standard" cars its impressing since the function is totally respected!

The important aspect is that the design was from the start cost oriented with cost targets which had to be respected. I am sure that in what you call "standard" cars there are as well lots of places where cost could be saved without compromising neither function nor quality but the effort is not done because the customer is ready to pay what is asked for.

>>> '...I am sure that in what you call "standard" cars there are as well lots of places where cost could be saved without compromising neither function nor quality but the effort is not done because the customer is ready to pay what is asked for. ' <<<

I doubt you realize how absurd your statement is (and I'm not refering to your use of a preposition to end your sentence). Stating that 'lots' o cost savings could be gained without sacraficing quality or function, but the changes remain undone because the customer is ready to pay the asking price; suggests you do not understand much about business dynamics, or the current economic climate.

Your statement suggests that auto makers are simply too lazy to affect cost saving changes because consumers are buying at asking price. Consumers are definately not purchasing currently at asking price. More importantly, this is not what drives cost saving efforts.

Do you really think a company would forego the opportunity to increase profits by decreasing production costs, just because (or even if) buyers were plentiful and contracts were at asking price? OF COURSE NOT. Profitability drives cost saving measures.

What does your 'guru' status mean on your icon....

No.

For one thing its competition is not cars, but mopeds and motorcycles.

Two, you won't be able to buy one in the US.

In its area of competition with motorcycles and mopeds, bicycles and used cars that use more fuel, it will be competitive, and replace used cars.

This reminds me of a few years back when there were advertisements of K-cars selling for $5,000. I went to a car dealer looking for it, but the cheapest in the lot was over $10,000. If the NANO ever gets to the US, it will be over $10K too.

This is a superb piece of engineering.

The snob value is approximately zero, but what a feat to put a machine with these capabilities out the door for $2k!

Hats off to the engineers....

They have made impossible possible. May be the US market is not the target market.

THe reason why Mr. Ratan Tata wanted to come up with this car bcoz he felt miserable when he saw a Indian family of 4 travelling on a Scooter ( Parents and two kids).

He wanted to help them, asked his engineers to do. gave them whatever they asked for and they actually did it for him. The high Inflation rate for last two years was also working against them, but they did it.

It is not to enter the Car market, but replace bikes for the family people.

I do not know what ll happen to the Indian roads now, whihc are already so much packed up.

I do not know what ll happen to the Indian roads now, which are already so much packed up.

I foresee that shortly TATAs will be launching mini helicopter, as already crowded indian roads will be still more crowded.

If the roads are packed with people walking ( at 3-6 mph ), draft animals and wagons ( at 3-6 mph ) and overloaded motor bikes ( 10-30 mph ), what happens when some or most of these people are in a modern automobile ( 30-45 mph )?

Do they not get where they are going faster and spend less time on the road?

How can this not reduce congestion on the roads?

Having just returned from Mumbai and Jamnagar I can say that this will only make things much worse. There are already thousands of three wheeler taxis trying to go 30 to 45 and ending in gridlock.

In most places in Mumbai, during peak hour it is faster to walk. The auto traffic is complete grid lock. Giving more people access to cars will not make it better. In addition driving habits are already dangerous, putting more cars on the road will only make it worse.

As I recall the new Mini Cooper was priced about $4000 before broaching the USA market. I suppose with the change of financing etc., the NANO may price out to about $10,000 USD or 6500 Amero's

Way back in the 50's in the UK Ford marketed the Ford Popular - it was a stripped down version of their cheapest (Prefect I think) - One windscreen wiper, one outside mirror - same as nano.

I also seeing an article on a very cheap car in Mad Magazine once. It was very like a basic Chevy and cost very little. Optional extras like an engine, transmission, seats, wheels &c were all available!!!

Hope Tata are following Ford's example and not Mad Mag. There were quite a number of "Populars" sold as I remember.

It will never replace the standard cars most of which are status symbols anyway.

Nano is not mad magazine car. It has engine, 4 seats (though little cramped), transmission, even the doors (avoiding doors.. as in case of old jeeps could have saved some more cost), steering, wind shields (from all sides).

With its small size, probably it will not replace standard cars, but the standard car owners will purchase one more car to avoid taking their standard car in the over crowded roads.

The service back up will be good, as TATAs are well astablished in India. Reliability also should not be a problem, as TATAs name is at the stake, (as well as it is tested at Automotive Research Association of India)

All the best to TATAs as well as Indian people purchasing NANO (also to them who are going to face the crowded roads.)

Well it was in 1947 that I left India after being in the army. Roads then were fair to poor but there were some dodgy drivers - too much speed and too much freewheeling were a problem.

The way in which the old trucks were kept going was amazing but back in those days I could take an engine apart and put it together again - I open the bonnet now and feel baffled. In the concept of a low cost car maintenance and spares play a big part in the third world. I think Tata are well placed to put up an adequate product which will carry people, and goods, without elaborate trimmings.

You guys have a fixed idea with the status symbols... Most of the cars are NOT such a thing. As if most of the people drive BMW, Mercedes and Porsche. Maybe for you, if you've never had a car in your family, even Chevy Cobalt is a status symbol. The Tata has nothing to do with those cars, how can you even mention a comparison with the standard cars.. Like it's creator said, it's meant to compete with mopeds.

Where did you get the ideas that I was a promoter of status cars. I feel that it muddies the waters and half (or more) of the owners have no idea how to use them or drive them to advantage.

I am 100% behind the Tata concept - my wonder is why the Ford Popular concept never survived into the 1960's so that Tata have to reinvent it? The third world needs utility vehicles not gas guzzlers just as the government officials of these countries (as well as the wives of the other big wheels) will need their Mercs and SUVs.

I think it's a good thing and may give a much needed kick up the backside to other manufacturers.
There will be a nice market for hobyists converting them to electric power.
'Dear Santa....'

Del

Del: Isn't Tata the Indian company that contracted with Guy Negre a couple of years ago to have a factory built and equipped to build the Air Car?

Could the NANO be one of the AIR CARS?

Dunno...doesn't ring a bell...but it'd make a good donor car for all sorts of alternative energy projects.
Squirrel cage full of merchant bankers ('oi you get out of my cage' _Kris) would make a good power source, although they're all prob too fat to get a decent power to weight ratio.
Del

No. Entirely different genesis.

Tata has done nothing so far with the air car concept, and I don't believe they contracted to have a factory built and equipped -- they just bought a license to enable that possibility.

Hi,,

There exists a market for the Nano. Only the TATA's will have to find it and tap it. I must caution them that by just being cheap their sales cannot be guaranteed. What will now be needed is machine relaiability, safety, service and a performance capability which fulfills basic human transport needs for a runabout. On the face of it the product looks promising.

Ford 1950's version http://www.motorbase.com/vehicle/by-id/1265/

Very useful in the third world - providing it is kept simple - otherwise they could be death traps - we have a lot of old junk running on string and chewing gum - this might help get rid of them.

People will buy a car for the snob value.

• Jaguar had a problem in selling enough cars into the Japanese market some years ago. After a research trip, the Sales Executive recommended that the prices be increased, as the perceived value of the car was too low. So up went the prices, and up went the sales.

If Tata doesn't understand that then the vehicle has no future anywhere!

In the US however, the first VW's had great snob appeal: it allowed you to say that you were too confident to be swayed by the need to impress your neighbors, and the early adopters tended to be well-educated, and successful. With the right ad agency, Tata could sell boats loads of these here.

The BMW mini has been far more successful here that BMW expected, for a similar reason. It's cute, it's anti-SUV. But as a functional car, it is not as useful as the less expensive Honda Civic. Even motor scooters are seen as "cool" here, because of their minimalism.

Nano was launched in Mumbai and I had oppurtunity to watch launching live. I would suggest the members to visit web site : tatanano.com for more technical details and kindly give their expert comments after studying the technical features.

Suresh Sharma

I would hope service is easy and replacement parts are cheap and available. As soon as repairs cost more than the value of the car, you'll see people discarding them for new ones. This could generate a tremendous amount of waste, possibly many people just abandoning these things on the side of the road.

...but I thing they are a great idea. Cars now are way more complex then they need to be. For many a car is only transportation for getting to work or the store. Something minimalistic like the original VW Bug would be plenty adequate.

You are assuming that they have the same living standard in the west, for most people even the nano will be a hefty price, and if you have been to poor countries you notice that there are fixing shops everywhere, they repair their cars/bikes etc. so many times that some have no original parts anymore.

So true. I just spent $1500 on routine maintenance items for my daily driver.

i dont think so because the car body is totally made up of plastic which is not safety at all. It may be able to replace REVA(battery car). The other reason is even thought it as good design and if so good engine too there wont be a good foot space or a speed which we get in auto. i will be very compact if go in a group of 4 (excluding driver). This is just my thought...

I think your critisism is accurate but your aim is not.

This product is not intented for the market you describe.

you're barking up the wrong tree

Here in the US, we had a company, Saturn, which was part of GM. Its cars all had plastic bodies, and passed all crash tests. I suspect that Tata has engineered the Nano to pass, perhaps with modification, many crash standards around the world. As essential part of crash protection is the the body crush in a controlled way, absorbing energy that would otherwise be tranferred to the occupants.

How much does the Reva cost in India? Here (in the US) we have available a ZENN which is only usable on very low speed roads, (it's much less capable than the Reva), but it sells for about $15,000. It is just one step above a golf cart.

It will be a difficult task to fulfill Indian Market.Why worry about exports.

Replace standard auto's?

It's possible as a type platform if community leaders would lead and cause use of the type to replace standard vehicles in the inner cities.

Problem is though sensible it is not yet perceived as fiscally responsible because citizens do not require elected officials to aspire to tangible ideals nor hold them accountable to principle or common sense.

Can't see why these would not be popular in the US. Most guys here have a special attraction to TATAs ;)

Ah... you read me like a book. Wish there was a way to award a good off topic answer comment.

TATA has a line of Lorries as well (large diesel trucks). These are as you would expect bodacious TATAs.

(If you are not from Texas, you might not get that one...)

Two URL's on the NANO.

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/alternative_vehicles/hybrids/tata%27s_new_nano_car.html

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/19098.asp

Different sources describe an air car, others an ICE powered nano!

Hi Stirling,

Tata Nano's URL is www.tatanano.com. Here you will correct details.

Suresh.Sharma.

Here is what Tata is competing with in the Northwest Indian city of Jamnagar...

Driver appears to be pretty well lined up with the exhaust on that thing. A Tata has to be more comfortable.