Tata Nano - The Peoples Car - Ebar Pujoy Chai Nano!
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The TATA NANO is truely a proud car india launched by India’s Tata Motors at the 9th annual Auto Expo on January 10, 2008 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India.Tagged as the people’s car in Tata’s promotional material, it is projected to be the least expensive production car 100,000 (not including levies such as VAT/LT/FCIT, transport and delivery charges) ($2500 USD, £1277 GBP, €1700 EUR), in the world. The standard version of the Nano (without air conditioning, radio or power steering) is projected to cost Rs The choice of price has led to the Nano being called the “one lakh car” (after the Indian numbering term, meaning ‘100,000′).
A leading magazine from West Bengal “Desh” had a recent article on Ratan Tata and his Nano car. The author demanded that Ratan Tata should be awarded “Bharat Ratan” For his supreme creation. The author also demanded that the Nano Car will change the complete life style of so called “middle class” family!
Concept: The car has been designed and developed specially for the “middle class family” who could not buy an expensive car and had to use two wheel transport. According to industry concept, a four wheel car could nor be made in such a low price. But Ratan Tata broke this mis conception! The car was designed at Italy’s Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering, with Ratan Tata ordering certain changes during the process, such as reducing the number of windscreen wipers from two to one.
The Nano has 21% more interior space and an 8% smaller exterior, when compared with its closest rival, the Maruti 800. The car will come in different versions, including one standard and two deluxe variants. The deluxe version will have air conditioning, but no power steering. The car is expected to be produced in the Singur plant in West Bengal, which is under construction. The initial production target set by Tata Motors is 250,000 units per year.
The use of a rear mounted engine to help maximize interior space makes the Nano similar to the original Fiat 500, another technically innovative ‘people’s car‘.
pic: Ratan Tata with his Nano!1
Controvercies:
- Mass Motorization and Pollution: As the Nano was conceived and designed around introducing the automobile to a sector of the population who are currently using eco-friendly bicycles and motorcycles, environmentalists are concerned that its extraordinarily low price might lead to mass motorization in countries like India and therefore possibly aggravate pollution and global warming as well as increase the demand for oil.
- Singur Car Factory Dispute: Controversies also arose about Tata’s planned manufacturing unit for the car in Singur, West Bengal, where the regional government of West Bengal has allocated 997 acres (4.03 km²) to Tata Motors. The construction of the car factory on that tract of land will require fertile agricultural land and the expropriation and eviction of ca. 15,000 peasants and agricultural workers. The affected farmers fear they will receive inadequate or no compensation and therefore lose their livelihoods.
- Effect on Used Car market in India: The Nano is alleged to have severely affected the used car market in India, as many Indians opt to wait for the Nano’s release rather than buying a secondhand car of the Nano’s nearest competitor, the Maruti 800 (a rebadged Suzuki Alto). Sales of new 800’s have dropped 20%, and 30% for used models. As one automotive journalist surmizes: “People are asking themselves – and us - why they should pay, say, 250,000 rupees for a new Maruti Alto, when they can wait and get a brand new Nano for less in a few months’ time, a car that is actually bigger”
- Traffic and Tata Nano: In crowded cities like Calcutta with Narrow roads and very small numbers of parking, the Tata Nano may also worsen the situation. With more cars in the road, we may have more traffic problems too.
Technical specifications
According to Tata Group’s Chairman Ratan Tata, the Nano is a 33 PS (33 hp/24 kW) car with a 623 cc rear engine and rear wheel drive, and has a fuel economy of 4.55 L/100 km (21.97 km/L, 51.7 mpg (US), 62 mpg (UK)) under city road conditions, and 3.85 L/100 km on highways (25.97 km/L, 61.1 mpg (US), 73.3 mpg (UK)). It is the first time a two-cylinder non-opposed petrol engine will be used in a car with a single balancer shaft.Tata Motors has reportedly filed multiple patents related to the innovations in the design of Nano, with powertrain design alone having 34 patents. The head of Tata Motors’ Engineering Research Centre, Girish Wagh has been credited with being one of the brains behind Nano’s design.
According to Tata, the Nano complies with Bharat Stage-III and Euro-IV emission standards.
Powertrain
- Engine:
- 2 cylinder petrol with Bosch multi-point fuel injection (single injector) all aluminium 623 cc (38 cu in)
- 2 valves per cylinder overhead camshaft
- Compression ratio - 9.5:1
- bore × stroke 73.5 × 73.5 mm
- Power: 33 PS (33 hp/24 kW) @ 5500 rpm
- Torque: 48 N·m (35 ft·lbf) @ 2500 rpm
- Rear wheel drive, 4-speed manual transmission
- Steering – mechanical rack and pinion
Performance (Manufacturer Claims)
- Acceleration: 0-70 km/h (43 mph): 14 seconds
- Maximum speed: 105 km/h (65 mph)
- Fuel economy (combined City + Highway): 20 kilometres per liter (5 L/100 km, 47 US mpg, 56 UK mpg)
Body and dimensions
- Seat Belts: 2
- Trunk capacity: 150 L (5.3 cu ft)
Suspension, tires and brakes
- Front brake: disc
- Rear brake: drum
- Front track: 1,325 mm (52.2 in)
- Rear track: 1,315 mm (51.8 in)
- Ground clearance: 180 mm (7.1 in)
- Front suspension: McPherson strut with lower A arm
- Rear suspension: Independent coil spring
- 12-inch wheels
Conclusion: Whatever the controversies are, we believe Tata Nano is a great creation. The middle class family has to please themselves with a two wheeler. Two wheeler is a very risky vehicle for driving and not suitable under rain, cold etc. Now the middle class got a nice looking car that they can afford. We think we will also need more parking spots and better road management to make the innovation by Ratan Tata truely successful.
Here is the clip of RATAN TATA launching his NANA. Listen to his speech:
CHEAPEST CAR OF THE WORLD:-TATA’S NANO - Funny bloopers are a click away
