Of all the good things that happened in 2008, the unveiling of the Nano fuelled a long-cherished aspiration of millions of middle class families, to own a car. Country’s most expected small car, Nano from Tata Motors will soon strike over the auto market on sales. Tata Motors has sent prototypes of its small Nano car from its Pantnagar plant to three cities in the state for test run.Nagbhushan, Head of Tata Motors’ Engineering Department, said three prototypes of Nano have been sent to Dehra Dun, Almora and Ranikhet where its test run would be conducted in a day or two. The company would start booking for Nano from March or April next year, He added.
In addition to this last week, the Uttarakhand government has provided the company an additional 45 acres of land at its Pantnagar facility. The additional allotment is expected to give hand the company in rolling out the world’s least priced car at Rs one lakh, after delays due to the Singur imbroglio. Previously, The Company has shifted to shift the mother plant to Sanand in Gujarat from Singur, where it was originally planned due to opposition from Trinamool Congress over land acquisition.
Tata Nano will come in a micro hybrid version also and would also use stop-start technology, likely to be supplied by German engineering major, Bosch. Bosch will be supplying the fuel and braking systems for the Nano. This technology enables the car’s engine to switch off automatically at a traffic light when idle and in neutral gear and the engine starts seamlessly once the driver depresses the clutch before moving forward.
Tata has planned to invest Rs 1,500 crore at Singur but the investment was increased to Rs 2,000 crore, when it shifted to Sanand. The company is planning to produce the Nano from its various locations, including Pune and Pantnagar till the mother plant at Sanand is ready. Nano has a 624 cc engine, four doors and a mileage of 23 kilometers per liter and comes in three different versions including one with air conditioning. Power steering is provided in a Nano. Nano would be available in two deluxe models and a standard model.