Nitol group keen on Nano assembly unit in Bangladesh

With the Nano all set to hit the Bangladesh roads this February, the distributor of the Tata cars there, now plans to open talks with the Mumbai-based auto major to set up an assembly unit of the small car.

Tata Nano 2012

“Bangladesh is a viable economy. We will grow very fast here. Therefore as soon as we introduce the vehicle, in two moths we will have an idea about the market. Then we will start negotiating with Tata for the assembly plant,” Abdul Matlub Ahmed, Chairman of Nitol Group, distributor of the Tata Motors in Bangladesh said.

The Bangladeshi company has finalised the deal with Tata Motors to import and sell the Tata Nano in the country.

“We are expecting to introduce Nano in Bangladesh sometime in February. We will import about 2,000 Nano cars in the first year for the Bangladesh market. We are importing all the models and will see the market response. Then we will finally decide on the import programme on the basis of demand. Our idea is to reach at least 10,000 a year in the next couple of years,” Ahmed said.

The vehicle was scheduled to be launched in Bangladesh in October last year, but it got delayed following some pricing issues.

As high import duty will cost the common man's car about Tk 6.5 lakh (Rs 3.8 lakh), the distributor wants the car to be assembled in Bangladesh.

“Definitely an assembly unit here will be cost effective. But we are not sure about the logistics part the and the fresh investment required to make. We will have to do a lot of study,” he said.

However, Tata's spokesman declined to comment on whether the auto major has any plan to come up with an assembly unit in Bangladesh.

Although the company did not give any timeline, Tata Motors had earlier said, it was considering the option of assembling the Nano abroad through export of completely knocked down units (CKD).

The home-grown auto major started exports of completely built units (CBU) of the Nano to Sri Lanka and Nepal last year. Between April and November 2011, Tata Motors exported 1,728 units of the small car.

Apart from Bangladesh, the company plans to export the car to other Asian countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Mayanmar. It is also working on an upgraded version of the Nano for the developed markets in the US and Europe.

The car has also reportedly evinced interest from some overseas companies like the Teco Group of Taiwan, which has expressed keenness to manufacture and sell the vehicle in the respective countries.

Source: Business Standard

Tata launches Nano Valentines Edition in Goa

2012 Tata Nano Valentines Edition

Are you looking to gift your loved one a special and a different gift which beautiful, cute and safe? Here is a chance to gift your dear one a fun loving car.

Auto Industries, Tata Motors Goa dealer has launched a special Nano Valentines Edition in Goa. A new way of saying that one loves you and cares for you.



The Nano Valentines Edition is available only on the Nano CX with added features.

The Nano Valentines Edition will be offered in 2 colours Rouge Red and Neon Rush (green) only. Only 20 units of the special edition will be made at the offer is valid only a select period or till stocks last.

The added features include:

• Integrated Tata Audio /MP3 System with USB
• A Pen drive on which one can store your favourite songs
• A Mobile phone along with a phone holder stand
• Remote Central locking
• Fog lamps
• Air freshener
• Protective Sunfilm
• Mattings and Mudflaps
• Valentine special exterior graphics

All the above costs come at an extra cost of Rs. 20,000. The Nano Valentines Edition is priced at Rs. 205,993 ex-showroom Goa.

The new 2012 Nano is powered by a 624cc which now has a power output of 38Ps and 51 on Torque.

More Images:


Source: Goa On Wheels

After Maharashtra, the Tata Nano heads to Goa to be a police car!

Tata Motors delivered a fleet of Nanos to the Mumbai police on an experimental basis to see whether the Nano would fit in well as a police car. Coming to think of it, the Tata Nano and its diminutive dimensions makes a bunch of sense considering how crowded Mumbai is as a city. Also, the Nano’s high fuel economy would mean that the city runabout would be just at home doing patrolling duties in the city that never sleeps. The inexpensive Nano costing only twice as much as a motorcycle, would also offer the Mumbai constabulary all weather protection and respite from doing patrolling duties in crowded areas by foot, as is the case currently.

Tata Nano fleet of Mumbai Police

Now, the Tata Nano hatchback is all set to head to Goa and do duty amongst the Goan cops as a police car. While Goa might not be as crowded as Mumbai, most Goan back roads are more like alleys and it is here, where a car with a narrow track like the Nano would be right at home. As has been the case with Mumbai, the Tata Nano that has been painted with Goan police colors will be an experiment to see whether it fits the rigors of being a cop car. Details on what exactly has been modified on the Tata Nano to make it a cop car remains unknown at the moment.

Tata Nano fleet of Mumbai Police

However, we’re guessing that a mount for a walkie talkie and a siren/flasher on top would be the bare minimum of the mods that the Nano would need to do cop car duty. The only downside to the cop car Tata Nano perhaps would be when the Nano will have to chase down criminals making a fast getaway. The Nano is a s-l-o-w car and though the gear ratios are just about right to stay ahead of city traffic, it would be a task in itself to chase down a criminal intent on outrunning the law. Any which ways, Goa Police becomes the second police force after the Maharashtra cops to take to the Nano for cop car duty.

Source: ICB

And the discounts only get bigger on the 2012 Tata Nano hatchback!

Tata Motors is pulling out all stops to push the Tata Nano, a practical city hatchback that is frugal and easy to park. The latest move by Tata Motors to sell the Nano is by means of a hefty discount that Tata is offering as exchange bonus for your old two wheeler of car. The exchange bonus works like this; You exchange your old two wheeler or four wheeler for the new 2012 Tata Nano. Tata Motors will pay you INR 20,000 extra, over and above the exchange value of your old two wheeler as the exchange bonus. In the same way, for four wheelers, Tata will pay you INR 25,000 extra as exchange bonus.

2012 Tata Nano

These exchange bonuses are over and above the flat 10,000 rupee cash discount that Tata is offering on all models of the 2012 Nano. Effectively, exchanging your old two wheeler will fetch you a 30,000 rupee discount on the Nano while exchanging your car will fetch you a 35,000 rupee discount on the 2012 Nano, both sizable discounts indeed. At the discounted prices, the 2012 Nano looks like a superb value proposition for folks wanting a frugal city run about that is inexpensive to buy and run as Tata does have attractive all-inclusive maintenance packages at INR 99 per month.

2012 Tata Nano LX Interiors

The 2012 Tata Nano comes in three variants, Basic, CX and LX. All three variants of the 2012 Nano have got a wide range of upgrades to improve performance as well as fuel economy. The 2012 Nano comes with a slightly more powerful engine with altered gear ratios to make the car quicker than before. Also, the improvements in the engine and transmission has meant that the Nano is now the most fuel efficient car in the country with a whopping ARAI certified mileage figure of 25.4 Kmpl. All these improvements come without any increase in price of the Nano, which has been retained at previous levels.

Source: ICB

Tata Nano sales continue to grow! Clocks 7,723 units in January 2012!

The Tata Nano’s sales have climbed for the fifth consecutive month, in a very positive sign for both the small car and its parent company, Tata Motors Limited. The Nano registered 7,723 units in January 2012, a marginal improvement over the 7,466 units that Tata Motors dispatched to Tata dealers across the country. Tata Motors recently launched the upgraded 2012 Nano, which brought in a host of improvements, right from the interiors to the gear ratios of the car, very crucially without any increase in the price of the car.

2012 Tata Nano LX

Along with the big improvement in the Nano, Tata Motors has been offering attractive discounts and down payment offers on the 2012 Nano to push sales. Another effort from Tata Motors has been the push into rural areas of India with standalone Nano kiosks, taking this budget hatchback closer to people, which seems to slowly be delivering results with sales growing steadily over the past few months. That said, the Nano is still quite a mile away from being a profitable venture for Tata Motors and this is what will be bothering the powers to be at Tata.

Small cars sell at wafer thin margins and more so the Nano, which is the least priced car, not just in India, but the whole wide world. This means that Tata isn’t really making money on the Nano considering the volumes that this car is doing. After setting up a factory plant capable of producing over 250,000 Nanos a year, more than 75% of the capacity at Tata Motors’ plan at Sanand, Gujarat is unused. Typically, Tata needs to use at least 60% of the capacity to stay profitable with the Nano. This, evidently isn’t happening currently.

The diesel Nano, which will be Tata’s hope will not be here until 2013. But before that, another option for Tata would be the CNG version of the Nano, which the automaker showcased off at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo. The Nano CNG might be good alternative to the diesel engined Nano for the time being, in bigger cities and towns at least, where CNG is more easily available. The sooner Tata makes the CNG Nano available widely, the better for the brand. Tata also showcased a Nano with disc brakes at the Auto Expo, perhaps an inkling of things to come from Tata in the future.

Source: ICB

Tata Motors is planning new marketing strategies to push Nano sales

Tata Nano 2012

The company aims to undo the 'Nano is a poor man's car' perception in the Indian market.

At the 2012 Auto Expo, Tata Group chairman, Ratan Tata admitted that there had been quite a few blunders in the way the Tata Nano was marketed and distributed in the country. To make the necessary correction and to boost the sales of the small car, the company is now gearing up to introduce new marketing and distributing strategies in the Indian market. The new strategy aims at reaching out to multiple segments of target customers and to undo the perception that the Nano is a poor man's car.

"Quite a lot of marketing activity is in place now - reaching out to the target segments, network strategy, handling the customers at the dealerships, tie-ups with various financiers." said Mr R Ramakrishna, the company's vice-president. "Every single segment is falling in place now." Ramakrishna added.

According to the company, a typical Nano buyer is relatively scared to go to a full-fledged car showroom and therefore, the company is setting up exclusive showrooms to sell Nano cars in Tier-III and Tier-IV cities across the country. Apart from the existing showrooms, Tata Motors has so far set up around 105 exclusive Nano showrooms and 250 special kiosks. Altogether, the company now has around 750 sales points where the Nano is available.



Source: On Cars

Tata Nano to hit Bangladesh market next month

The Nano minicar of Indian Tata Motors will hit the Bangladesh market next month as its Bangladeshi distributor has confirmed an import deal to sell the vehicle here, the car seller said Saturday.



Chairman of Nitol Group, distributor of the Tata cars in Bangladesh, Abdul Matlub Ahmed said the first fleet of 200 Tata Nano cars will arrive in Bangladesh in February this year.

"We have confirmed the deal with Tata Motors Ltd. We will import 2,000 Nano cars per year for the Bangladesh market," said Mr Ahmed.

Managing Director of Tata Motors Ltd of India PM Telang said his company plans to export its less fuel-consuming Nano minicars to Bangladesh.

It will also export the car to Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar, said the Wall Street Journal Saturday quoting Mr Telang.

Abdul Matlub Ahmed said the retail price of a Nano car in Bangladesh market will be Tk 650,000.

The world's cheapest car Tata Nano was launched in March 2009 to sell it at 136,000 rupees in the Indian market.

Tata Motors later started to export the low-cost minicar to Nepal and Sri Lanka which is popular there, the Indian car-maker said.

Mr Matlub Ahmed said his target is the middle and lower middle-income groups of people of Bangladesh who will afford to buy the low-cost car.

He said: "I will market the maximum number of Nano outside Dhaka where a car is still a far cry for a family. The people of small towns will be my first target for selling the cars."

The Nitol Group chairman said he has a plan to boost the annual sales of Nano in the Bangladesh market from 2,000 units to 12,000 units within the next four years.

"I have a plan to convince the Tata Motors India to set a Nano manufacturing plant here in Bangladesh to meet the demand," he added.



He said: "The price will come down once we start assembling the car here. Tata has a plan to manufacture the car in Bangladesh if it becomes popular here."

"We anticipate that the Nano will be very popular because it is extremely fuel efficient. You can drive more than 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) with a litre of gasoline," said the chief of the Nitol Motors.

Mr Telang said his company is likely to take a decision in the next three or four months on setting up the second commercial vehicle assembly plant overseas.

Outside India, the Indian car-maker has an assembling unit in South Africa.

Source: The Financial Express BD

Tata Nano Diesel ain’t coming anytime soon, instead how about the Nano CNG

Tata Nano CNG

Bad news first. The Tata Nano Diesel might not see a commercial launch anytime too soon with word emerging from Tata Motors that the diesel variant is at least a year away from a launch. While this would come as a bummer to many a prospective owner of the  Tata Nano Diesel, there’s still some cheer left. Tata Motors has put together a CNG variant of the Nano, and with CNG being much cheaper than petrol could still be a very sensible option for folks who want a very frugal and eco-friendly form of four wheeled personal transport.

Currently though, the Nano CNG is more of a concept that showcases Tata Motors’ growing capability of delivering cars with alternate fuel technology. Even so, the concept could become a reality as it fits right within the strengths of the Tata Nano. Coming to think of it, the Nano is primarily a city car although the cute little runabout would do just as fine on the highways. In most Indian cities, CNG is quickly becoming accessible and hence, a car with CNG will not just be non polluting but also frugal and convenient to run in most big cities, prime potential market for the Nano.

Tata Nano CNG Concept - Technical Specification

Important Key Features of Tata Nano CNG:

• The Nano CNG concept will be a Bi-fuel Car that can run on both petrol as well as CNG.
• The CNG tank has been packaged in such a way that it doesn’t intrude on the luggage space of the Nano.
• The components for the CNG kit have been sourced from world class suppliers.
• The Nano CNG will have a CNG cut off system in case of even a slight leak.
• The Nano CNG will use the highly efficient controlled sequential gas injection kit.
• The Nano CNG’s driver will be able to seamlessly switch between petrol and CNG modes.

Source: ICB

Tata Plans to Export Nano to Bangladesh, Southeast Asia

Tata Nano

Tata Motors Ltd. plans to export its Nano minicars to Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar, the company's India managing director P.M. Telang told reporters Friday.

He didn't give any timeframe for the exports.

Mr. Telang added that the company is likely to take a decision in the next three or four months on setting up a second commercial vehicle assembly plant overseas.

It now has a plant in South Africa for assembling such vehicles.

Separately, Ravi Pisharody, president of Tata's commercial vehicle business unit, said the company plans to introduce a new range of light trucks in India.

"The new range may co-exist with Tata Motors' existing range of commercial vehicles," he added.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Tata Nano to remove tag of poor man's car: Ratan Tata

Admitting that Nano has 'wasted an early opportunity' due to teething problems, Tata Group chief Ratan Tata today said Tata Motors will do everything to undo the tag of 'poor man's car'.



In an interaction with media here, Tata, who is also the chairman of Tata Motors, said: "Many efforts were made to discredit the product. We never pushed it (Nano) as a poor man's car, but as an affordable family car. Whatever stigma is there in the market, we will undo it."

Asserting that the very concept of Nano is a robust one, he said: "The launches of similar small cars by others vindicate our belief that this segment was missing in the product line."

He further added that Tata Motors was "not much in competition with others as far as pricing of it is concerned".

When asked about the problems Nano has faced, like the fire incidents and the recent replacement of starter motors, Tata said the issue was mainly due to various parts coming from different vendors.

"Current upgrade should help resolve the problem... upgrade will resolve issue relating to problematic supply from vendors. Upgrade will also resolve the earlier issues and also take in customer feedback. We will look at variants of models to move up the value chain," he said.



Asked about the break-even timeline for the Nano project, Tata Motors vice-chairman Ravi Kant said: "We are maintaining the break-even timeline as far as numbers are concerned, we are on line."

Source: Times Of India

Nano 2012 May Cost More In Year 2012

Tata Nano 2012

Next year onwards, you may have to cough up more to own a Nano. Tata Motors is seriously considering increasing prices of its ultra low-cost car.

The price hike is expected to be in the range of Rs. 5,000 on its newly-launched Nano 2012 model. However, the timeframe of the hike is currently not known. “Tata Motors will have to increase prices as the product was launched at a similar price to that of the previous Nano,” said sources. When contacted, a company spokesperson said, “We do not give guidance on pricing.”

The company in November had introduced additional features for the Nano at the same price point. The upgraded Nano features new interiors, a powerful gasoline engine and better fuel efficiency. “The cost is going up on the material side due to rupee fluctuations. Also, the new Nano is generating good response from customers, hence it would be easy for the company to pass on the hike,” said an analyst with a domestic brokerage, requesting anonymity.

On the other hand, experts feel that the recent replacement of starter motors in all older models of the Nano could affect the sales of Nano 2012 on a short-term basis. According to a news report, Tata Motors is substituting the old starter motor with a new and ‘better’ one, currently used in Nano 2012. The company will replace this component free of cost for around 1,40,000 Nanos sold so far.

According to a Tata Motors spokesperson, the exercise cannot be termed as a recall. “We are just replacing the component. The exercise was started in October and has already covered 50,000 vehicles so far,” he said.

“Indian customers do not forgive easily. The market is anyway weak. The incident might have a short term impact on the new Nano sales,” said V G Ramakrishnan, director with Frost and Sullivan.



Analysts say the replacement exercise undertaken by Tata Motors is by far the biggest in the India. Recently, Toyota recalled 41,000 Etios and Liva cars to replace a faulty inlet pipe to the fuel tank. Similarly, Honda Siel in September recalled 72,115 units of City sedan to fix faulty power window switches.

Sales of the Tata Nano were 6,401 numbers in November 2011, compared to 509 units sold in November last year. Tata Motors sold 39,646 units Nano between April and November 2011, compared to 40,976 units sold during the same period last year.

Source: DNA India

Tata Motors to replace starters in all Tata Nano

Tata Nano

Move to boost car’s performance, allay fears

Tata Motors is upgrading the starter motor of Nano to boost the car’s performance and also sales. The company’s dealers are in the process of calling back about 145,000 Nanos sold till date since its launch in July 2009. The old starter motor will be replaced with the new, upgraded version found in the Tata Nano 2012 edition, launched last month. The replacement will be done free of cost for Nano customers.

Though no formal safety hazard had been associated with old starter motor, the move appears to allay concerns about robustness of the Nano and its safety. The company is trying to restore customer confidence after several instances of the product having caught fire last year.

“In old Tata Nanos, we are upgrading the starter motor to enhance performance, because we have now devised a better starter motor. This better starter motor is already installed in the Tata Nano 2012, introduced in November 2012,” Tata Motors confirmed in an email response.

A starter motor or starter is an electric motor which helps rotate internal combustion engine to initiate the engine’s operation. While the 2012 Nano start up motor costs about Rs 3,000 a piece, adding labour charges, taxes and engine oil change takes the tally up to about Rs 7,600. By simple calculation, the cost bore by the company on 145,000 Nanos amounts to Rs 110 crore.

In November 2010, Tata had called back 70,000 Nanos to add free safety features in exhaust and electrical systems of the car to prevent any further cases of vehicle creating untoward fumes or catching fire. Even then, the company had refused to term the action as a recall. The company had then confirmed safety aspect of the Nano, blaming the causes of fire in the Nanos for reasons “specific” to those cars, which included use of additional foreign electrical equipment being installed in the car.



The car’s controversial history, coupled with the steady rise in interest rates and petrol prices has had its impact on Nano’s sales this financial year.

Tata Motors sold 39,646 Nanos between April and November 2011, registering a fall of three per cent compared with 40,976 units sold in year-ago period.

“The move to recall Nanos for upgrading the starter motor is a good move to create confidence with people who had bought the car earlier. The car manufacturer is trying things associated with the product to stabilise so that issues don’t occur regularly,” said Abdul Majeed, auto practice leader, PwC.

The Tata Nano 2012 costs between Rs 1,40,880 and Rs 1,96,956 (ex-showroom, New Delhi).

Source: My Digital FC

2012 Tata Nano: A detailed preview

You do not need to step inside the 2012 Tata Nano to know that the vehicle has been given a complete makeover. The multiple color range that it has been provided with including unique colors, like Rouge Red and Papaya Orange, makes this statement as soon as you take a look at the vehicle.

Tata Nano 2012

The Exteriors:

Though the car has been launched as a low-budget hatchback, Tata Motors has not shied away from giving a stylish look to the 2012 Tata Nano. The bonnet, though small, gives a petite appearance to the car. However, other than the additional eight colors that the vehicle comes in, it is hard to identify any other features within the car exterior that are strikingly different from the previous model. The only major additions that have been provided to the exteriors of the vehicle is an additional rear-view mirror on the passenger side, which indeed is a sensible and essential addition. Also, the top end LX model has been provided with plastic wheel-caps.

The Interiors:

If you were getting a bit disheartened looking at the exteriors and thinking that it’s the same vehicle with minor adjustments, just open the door of the vehicle and the refreshing change provided to the interiors gives you the feel of stepping into an all-new car, altogether. It really seems that the authorities at Tata Motors have indeed been listening to their customers. The manufacturer has definitely taken a lot of pains in livening up the interiors. The LX model has been given a beige-colored dashboard with a central console and the gear knobs have been given a silver finish. With the seat fabric also being provided in beige, the cabin gets a feel that we all desired for. The standard version has been provided with graphite interior that exudes a lot of freshness. Similarly black is the chosen colour as far as the interior of the CX model is concerned. The two-toned door pads with deeper pockets are also a significant notch up from the initial model that had been introduced.

The other comfort feature that was definitely required, and hence is being appreciated greatly, is the provision of adjustable headrests in the front seats. Though these headrests have restricted movement, yet the development is significant as the earlier model just had a one-piece seat. The front seats also are more supportive to their occupants. As we move to the rear, we are again reminded of the huge space the Nano has packed inside, almost a size greater than all competitive budget hatchbacks. Comfort issues of the rear seat passengers have also been addressed with the height of the seat back being raised to provide better support to the shoulders.

Power and Mileage along with Driving Comfort:

The manufacturer has definitely put in work on the 624cc engine. Not only is it more fuel-efficient, the power has also been increased to 37BHp (the previous model was at 35BHp). Torque has also been raised to 5.2kgm. The Nano retains its city driving aspect and now offers increased fuel-efficiency of 25.4 km/liter (23.6km/liter was provided by the erstwhile model). The overall driving comfort have also been refined further as you experience less shocks while driving.

A complaint we always held while driving the erstwhile model of the Tata Nano was the heaviness of the steering when operating at a slow speed. The suspension has been definitely given a fair revision and the effect seems noticeable with the steering being a little lighter. However, some degree of effort is still required on the steering, particularly when parking the vehicle. Power steering is not something that one might see in the very near future. This has been addressed to a certain extent, though, with the tight-turning circle of the Nano, that enables you to weave through city traffic. The vehicle also has improved stability with the anti-roll bar provided at the front, doing its job well.

Pricing:

The best news among all these however is the fact that all the updates provided have not been accompanied with a corresponding increase in price. Ex-showroom pricing of Nano 2012 for Delhi is:

Standard Model - Rs.1.4 Lakh
CX Model - Rs.1.7 Lakh
LX Model - Rs.1.96 Lakh

Source:Indian Drives

Tata Nano clocks impressive sales of 6,401 in November 2011

Tata Nano 2012

When the Tata Nano was first launched more than a year ago, 20,000 units per month was what Tata Motors initially targeted for the Nano. Things however went awry with the Nano managing to sell not more than 3,000 to 4,000 units per month on an average, prompting analysts including us to question whether the Nano is dangerously close to becoming a sales flop. Things however seem to be looking up for the little car, spawned out of Ratan Tata’s dream of putting Indians on four wheels.

In November, amidst a gloomy economic climate even as the Indian GDP has failed to grow at even 7% on account of a sagging manufacturing sector, the Nano managed to clock over 6,401 units. Tata has been doling out attractive offers to push Nano sales and these measures could finally be yielding results even as the Nano seems to have made a decent comeback, after months of drooping sales.

Interior of Tata Nano 2012

Incidentally, November 2010, exactly a year ago was a time when the Nano slumped to its worst monthly sales ever, with 509 units, prompting Tata Motors to come up with a slew of corrective measures like a 4 year/60,000 Km warranty, zero downpayment schemes and a INR 99 month maintenance package. In November 2011, Tata has come up with a refreshed 2012 Nano, which is a vastly improved car compared to the previous iteration in many areas.

The 2012 Nano is not just faster and more responsive than the previous versions, but is also more frugal and upmarket. Apart from the revamped interiors, the 2012 Nano features a more softer exhaust note compared to the distinctive twin cylinder thrum that the first generation Nano had. In a sense, the 2012 Nano seems like what the Tata Indica V2 was. The big question now is whether the 2012 Nano could glorious comeback, just like the Indica V2 did almost a decade ago for the Indica brand. For a start, things look quite positive for the Nano.

Source: ICB

Rumor: Tata Nano Diesel coming to the upcoming 2012 Indian Auto Expo!

Tata is a brand that usually showcases its new products at the Auto Expo, going on to launch them somewhere in the latter half of the year, around September-October. From the chatter that was floating around amongst us otoring journos, many shared the view that the Tata Nano Diesel could be showcased at the upcoming Auto Expo.

Over the past couple of days, even the mainstream print media seems to think that Tata would unveil the Tata Nano Diesel at the exposition. So, there indeed could be some basis to these rumors although Tata Motors for its part continues to remain as mum as ever, as it has always been about its future launches. That said, the Nano Diesel is what the Nano franchise desperately needs to salvage the scene at the hustings.

The Nano, although a very competent car suffers from a dowdy image making it a no-go for many folks buying their first car. The Nano Diesel however could be a game changer in the fact that it would be powered by diesel, a fuel that is much cheaper than petrol currently. This would make the Nano Diesel a terrific value proposition even if Tata manages to price it around 50,000 rupees more than the petrol version.

With the latest versions of petrol Nano small car selling with ARAI certified mileage figures of 25 Kmpl, we wouldn’t be too surprised if the Diesel Nano is good enough for 30-35 Kmpl. At that mileage figure, the Tata Nano could finally become a compelling alternative to folks riding about on economuters like Splendors and Passions of this world, the target market that the Nano was originally intended for.

Source: ICB

Tata Nano 2012 launched!

Tata Nano 2012

Tata has launched the small wonder in its 2012 Avatar. The Nano gets a power upgrade delivering an impressive 38PS of power (earlier 35 PS) and 51Nm of torque (earlier 48 Nm).

Even with higher power the car delivers an impressive 25.4 kmpl (earlier 23.6 kmpl) as certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI)

• More fuel efficiency at 25.4 kmpl
• New premium interiors
• New vibrant colours
• Best-in-class air-conditioning
• Lowest CO2 emission, among cars in India
• Booster-assisted brakes in the Standard variant

The ride and handling, also already highly appreciated by existing owners, now has become even better with a revised suspension set-up, including an anti-roll bar at the front, and a steering mechanism made even easier. While the cabin is quiet, a racier sounding exhaust note now gives the Tata Nano a more assertive road presence. Booster-assisted brakes, already available in the Nano CX and the LX, have now been added to the Nano Standard as well. The Nano CX and LX now have tip-tap mirrors on both the driver and passenger sides. For the Nano Standard, which already has a driver side mirror, the passenger side one can be installed as an accessory.

The interiors are completely new with enhanced premiumness in look and feel – luxurious beige in the Nano LX, rich black in the Nano CX and stunning medium graphite in the Standard version. The exteriors are now a veritable vibgyor of 10 colours, eight of them new — Pearl White, Rouge Red, Aqua Blue, Neon Rush, Serene White, Meteor Silver, Mojito Green, Papaya Orange, Sunshine Yellow, and Champagne Gold. New half or full wheel caps accentuate the distinctiveness.

Commenting on the introduction, Mr. P.M. Telang, Tata Motors’ Managing Director – India Operations, has said, “Tata Nano owners, over 90% of whom are highly satisfied with their choice, have given us valuable insights on what more can be done. We have introduced some of these ideas. We will continue to add features, as has been our tradition across our product portfolio.”

The three trim levels and their key features are:

Tata Nano Standard: The standard version comes with three colour options — Rouge Red, Aqua Blue, Serene White — along with clear headlamps, tubeless tyres and tip-tap driver side mirror, booster-assisted brakes and front suspension with anti-roll bar. The interiors comprise dual-tone vinyl seats and fold-down rear seat.

Tata Nano CX: The Nano CX comes in six colour options — Rouge Red, Champagne Gold, Neon Rush, Meteor Silver, Papaya Orange and Serene White. The interiors have been refreshed with trendy black fabric seats, ebony black interiors, fold-down rear seat with nap rest. Besides these, the variant offers best-in-class air-conditioning with heating (optional), parcel shelf, booster-assisted brakes, tip-tap mirrors on driver and passenger side and half wheel covers.

Tata Nano LX: The top-end variant comes loaded with features like premium beige fabric seats, central locking, door handles, front power windows, cup holder in front console, provision for 12V socket, body coloured bumpers, fog lamps, electronic trip meter, rear spoiler, full wheel covers and tip-tap mirrors on driver and passenger side and booster-assisted brakes. The Nano LX comes in six premium colours –  Pearl White, Papaya Orange, Mojito Green, Sunshine Yellow, Meteor Silver and Champagne Gold.



All the variants come with an unmatched warranty of 4 years or 60,000 kms, whichever is earlier.

The Tata Nano will continue to be available at the same price. The Tata Nano is priced (ex-showroom, Delhi), at Rs.1.40 lakhs for the Nano Standard, Rs.1.70 lakhs for the Nano CX and Rs.1.96 lakhs for the Nano LX.

The Tata Nano is available across 676 outlets. Customers can buy the Tata Nano at an extremely low down-payment, starting from Rs.15,000, and high tenure financing (up to 60 months).

Source: Tata Motors

2012 Tata Nano to be launched on 21st Nov 2011

2012 Tata Nano

Tata Motors has been planning upgrade to its little wonder for quite some time now and various new technologies have been experimented with in the past including 3-cylinder engines and even a diesel powerplant with mind-boggling FE figures.

At the same time, enthusiasts too have been waiting for some major changes to the product which took world by storm. There have been talks of power steering, Nano Europa styling, even Tata Pixel has been a contender for second iteration of Tata Nano.

So, the time has come and TATA have folded their sleeves to provide an all new refreshed Nano or rather NANO 2012.

The face-lifted model will get a host of cosmetic changes including new seats and fabric, new front seat headrests, a beige-coloured dashboard to brighten up the interiors, passenger-side outside rear-view mirror, new wheel-cap design and floor mats, and will be available in attractive new colours.

The Nano gets significant mechanical changes. The steering geometry has been reworked and the castor-angle optimised to reduce steering effort, a major complaint in the current car. The new car gets tweaked suspension setup and an anti-roll bar to further improve its ride and handling. Tata’s engineers have increased body stiffness too by making changes to the structure with better bonding of the body panels. This will see an improvement in refinement levels.

Tata has also raised the power by nearly 10 percent, from 35bhp to 38bhp. However, there will be no significant performance gain as the step-up in power has been offset by taller gearing in a bid to achieve the magical 25kpl figure that till now has been accomplished only by other Tata cars — the eV2 and eCS.

The feature list is as follows:

1. If it isn't 25, it isn't enough
Tata has had a fixation with this quarter century mark for quite some time now. It all started with the Indica eV2 and now there is no looking back. I still wait for the time when they will include UV vehicles in their 25kmpl brigade. Guess then, a lot will be pardoned on the quality front.

Well, as the news goes, Tata Nano is now the most fuel efficient Petrol car in the country as per ARAI certification.

2. Its still not power steering but it is lighter
Tata have incorporated some serious changes in the steering column and ride and handling of the car to make the steering "much-much" lighter and anyone owning the old nano would instantly fall in love with the nano 2012.

Again, not truly up to customer expectation a la Power steering but, TATA has looked into the issue and come up with ingenious, and cost effective solution for the time being.

3. No more hang on tight on turns.
Tata have introduced a Anti-Roll bar on this edition to dramatically improve ride and handling of the vehicle. Further, suspension has been tweaked for a softer ride. It is not an auto after all !!!

4. Gone are the days of clatter
Here Tata has gone more than just minor tweaking but actually delved right into design of the vehicle. The B Pillars are now wider, there is more insulation on certain parts and exhaust noise too has been brought down bringing down NVH levels considerably.

Once again, there is no 3 pot powerplant but genuine effort has been made and ingenuity has ruled above complete overhaul.

5. Mirror, Mirror on the car.
Tata went full cost cutting first time around and while some of the omissions were accepted (reluctantly!) by the junta, this was one omission that did not go down well with the customers, especially ones commuting in heavy traffic cities. We are referring to the Left Hand side ORVM.

Though, Tata has been supplying LHS ORVM for quite some time through its service centres but Nano 2012 brings this feature as standard on CX and LX versions with LX getting body coloured ORVM.

6. So comfy...
One of the major changes in this edition of Nano is the seats. Gone are the times of non-existant seat comfort and in comes softly cushioned seats with proper headrests. Frankly, this is a change which will appreciated by all and instantly be recognisable from older iteration. Good Job people!

2012 Tata Nano CX Interior

7. Beige it is, even for the cheapest car in market
Interiors have been revamped. Centre console now stands out in terms of quality of knobs as well as colour choices.

CX gets fabric door linings and seats with silver centre consoles. Beige rules as soon as you step into LX variant. On first impression, new interiors do aim to provide a upmarket feel to the humble car and ticks many right boxes on the interiors department.

8. Look at my new shoes
Not much of change here in terms of upgrade. LX gets full 'alloy look' wheel cover while CX is handed down earlier half wheel caps from old LX.

9. More colour options. Maybe one for your each dinner gown
Tata have scrapped all older colours except Sunshine Yellow and Champagne Gold to bring in much bolder and premium shades. There are 10 colours (4 Non Metallic, 6 Metallic) in all with 8 shades being introduced with Nano 2012. Nano LX gets more exclusive shades unlike only Sunshine Yellow in previous iteration. Pearl White from Tata flagship Safari too gets an introduction in Nano LX and personally is a top choice.

2012 Tata Nano in Pearl White color

Important Notes

1. There is no change in Product pricing at the moment for new product.
2. Tata has been shipping new Nano from past few weeks and most dealer will begin showcasing vehicles from this week itself.
3. There is no change in exterior appearances of the vehicle except introduction of LHS ORVM on CX and LX versions.
4. No design cues have been borrowed from Nano Europa.
5. It is not an intermediate product between major product introduction. Tata expects to sell this vehicle through 2012 or atleast till end of 2012. 

Courtesy: AutoCar India & Team-BHP

Real Story of Tata Nano Retail Sales: Sales Zooming from past 3 months

Retail sales of Tata Nano Zooming from past 3 months

New Delhi, Oct 3: Its wholesale numbers may be on the decline, but Tata’s small car Nano is picking up in sales at retail level as dealers at different parts of the country cash in on reduced down payment scheme introduced by the company ahead of the festival season.

Dealers said while consumer confidence on the car has slowly become much stronger and conversion rate of enquiries has risen to as much as 35 per cent in certain areas, an attractive discount of up to Rs 20,000 has also helped in wooing buyers.

While the company does not report its retail sales numbers, according to industry sources Nano’s uptake from showrooms has been on the rise since August.

Nano’s retail sales, stood at 3,548 units in July, were 6,451 in August and 9,208 in September this year.

This is in contrast to the 17 per cent decline in the cumulative wholesale numbers in the April—August period this fiscal, at 26,441 units as against 31,882 units in the same period a year ago.

“A lot of existing customers are helping in spreading through the word of mouth and footfalls at our showroom, enquiring about the Nano has gone up. The conversion rate is up to 35 per cent,” Kolkata—based Lexus Motor owner Mr Binod Agarwal said.

He said the scheme announced by Tata Motors in mid-August to offer the Nano at down payments ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 24,000 and discounts ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 have helped in attracting lots of customers.

“We were averaging about 40—45 Nanos a month earlier but it went up to 52 in August and 109 in September. We are hoping October should also be good,” he added.

Expressing similar views, Vijaywada—based Jasper Industries Managing Director Managing Sumanth Badiga said: “In our case, rural sales have really picked up. We have been able to largely target customers, for whom the Nano was intended.”

He said in August alone, Jasper Industries sold 301 units, while in September it did 150 Nanos.

“In October we are expecting to sell about 200 Nanos,” Badiga said, adding small time traders, shop—owners, village purohit and teachers are among the customer profiles.

Interestingly, the Nano is finding a lot of woman buyers in Bangalore, which has helped in increasing sales.

“Around 30 per cent of buyers from our showroom are women. They are either self-financed first time buyers or a family member buying for them,” Bangalore based Prerana Motors Managing Director, Mr Pramanand Shenoy said.

He, however, said the perception of Nano as a ‘cheap car’ is working against the product as “it is a proper car”.

Pune-based Pandit Automobiles Managing Director Vijay Gokhale also said the idea of targetting two-wheeler riders to upgrade "has not worked at least in the area where we function".

"So, we have widened the spectrum and are trying to sell to customers who could be retirees or who are looking for a second car or even college going students," he added.

Pandit Automobiles was selling about 60 Nanos a month till about July. In August it sold 119 units of the car, while in September it was 141 units.

"We will cross 150 units in October," he said.

Source: The Hindu Business Line and MoneyControl

TATA Nano to patrol streets if Mumbai police deem it fit

 

The budget car TATA Nano could now be used by the Mumbai Police as a patrol vehicle. Images of the test car are already on the web and the car is being tested to evaluate its suitability as a pursuit vehicle considering its 624 cc engine that generates a mere 48 Nm and a small acceleration.

The Mumbai Police Commissioner has approached TATA Motors that took the lead to offer its services by providing a model for testing. The police have stated that the plan is not concrete yet and a deal will be made only after the vehicle has been tested to its limits for the crucial job.

A senior officer mentioned that the car will take up less space for parking and movement through Mumbai's narrow lanes. It will be advantageous over the motorcycles that are currently is use as its duct could be used to store weapons and communication equipment.

Source: RushLane

Tata Motors to give discounts to Shareholders on Tata Nano

After cajoling the employees of the Tata group to buy the Nano, Tata Motors is trying to persuade its 3.5 lakh shareholders to purchase the world’s cheapest car — at a discount.

The move is seen as an effort to crank up the sales of the Nano, which have declined at an alarming rate over the past three months.

The company, however, has declined to comment on its latest overture to the shareholders.

Earlier, Tata Motors had offered the car to the employees of Tata group companies at sharply reduced prices.



It is learnt that the employees were offered a discount of Rs 25,000 on the high-end variant of the Nano, which carries an ex-showroom price tag of Rs 2.11 lakh in Mumbai.

Sources said the discount to the shareholders would be slightly lower than that for the employees.

The Nano has been Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata’s dream project ever since he conceived the idea for it in 2005. It was formally launched in Delhi in January 2008.

With inventories starting to pile up, the Rs 52,136-crore auto maker went in for a planned maintenance shutdown of its Sanand plant in Gujarat for about two weeks in August. The plant, inaugurated in June 2010, has an installed capacity to produce 250,000 cars a year. It produced just 56,886 units last year.

A combination of factors — an industry-wide slowdown, hiccups in distribution and higher interest rates on loans — has led to the slide in Nano sales, industry sources said. Higher fuel costs since the Nano’s commercial launch in March 2009 and an increase in the price of the car to offset rising input costs have also deterred potential buyers.

 In August this year, Nano sales fell 85 per cent to 1,202 units compared with the year-ago period even as the total sales of Tata Motors declined 3 per cent during the same month. In July this year, the sales of the small car were down 64 per cent.In June, Nano sales dipped 29 per cent.

Ratan Tata has been closely monitoring the Nano and is involved in determining the future course of action to bolster sales of the car that once held out the promise of being an affordable alternative to two-wheelers.

Ratan Tata has been visiting smaller cities such as Patna to obtain first-hand customer feedback, assess the bottlenecks and understand the problems that the Tata dealers face.

As part of the recent scheme to sell the Nano to the employees, a signature of the group chairman was imprinted on the dashboard of a special edition of the car.

On a broader scale, Tata Motors is looking overseas to shore up sales. It is aiming to establish assembly facilities for the Nano in Indonesia and Eastern Europe and has plans to set up similar facilities in Brazil and Southeast Asia.

“The Nano is being sold in Sri Lanka and Nepal. We are looking at assembly facilities possibly in Indonesia and some parts of Eastern Europe. On the whole, we are looking at how we can maximise the penetration of the Nano and some of the other products such as the Ace,” Ratan Tata said at the automobile maker’s annual general meeting recently.

Source: The Telegraph