Yes, a car that retails for the equivalent of around $2,000 is the hottest car in India. Strangely enough, this applies to rich and poor alike according to a recent report in the Christian Science Monitor.
It quotes a rural farmer named Satish Kumar who says he doesn't really need a car. "I'm mainly concentrating on using it socially - taking my whole family to weddings and other family functions," he says.
The flip side of the situation is those who already have cars said a local Tata dealer. "We were expecting people to come who were ... on two-wheelers, or in lower-model cars. It was a total surprise - people were coming ... who have two or three cars, but wanted the Nano just for the sake of having it."
Tata says it wants to sell the Nano in the U.S. after some extensive modifications. Somehow we don't see it getting quite the same reception here.
inlinesix says:
11:10 AM, 01/30/10
I agree it wouldn't get the same type of reception stateside, but if it cost $4,500 here and had a decent level of reliability, I know it would get a lot of attention.
brn says:
11:14 AM, 01/30/10
inlinesix, except the most recent prediction for stateside cost is $8000.
thejohnp says:
12:01 PM, 01/30/10
Maybe they can do a special iPod Nano version of the Nano to get all the mac heads to buy it.
inlinesix says:
02:31 PM, 01/30/10
$8,000 is a little different but its still cheap. The Nano also has a 61 mpg rating. I'm not sure it'd be a hit at that price but the other guys, the Aveo and Fortwo, are $12,000 and offer 35 to 41 mpg...
I'm just thinking out loud.
greenpony says:
04:06 PM, 01/30/10
Gosh, I'm already imagining myself going to high school reunions, industry conferences, and nightclubs in my very own Nano. Can't wait to trade in my S-class!
firstwagon says:
05:10 PM, 01/30/10
greenpony
I can assure you you would get a lot more attention showing up in a Nano in the US then you would in an S class.
The S class is just a over priced car for old rich guys. No one cares about or even notices any Mercedes these days.
jackson611 says:
05:59 PM, 01/30/10
of the 3 cars we have i usually pick a 19 year old car that is much simpler than the other cars. i dont spend 3 minutes adjusting the seats and another 2 adjusting mirrors and another 2 for finding radio stations and bluetoothing my phone. i just open the door, twist the key, and drive off.
moparbad says:
09:08 PM, 01/30/10
I'd buy the $2,500 version that is sold in India. Leave it the way it is. Extensive modifications are not needed nor wanted.
93aero says:
11:10 PM, 01/30/10
i agree with firstwagon lol its kinda no big deal these days.
brn says:
08:28 AM, 01/31/10
To rain on inlinesix's parade a little more...
It's going to weight more and have a bigger engine than the Indian Nano. I wouldn't expect the EPA rating to be anywhere near 61mpg.
I think the Nano is a great car, for what it was designed to be. To bring it here, they have to turn it into something else. I predict a justified failure stateside.
They'd probably be better off selling it as a low speed vehicle with minimal modifications.
inlinesix says:
06:13 PM, 01/31/10
Brn:
Its not exactly my parade. I know the car will undergo changes but its emissions and fuel economy will be rated well. For a small lightweight car it could offer a "cool' factor that others have not achieved. I'm not exactly in a key small car market and I would opt for a Mazda 2 before a Nano anyway. Tata might need to worry more about the spontaneous electrical fires (see wikipedia).
I'll wait to judge until I see specs for the U.S. version if they can pull it off.
inlinesix says:
09:28 PM, 01/31/10
Since I'm still playing the devils advocate:
"In order to market in Europe, the next Nano will need to comply with the stringent Euro 5 emissions and safety standards, and Tata will target three liters per 100km, down from the current Nano's already tiny-sipping 5L/km."
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/12/tata-already-planning-2nd-gen-nano-for-europe/
Thats about 78 mpg, which I think is optimistic but even at 60 mpg...
hybris says:
07:23 AM, 02/ 1/10
I hope this does come stateside as it will only add fuel to the fire that mircocars aren't safe for American highways. Around town that's a different story.
lmbvette says:
08:30 AM, 02/ 1/10
Check out the background in the pic. Anybody impressed with the amount of English signs on a city street in India? I realize that they were an English colony, but I'm still very impressed.
brn says:
01:08 PM, 02/ 1/10
inlinesix,
When searching, I found a lot of variety in information. This one seems to be pretty good:
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2012-tata-nano-america1.htm
They indicate an expected 50mpg. They don't say, but I think they meant on a combined EPA cycle.
It'll be interesting to see how things really turn out.
inlinesix says:
02:22 PM, 02/ 1/10
I agree it will be interesting to see what they end up with.