Tata Nano - Small means Big

Good things come in small packages - people felt it was a true metaphorical expression to talk about people's small car Tata Nano; a priced possession of that class of families in the country who have been waiting to upgrade from a two-wheeler to a four wheeler yet deterred by affordability factor; because Nano's basic version is selling for a little less than a three-wheeler autorickshaw, and no more than some of the bikes sold in India.



For long India has been the fastest growing market for the scooters and motorbikes, because it was people who used bicycles and public transport that traded up. So Tata hoped that it is such people who will now trade their scooters or bikes for the Nano.

For all such four wheeler aspirant the homegrown engineered Nano is a true representative of Modern India; if you didn't like me saying so Middle Class India; a small cute car with 'Oh so good' price that people thought will extend wings to the dreams of the two-wheeler class people. And obviously as was expected the Tata Nano grabbed instant bookings after its launch and why not? With a price tag 1 lakh something the Nano stole a million hearts in no time. There was waiting period and eyeballs strained with the long wait to see the small cars plying on the road even after its launch. The people's car is now 30 months old on the Indian roads and one can say it is definitely here to stay for a long time, as the fan following continues for the Nano, yet its not the best small car people actually waited for......read on.

Interiors and exteriors
If you see with Maruti 800 (which had no competition until the Nano arrived and which ruled the small car segment) the Nano is about 8 per cent smaller in exterior size and about 23 per cent larger space inside. Now that's engineering; Tata Motors had taken the services of Italy's Automotive Engineering Institute to design the exteriors of the Nano.

The entry level Nano is kept at its simple best, comes with no frills and fancies attached; it displays all the cost-effective features. Despite being a miniature hatchback the Nano looks cute with body paint, door handles and bumpers coming in the same color, there are fog lamps both in the front and the rear and the lamps at the rear are positioned a little higher. Tinted glasses, single wiper and spoiler are other features that additionally make up for the exteriors of the Nano.

In spite of the fact that the Nano is clearly targeted for the middle class families, the interiors of the car are ok and impressive with comfortable space for four members although from external glance it does appear as a claustrophobic car. The interiors are adorned with fabric upholstery, three-spoke steering, dual-tone dashboard with instrument cluster placed at the center, electronic trip meter and front room lamp are some of the features you see inside the Nano. And if you ask for more comfort features then you have a provision for mobile charging, cigarette lighter, front console has cup holders, magazine & coin holders are on the doors, hi-end gear shift console, AC with heater, head rests for front and rear seats etc are some of the comfort features.

Engine, performance and mileage
The Nano runs on a rear-mounted engine, the rear mounting was to maximize the cabin space. The engine is a 0.6L 624 cc displacing, 2-cylinder, multi point fuel injection system one which delivers peak power of 35 Ps at 5250 rpm and a peak torque of 48 Nm @ 2500 rpm.

The car does not produce much of a vibration or noise even if touches a speed of 100 kmph. The advanced suspension feature in the Nano will ensure a smooth ride on bad roads. As it is a tiny car one cannot have great expectations from the Nano especially in terms of power and performance, though it bears a small engine it produces decent power that is about it. Nano is a refreshing option for bike riders and for urban commuters it is simply perfect. If only two people choose to travel by it rear seat could be folded to expand the luggage space. Nano doesn't require power steering as the car's rear engine doesn't put load on the front wheels

Tato Nano gives an impressive mileage of 19 kmpl in the city and around 22-23 kmpl on the highway.

Colors, variants and price
The Tata Nano is available in six colors: racing red, ivory white, summer blue, lunar silver, champagne gold and sunshine yellow.
The following are the Nano variants with prices -
- Tata Nano Std BSIII - Rs 1,27,064
- Tata Nano Std BSIV - Rs 1,40, 880
- Tata Nano Cx BSIII - Rs 1,52, 812
- Tata Nano Cx BSIV - Rs 1,70, 078
- Tata Nano Lx BSIII - Rs 1,77, 531
- Tata Nano Lx BSIV - Rs 1, 96,956

The Tata Nano base version comes with these features:
- Seat Belts for all 4 passengers
- High-mounted rear stop lamp
- Adjustable driver seat (slide and recline)
- The passenger seat in the front is fixed
- Rear seats are foldable
- The steering wheel is two spoked
- Grey bumpers and interiors
- Driver side ORVM

The LX version comes with some more features in addition to the above:
- Steering wheel with 3 spokes
- Tripmeter
- Power windows in the front
- Central locking
- Fog lamps in the front and rear
- Moulded door trims with cloth inserts
- Anti-Glare inside the RVM
- Sun visor for driver and the passenger seat in the front
- Floor console with a glass holder

Last word:
The car is definitely here to bring some cheer to millions of customers; its size, fuel economy and easy maneuvering even tight parking spaces and narrow roads are the big advantages of the Tata Nano. The company has presented the best in a small package and if you are expecting too much from it is certainly not fair. It fulfils all the promises it is actually built for.