Cheapest new car ever: Tata Nano unveiled
Tata had vowed some time ago to release a “1-lakh” car, essentially a car that costs 100,000 Indian rupees, or US$2,500. It has just been launched in India a few hours ago, as the Tata Nano.
The Tata Nano has a 2-cylinder 624-cc petrol engine with 33 hp, offering 56 mpg. It will also have a 7.93-gallon fuel tank and four-speed manual gearbox.
The car will have front disc and rear drum brakes. We understand that air-conditioning and power steering will cost extra.
The “1-lakh” is also announced as the dealer price, so the actual price on the road is speculated to be around US$3000, before options are added. It is being touted as a “people’s car,” reminding us of the early days of VW Beetle and Ford Model T.
The Nano also supposedly meets European safety and emissions regulations, although I see no space in it to add airbags. We imagine 33 hp isn’t the safest option on a highway either.
Lawsuits from Apple (iPod Nano anyone?) notwithstanding, this mass-production car is an interesting engineering feat at the opposite end of the scale of such pointless extravagance as the Bugatti Veyron. Although whether it is more appealing than a decent used car remains to be seen.
