Autoblog

Officially Official: Order books (finally) open on $2,000 Tata Nano

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:56:00 EST

Click above for a high-res image gallery of the Tata Nano

It's been a long time in the making, but the official launch of the Tata Nano has finally taken place. Billed as the World's Cheapest Car, the diminutive Nano will sell for just Rs. 1 lakh (about $2,000 U.S.) as it leaves the factory, though shipping, taxes and registration adds a considerable amount to that total. Still, there's a great deal of anticipation for the little car in its home market of India.

In base trim, the Tata Nano comes in just three colors without a radio or air conditioning, although higher-spec versions are available that include more color choices, along with such niceties as central locking, front power windows, fog lamps, a cup holder, and even a rear spoiler.

While it may be short on amenities, the real intent of the Nano is to get Indian families off their two-wheelers and inside the relative comfort and safety of a proper automobile. As such, the 33-horsepower, 623cc two-cylinder engine and four-speed gearbox is reportedly powerful enough to get the Nano to Indian highway speeds, and the car meets all required safety and emissions requirements. It also comes standard with an 18-month/24,000 kilometer warranty.

Due to the huge demand expected for the car, the automaker has created a special process for reservations. A computer will randomly choose the first 100,000 customers that will have the opportunity to purchase a new Nano. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in July, but in the meantime, Nano-intenders will soon be able to accessorize their life with appropriate accoutrements, including a Nano phone, wristwatch, and t-shirts. Official press release available after the jump. Thanks to all who sent this in!

Gallery: Tata Nano

[Source: Tata Motors]

Continue reading Officially Official: Order books (finally) open on $2,000 Tata Nano

Officially Official: Order books (finally) open on $2,000 Tata Nano originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Geneva 2009: Bodacious Tatas - Indian automaker debuts Nano Europa

Chris Paukert — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Green, India, Tata

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Tata Nano Europa

Uttering the word "Europa" should spark memories of the funky and fragile Lotus of the '60s and '70s, or perhaps the British sportscar company's more recent revival. What one normally doesn't tend to think of is the Tata Nano.

That may change, however, as the discount Indian auto is slated to come to The Continent wearing the Nano Europa badge, and it will arrive with more standard equipment and a higher base price than the target $2,500 USD it will sell for in India. Judging from the production-ready models debuting at the Geneva Motor Show this week, it will also be the best-looking Nano in the family.

While the naming usage may have Colin Chapman rolling in his minimalist coffin, the Nano Europa still shares a few similarities, including a low curb weight, small wheels at the corners, small engines with unusual placements, and so on.

The Europa differs significantly from the standard Nano with a longer 2.28-meter wheelbase (90 inches, or about 7.5 inches longer), a different drivetrain and added standard equipment. In fact, the Europa offers a raft of high-end new-to-Nano features like four-lug 14-inch alloy wheels, electric power steering, LED lighting (unlikely to see production) and even a standard passenger-side mirror. Did we mention it even has an all-aluminum three-cylinder engine and a five-speed transmission for less-dangerous highway cruising?

All joking aside, the Europa also figures to get more safety features, including stability control and anti-lock brakes, and Tata says the car will adhere to all necessary safety regulations before it goes on sale.

While pricing has not been announced, there is talk of hitting the 5,000 Euro bogey (around $6350 USD) when the car launches for 2011, and if the company can hit that target price, we suspect there will be far more Tata Europas extant than Lotus Europas in just a few months' worth of production. High-res gallery of both yellow and silver Europas below, official press release after the jump.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Tata Nano Europa

Continue reading Geneva 2009: Bodacious Tatas - Indian automaker debuts Nano Europa

Geneva 2009: Bodacious Tatas - Indian automaker debuts Nano Europa originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Oh, it's on! Hyundai Accent regains Cheapest Car in America title

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Hyundai, Nissan

Less than a month after Nissan announced its $9,990 blue-light-special Versa Sedan 1.6, Hyundai has one-upped them. Or should that be one-downed? The 2009 Hyundai Accent has regained the title of Cheapest New Car in America with a starting price that undercuts the Nissan by a Jackson. Priced at $9,970, it is now the least expensive new car on the market. And Hyundai didn't reduce content to get the price down. It's essentially the same Accent you could have bought last month, just with a lower MSRP.

That's a hard deal to pass up, but that's not all bargain shoppers! Act right now and you'll be getting some free peace-of-mind, as well. According to the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study, it's also the "Most Dependable Sub-Compact Car" on the market. With Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, a 7-year/unlimited-mile anti-perforation warranty and 5-year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance protection, it tops the Nissan there, as well.

The $9,970 pricetag applies to the 2009 Accent GS 3-door with a manual transmission, which comes with a 110-hp 1.6-liter four-banger, power steering, airbags all around and even a tire pressure monitoring system. If you absolutely have to have an automatic or four doors, however, the price jumps quite a bit. The Accent three-door with automatic transmission starts at $12,070; the Accent GLS 4-door with a manual transmission starts at $12,920; and the "sport-tuned and comprehensively equipped" Accent SE 3-door with manual transmission starts at $15,070. Freight adds $695 to each. So we'll call this one the cheapest hatch in America and the Nissan gets to keep cheapest sedan honors, for now at least.
[Source: Hyundai]

Continue reading Oh, it's on! Hyundai Accent regains Cheapest Car in America title

Oh, it's on! Hyundai Accent regains Cheapest Car in America title originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM to launch second small car in India

Dan Roth — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Chevrolet, GM, India, Tata

General Motors can claim about three percent of the car market in India, and it wants more. Tata's $2,500 Nano will still be the lowest priced new car in the world, but GM wants to offer something less expensive than its $7,350 Spark for Indian buyers. Group Vice President David Reilly points out that while a sub-Spark would be inexpensive, competing directly with the Nano is not something GM intends to do. If a bargain basement GM were developed, it could be leveraged in other markets besides India - it seems feasible that it'd be easily ported to the also-emergent Chinese market.

Three quarters of cars sold in India are small vehicles, and if the General can ratchet up its market share with a new model, the gains in other new markets with explosive growth could help further offset the sluggish performance of sales in the United States. To help achieve that goal, another manufacturing plant is currently underway in Pune, and should be fully up and running by the end of this year. There are also plans for an engine plant in India, though no details are forthcoming yet.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

GM to launch second small car in India originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIDEO: Live reveal of Tata Nano plus more pics

John Neff — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:17:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, India

click above to view more images of the Tata Nano

The unveiling today of the Tata Nano in India has caused quite a stir. The $2,500 micro car will officially become the world's cheapest production car when it goes on sale later this year, and we've actually been getting emails all day from people the world over asking how they can buy one.

We've got video of the Nano's live reveal at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, and it was quite an event. Consider that the unveiling's soundtrack was the theme music from 2001: A Space Odyssey, a.k.a. "Also sprach Zarathustra" by Richard Strauss. That's a pretty heavy score for such a small vehicle.

We've also added more pics to our gallery that show the Standard Nano and Luxury Nano from more angles, including our first view of the interior. We'll save you the suspense, it's spartan, very spartan. Don't expect XM and a navigation system to be offered in the Nano. As a matter of fact, it wouldn't be that hard to find an optional nav system on some luxury cars that cost more than the Nano itself.

Follow the jump to view video of Tato Nano being unveiled.

[Source: Tata Motors]

Gallery: Tata Nano

Continue reading VIDEO: Live reveal of Tata Nano plus more pics

VIDEO: Live reveal of Tata Nano plus more pics originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

India's Tata Motors cheap car could be good/bad for country

Chris Tutor — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback

We told you last year about India's Tata Motors' plan to begin selling a four-door, rear-engined, VW Rabbit-sized vehicle for less than 100,000 Rupees, or about $2,400.

Right now, .8% of Indians can afford to own cars compared to 70% of Americans. Even so, India's urban roads are already over-crowded, and urban planners as well as environmentalists worry that even a small increase in car ownership could be disastrous for the country.

Or it could be just the thing needed to spur the country's economy. Optimists see the as-yet-unnamed super-cheap Tata spurring the construction of larger, more modern highways, as well as fueling stations, driving schools and car parts stores.

Either way, Tata will need to sell a whole helluva lot of 'em since they will carry less than a 3% profit margin.

(A Tata Indigo Marina is pictured)

[Source: Sunday Herald]

India's Tata Motors cheap car could be good/bad for country originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments