The year 2009 saw a great hype over the cheapest car in the market, priced at just Rs. 1 lakh. This car was called 'Nano' by its manufacturer, Tata Motors, and happened to be the vision of its Chairman, Ratan Tata. An example of futuristic thinking, this car was aimed at thousands of middle class families of India who can not shelve out a big amount of money for a four-wheeler. The introductory price of this hatchback was Rs. 1 lakh which was later on hiked by a few thousands. With continuous dipping sales figure, the company has sought out to different means to boost up the market for the Nano.
Tata Motors has plans to come up with the diesel and CNG versions, wherein the latter is expected to launch by March 2014. Rising petrol prices and economic crisis have led to tough times for all players in the market. The automobile industry has been facing critical losses from the past eight months. These conditions have not worked out in the favour of companies due to which they have cut down on production and devised methods in order to lure customers. In such a situation, industry experts feel that the Tata Nano diesel would work as a relief for middle class families' budget management and subsequently, be advantageous for the firm too.
When asked about the launch of the diesel variant of Tata Nano, Karl Slym, Managing Director of the company said that it would release sometime during this financial year. If sources are to be believed, then the latest offering by Tata might make an appearance in the 2014 Auto Expo, which is scheduled to be held in February 2014 at Greater Noida.
The company plans to add on as many features as it can in the acceptable price range so as to create some interest among car buyers for Tata Nano. Karl Slym recently made a statement that said about people opting for it as a second car for their parents and children. “That’s actually a good thing, because it allows us to do a lot more with the car than just make it at a low price,” he added. Karl Slym, who joined Tata Motors recently after being a General Motors veteran, has probably given this statement so as to build an interest for this hatchback. The auto major has full plans to change the notions of the people who weren't too keen on purchasing this compact car. It also has a few campaigns in line that would be targeted towards youth.
It is expected to come equipped with an 800 cc three cylinder turbo charged unit similar to the one in Tata DICOR instead of 624 cc 2-cylinder multi-point fuel injection (MPFI). The company has partnered with Bosch and Garrett for component supplies. Garrett has revealed that it would be coming up with the smallest engine developed by the company. As per speculations, it is going to deliver high fuel efficiency and power ratings in comparison to the rest of the diesel cars in the same segment. The exteriors would undergo certain changes as the company has worked up to provide a better cooling system. The lowest Nano Diesel variant is expected to be priced at Rs. 2.4 lakh and the highest would be pitched for around Rs. 3.25 lakh.
