Tata Motors Chairman, Mr. Ratan Tata announced at the Delhi Auto Expo that his company is working on a Nano variant for the American market which could be ready in about three years.
Mr. Tata said that the American version will have a bigger engine and would undergo additional crash tests in order to answer the apprehensions about its safety. An electric version for the developed markets is also said to be in the works.
With the acquisition of Jaguar-Land Rover Tata Motors is looking to bring luxury cars to the growing Indian market while marketing its cleaner electric cars like the Nano and Indica EV in developed markets like the US and Europe.
Launched in January 2008 during the 9th Delhi Auto Expo, the Nano ran into trouble with the issue of land acquisition in Singur, in the state of West Bengal, from where the production plant had to shifted to Gujarat after violence broke out in Singur. Singur plant had to roll out the first 100,000 cars which were to be allotted to applicants selected through a computer draw. However, the first Nano drove out of the company’s Pune (Maharashtra) plant.
The sky-rocketing steel prices put pressure on the company’s performance but Mr. Tata reassured the customers that there will be no hike in the car’s price. The company may consider increasing the price once the first 100,000 cars have been delivered.
Tata Motors also unveiled the Nano Europa at the Geneva Motor Show 2009. The European version would provide high fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions of less than 100 grams per kilometer and is rumored to cost about $6,000.
Skeptics had questioned the car’s safety aspects at the time of the launch. The company plans to develop tougher and heavier variants for the developed markets which can pass tougher crash tests.
Image Credit: David Villarreal Fernandez (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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