Will Nano be Numero Uno!!!

After months of rumors and tantalizing leaks, Tata Motors has finally unveiled the Tata Nano its already legendary $2,500 (1-lakh) car. As expected, the car that Tata claims will change the face of not only the Indian car market, but the global auto industry. A comfortable, safe, all-weather car, high on fuel efficiency & low on emissions is what you will get when you go in for the Nano.

The inspiration for such a venture had to be something out of the ordinary. In Ratan Tata’s own words "I observed families riding on two-wheelers - the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors' engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. Today, we indeed have a People's Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People's Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility."

I got really curious and started to dig deeper and found some interesting specs about the Nano.

With a length of 3.1 meters, width of 1.5 meters and height of 1.6 meters, it is smaller in size than the current small car in the market but boats of increased seating space. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the power train at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and maneuverability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars.

The car has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminum, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft. The lean design strategy has helped minimize weight, which helps maximize performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.

It has an all sheet-metal body, with strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.

In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint.
(For more information: www.tatapeoplescar.com )

These things aside I was just wondering how the Nano would play on India.

The increase in the number of four wheelers on the road is something which cannot be overlooked. With lack of wider roads, multiple lanes and cars already lining up every inch of the roads not just in the metros but in almost all major cities, it would not be long before you call up home to say ‘Honey am stuck in this mad traffic jam, looks like am not gonna make it for the wedding on time’. More cars means need for more parking space in public places like malls, restaurants, cinema halls and those little side roads that we park while going on a shopping spree.

The effect on fuel consumption and its price is another thing which is a cause for worry, with oil prices increasing consistently showing no signs of coming down in the near future, more consumption would effectively mean the government would hike the prices which affects everyone from your little daughter who drives her little scooty to your boyfriend who drives around in his CBZ, from your boss who drives around In his Accord, the auto walla who always seems to take you for a ride when it comes to the charge, your next door neighbor who flaunts around in his Honda City to the lorry wala who scares you the highway with his driving.

Well only time will tell whether the car for the average Indian is going to have the average Indian as well the others in a spot of bother or is it going to make the Indian dream into a reality.