Most awaited: Tata’s 1-lakh on the sets of auto expo 2008″Nano”

Nano is here. Ratan Tata seems to have achieved the feat of showcasing to the world a one-lakh rupee car that meets the specs of an international affordable peoples’ car. The small beauty claims to meet all the current safety requirements of a modern day car and has pollution levels that are even less than those of a two-wheeler. “Infrastructure is a major concern with India and I accept that we are behind our neighbours in the area. And India is working towards it with a new roads policy. But in the next five year, Tata Motors is only targeting to have 500,000 small cars that will constitute just 2.5 per cent of the total number of passenger vehicles in the country. With those numbers, the small car can hardly be an infrastructure nightmare as it is made out to be,” Ratan Tata said unveiling the company’s pride at the Auto Expo 08 on January 11 on Thursday.
The Nano with a 624 cc engine, will give a mileage of 20 kilometers per liter (50 miles a gallon). As per the safety norms, it has passed the full frontal crash test, the offset and side-crash test to meet the international safety norms. The legroom is expected to be 21 per cent more than Maruti 800. The car meets the Bharat 3 (Euro 4) emission standards. The car that will come in two variants - AC and non-AC, will come at a dealer price of Rs one lakh plus VAT and transport charges. “The car will cost one lakh and only because a promise is a promise,” he said brushing aside concerns over cost escalation and increase in raw material prices. Source: Economictimes.