Tata Motors will commercially launch the Tata Nano on March 23, 2009. The official list of features and specifications are now released, so here they are.Bookings for the Tata Nano will be accepted only through select SBI branches. The booking forms, costing an estimated Rs 300, can be bought from SBI branches, Westside, Croma Stores, and Tata dealerships, after the official launch on March 23, 2009.
The Tata Nano will come in three variants, Standard, Deluxe and Luxury. The small car is expected to be priced between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 1.34 lakh. The dealer price is still believed to be Rs 1 lakh, but on-road price could be as high as Rs 1.34 lakh.
Standard Tata Nano features
The Standard Tata Nano, its basic model, is likely to be priced at $2,500 (Rs 1.25 lakhs). This will be the most affordable version of the Nano.
The Standard Tata Nano will have a speedometer, odometer, folding rear seats, 2-spoke steering wheel, and no airconditioning. It will come in colors such as Bright Red, Ivory White, and Summer Blue.
There you have a super basic car. It is a car alright, but not bad if you compare it to the bare basic Maruti 800, right?
Deluxe Tata Nano features
The Tata Nano Deluxe variant will come with air-conditioning/heater, body colored bumpers, reclining/adjustable driver and co-driver seat, speedometer, odometer, 2-spoke steering wheel, and folding rear seats.
The Tata Nano Deluxe variant will be available in Bright Red, Ivory White, Summer Blue, Champagne Gold, and Lunar Silver.
No alloy wheels on this one, according to the features list. But the body coloured bumpers itself make this car a much better looker than the standard Tata Nano
Luxury Tata Nano features
The Luxury variant of the Tata Nano will have alloy wheels, and fog lamps, along with air conditioning, body-colored bumpers, tripmeter, front power windows, 3-Spoke steering wheel, front and rear fog lamps, and central locking.
The Tata Nano luxury variant will come in Champagne Gold, Lunar Silver, and Sunshine Silver.
This one will be the costliest Nano in the market.
For those who have been waiting for a Tata Nano automatic or one with airbags, they are not part of the specifications of any Nano model which would be launched now. As Tata would struggle to meet the demand, it is quite likely that those features are not going to make their appearance till 2010.
Tata Nano: Dimensions
Tata Motors has said that the four-door Tata Nano can comfortably seat four people, with more leg space and head room. That is entirely right – the design of the Nano – especially interiors – is much superior to the Maruti 800 which is the only car you can compare it to. And the Nano is miles ahead in the interior space department.
The Tata Nano is 3.1 meters in length, 1.6 meters in height, and 1.5 meters in width with a wheelbase of 2230 mm and ground clearance of 180 mm.
Tata Nano: Engine Specifications
The Tata Nano has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol (MPFI) engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft, the company claims. This is true for India; abroad, I think there have been twin cylinder cars before.
Rear wheel drive, rear engine configuration means that the front end is very light, and you would not feel the need for power steeing.
As an aside, what does a twin-cylinder petrol engine sound like? Does it sound like a motorcycle or a car? Guess we will have to wait and see.
The powertrain of the Tata Nano is set in the rear. Maximum power and maximum torque is 35 bhp @ 5500 rpm and 4.8 kgm @ 3000 rpm, respectively.
The Nano’s electronic engine management systems promises to eke out every bit of performance from the puny engine, and offer maximum fuel efficiency too.
In terms of performance, the Tata Nano can go from 0 to 60 kph in approximately in 8 Seconds, hitting a top speed of 105 kph.
Tata Nano: Safety Features
The Tata Nano comes with crumple zones, all sheet-metal body, fuel cut-off in case of collision, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages. The tyres of the Tata Nano are tubeless, and the rear tailgate glass is bonded to the body, you can’t open it. The tubeless tyres are good, but they are really small visually – ride comfort could be an issue. with small tyres on less-than-perfect roads.
Tata Nano: Emission control and Environment Footprint
The Tata Nano promises lower pollution levels compared to two-wheelers made in India, says the company. Tata claims that the Tata Nano offers a high fuel efficiency of 20 km/liter, thereby ensuring low carbon dioxide emissions.
So that’s that with the spec list. Hang on, and visit us again for more on the Nano launch.
