A Tata Nano Europa, similar to what we'd see here. Image: Oval Burns
Remember the Tata Nano? The $2,500 car that was going to revolutionize transportation for the middle class in India? The car that had a nasty habit of spontaneously bursting into flames, leading to all sorts of jokes about “flaming Tatas”? Here’s the good news: we won’t be getting that here, but Ratan Tata insists that the time is right for an affordable, fuel efficient car in the United States. There’s no chance that the $2,500 Nano could be certified for emissions or crash protection, so it’s likely that the car would require a complete redesign for the U.S. market. Tata speculates that U.S. car pricing would fall somewhere between $7,000 and $8,000, and that the car could come close to achieving the same 52 MPG city fuel economy as its Indian sibling.
Nanos have not been entirely successful in India, thanks partly to their price and social stigma. The same $2,500 that buys a new Nano also buys a clean, used Daewoo or Kia, and a new motorcycle or scooter can be purchased for a fraction of the price. Worse, owning a Nano stigmatizes you as lower middle class, since clearly you can’t afford a better car. Tata has corrected the defects that caused earlier Nanos to go up in flames, but buyers are still wary.
I’m not sure there’d be much of a market for a $7,500 Nano in the United States. That kind of money buys a clean used Hyundai, or a higher mileage used Honda Civic. I haven’t driven a Nano, but I’ll go out on a limb and say that a used Hyundai Accent is easier to live with on a daily basis than a new Tata Nano, and it certainly gets you more respect from your peers. Besides, trying to sell cars based on price alone has never worked well in the United States, and I can’t help but think that Nano is the Hindi word for Yugo.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
Source: Autoblog
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
