Violent protests closed its plant in West Bengal, soaring materials prices threatened to drive its price well beyond the targeted US$2,500 mark and yet Tata Motors soldiered on with its Nano, planned as the world’s cheapest car. The car has overcome those hurdles and more on the way to its unveiling, to take place on March 23 in Mumbai.
The debut comes months after the company had originally planned, but thanks to changes in the currency markets and global economy, what was once billed as a $2,500 car will go on sale for just a tick over $2,000.
The price in rupees – 100 000 or 1 lakh – is still the same, and it’s intended to get down toward the upper end of the motorcycle and scooter range, to offer a more practical alternative to Indian families that need more capacity than a two-wheeled vehicle can offer.
Tata will have the car on sale by the second week in April, though only in limited quantities of about 3 000 per month. The plant in West Bengal that was shut down due to violent protests last year had to be abandoned and the replacement is still under construction in Gujarat. It won’t be ready for full production until the end of 2009.
Two other Tata facilities, in Pune and Pantnagar, will supply the cars in the interim.
