It may turn out to be a big move for the small car. Tata Motors has launched a revamped Nano in the local market, complete with new interiors, a better power-providing engine and new colour selection.
The newly modelled car is already available at dealerships, and claims to return eight per cent better fuel efficiency figures, at 25.4 kilometres per litre.
This is the first major revamp exercise the country’s largest automobile company has done since the launch of the car in 2009.
Popularly called the 2012 edition by the company internally, it was scheduled to hit Tata Motors’ showrooms after the Delhi Auto Expo in January. However, a surge in demand during the recently-concluded festive period of Diwali prompted the company to advance the launch of the remodelled vehicle.
The 1945-founded company has now kept the price of the vehicle unchanged at Rs 1.4 lakh for the Standard variant, Rs 1.7 lakh for the CX variant and Rs 1.96 lakh for the LX variant.
"The interiors of the car are completely new, with enhanced premiumness in look and feel — luxurious beige in the Nano LX, rich black in the Nano CX and medium graphite in the Standard version— Tata Motors said in a release from its headquarters here.
The company is expected to bring about an anniversary-edition Nano and a diesel version of the car. The diesel Nano is not expected in 2012. The company said the new Nano has its ride and handling improved, with a revised suspension set-up, including an anti-roll bar at the front and a steering mechanism made easier. The company has given a racier sounding exhaust note for a more assertive road presence.
The gasoline-powered 624cc engine now delivers 38ps of power from 35ps power. The kerb weight has been kept low at 600kg.
Booster-assisted brakes, already available in the Nano CX and the LX, have now been added to the Nano Standard as well. The Nano CX and LX now have tip-tap mirrors on both the driver and passenger sides. For the Nano Standard, which already has a driver-side mirror, the passenger — side one can be installed as an accessory.
P M Telang, Tata Motors’ managing director (India operations), said it was Nano owners, “over 90 per cent of whom are highly satisfied” with their choice, who gave the company “valuable insights” on what more could be done. “We have introduced some of these ideas. We will continue to add features, as has been our tradition across our product portfolio,” he added.
Earlier, at the time of announcing its second quarterly results, company officials had said retail demand of the Nano during the festive period got a boost due to the various schemes launched by the company.
These include a Rs-15,000 down payment offer (with the balance in instalments). The company had also expanded the reach of the small car to the interiors of the country to tap more underlying demand for the car.
