Tata Nano 2012 India

Tata Nano is known as the cheapest car on the earth. When Tata announced that they would build a ‘people’s car’ that would be fuel-efficient and low on emissions and would cost just ‘one lakh of rupees’, the response was skepticism and disbelief. It has been a little over a year ago that the exciting new Tata Nano made all the headlines. But Tata Motors is keen to put its past behind and what we have here is the new Tata Nano 2012. To boost the swinging sales of Nano, Tata Motors has launched all-new 2012 model of Nano which is more powerful and comes with host of new features. The best news of all is that Tata has not raised the prices for this updated Nano. The Nano Standard retails for Rs 1.4 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the CX costs Rs 1.7 lakh and the top-end LX has been priced at Rs 1.96 lakh.

Tata Nano Engine

The Nano (2012) is a 38 PS (28 kW; 37 hp) car with a two-cylinder 624 cc rear engine. The car complies with BS4 Indian emission standards and can also meet European emission standards as well. The 2 cylinder petrol engine comes with Bosch multi-point fuel injection (single injector) all aluminium. Mechanically, quite a few changes have been made. The 624cc, petrol engine has seen a rise in power from 34 bhp to nearly 37 bhp while torque has seen a 0.3 kgm rise as well.

Start the engine and you notice reduced vibrations when the engine is idling. Put it in gear and you notice the clutch is significantly lighter than the older version. Once on the road, you feel that all those changes in the engine are not just marketing material for the brochure.

Tata Nano Exteriors

The new range of Papaya Orange and Rouge Red, loudly announces the fact that the Tata Nano has been given a makeover. But look beyond the eight new shades of paint and you will hardly notice any difference in terms of the looks from the earlier model. The only real exterior additions to the upgraded Nano are the plastic wheel caps (on the top LX model) and a passenger-side rear-view mirror, which is a very welcome and essential feature. 

The exterior is stylish displaying a compact and aerodynamic structure. The spacious interior is 21% bigger than the Maruti Suzuki 800 that can comfortably seat four people.

Tata Nano Interiors

However if you were disappointed by the similar looking exteriors you will be in for a surprise as soon as you open the door of the vehicle and the refreshing change provided to the interiors gives you the feel of stepping into an all-new car, altogether. It is obvious that the authorities at Tata Motors have indeed been listening to their customers. The manufacturer has definitely taken a lot of pains in livening up the interiors. The Tata Nano LX model has been given a beige-colored dashboard with a central console and the gear knobs have been given a silver finish. With the seat fabric also being provided in beige, the cabin gets a feel that we all desired for. The standard version has been provided with graphite interior that exudes a lot of freshness. Similarly black is the chosen colour as far as the interior of the CX model is concerned. The two-toned door pads with deeper pockets are also a significant notch up from the initial model that had been introduced.

Tata Nano Safety Features

A small number of fire incidents involving the Nano were reported. This led Tata to add safety devices to the vehicle although no recall was initiated, and according to Tata the car is safe. Its safety is relative however, as the Nano has no airbags or passenger-side wing mirror. Tata Nano is fitted and equipped with a bunch of advanced safety features like intrusion-resistant doors (intrusion beam in the body shell), crumple zones, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body.

Tata Nano Ride and Handling

One of the main problems with the previous model of the Tata Nano was the heaviness of the steering when operating at a slow speed. The suspension has been definitely given a fair revision and the effect seems noticeable with the steering being a little lighter. However, some degree of effort is still required on the steering, particularly when parking the vehicle. Power steering is not something that one might see in the very near future. This has been addressed to a certain extent, though, with the tight-turning circle of the Nano, that enables you to weave through city traffic. The vehicle also has improved stability with the anti-roll bar provided at the front, doing its job well.

Tata Nano Specifications

The car measures 3099x1495x1652 mm with a wheel base of 2230 mm. The ground clearance is a neat 180mm. The car easily seats up to four people and has a fuel tank capacity of 15 litres and has one of the shortest turning radius of 4 metres. The kerb weight of the car weighs at 600 kgs. The Tata Nano 2012 CX is 615 Kg, Tata Nano 2012 LX is 635 Kg. The boot space is 80 liters if the rear seats are not folded and 500 liters when folded.

The Tata Nano 2012 car is having just 624cc 2 cylinder engine with MPFI, with maximum engine output of 38 PS at 5500 ± 250 rpm and maximum torque output of 51 Nm at 4000 ± 500 rpm. The maximum speed up to which the Tata Nano 2012 reaches is just 105 Km/hr. Also there are just 5 gears in the car with 4 forward and 1 reverse. The car is having 180 mm drum brakes both at front and rear. The car is having radial and tubeless tyres.

Tata Nano Ex-showroom Price

The Nano's prices remain unchanged. The ex-showroom price of Tata Nano 2012 in India is around 1.4 Lakh to 1.7 lakh for non-metallic and 1.72 lakh to 2 lakh for metallic. The Nano Standard priced at Rs 1.40 lakh, the CX at Rs 1.7 lakh and the LX at Rs 1.96 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi.

Tata Nano Models

The Tata Nano is available in India in three trim levels.

Tata Nano Std: Priced at INR142,000 (US$2,698) with a choice of three exterior colors, dual tone vinyl seats, and a fold-down rear seat.
 

Tata Nano CX: at 171,000 (US$3,249) with six color options, air-conditioning, two-tone seats, a parcel shelf, assisted brakes and fold-down rear seat with nap rest.

Tata Nano LX: at 195,000 (US$3,705) with all of the features of the Cx plus beige fabric seats, beige door trim, beige dashboard, central locking, front power windows, body-colored bumpers, fog lamps, a trip meter, a cup holder, tri spoke steering wheel, mobile phone charging capabilities and a rear spoiler

Tata Nano Colors

The new Tata Nano comes in colours of Rogue Red, Serene White and Aqua Blue.

The Nano CX comes in colours of Serene White, Papaya Orange, Neon Rush, Meteor Silver, Champagne Gold and Rogue Red.

The Nano LX comes in Mojito Green, Pearl White, Sunshine Yellow, Champagne Gold and Meteor Silver.

Tata Nano Competitors

With the release of the world’s cheapest car, India’s Tata Motors has entered a space no other automobile manufacturer inhabits. It miserably failed to seal its first-mover advantage. However the new Nano looks to compete with entry level variants of other cars like Maruti Alto, Hyundai Eon and the Chevrolet Spark.

Compare Tata Nano with other Models

Tata Nano vs Maruti Alto: The Alto standard is priced at Rs 2.3 lakh. It has an 800cc engine, no AC and no power steering. The Nano standard version has a 624cc engine, but is priced at Rs 1.2 lakh lower.

Tata Nano vs Hyundai Eon: As far as the interior cabin space Eon is concerned, you will find enhanced leg-room and shoulder space than Tata Nano. In comparison to Hyundai Eon, Tata Nano has a better fuel economy.

Tata Nano vs Chevrolet Spark:  The Spark is a good car with a great engine (its super smooth) and good overall ownership experience. However Nano top model would definitely be better than Spark base model.

Tata Nano Mileage

Tata claims an ARAI-tested figure of 25.4kpl (up from the earlier model’s 23.6kpl). Refinement has been thoroughly improved as well, with a very silent idle and fewer vibrations transmitted through the body.