Tata's 'People's Car' Nano

Nano was unveiled at Auto Expo yesterday. Technical specifications of the car have been well documented by both analysts and industry onlookers, but we will have to wait until Diwali this year to experience the drive..

Nano will truly revolutionise travel across the world. This moment marks the Indian auto industry emerging as an innovation hub for low cost solutions. This is very different from what our pharmaceutical and IT services industries have done. Whereas Pharma and IT have primarily served the developed market while using India as a cost effective innovation centre, Tata's Nano finds a market in the entire developing countries' space which is amazing. No wonder Indian industry stalwarts have commended Tata on this achievement. Auto majors like Renault, Ford, Toyota have already announced their intentions to use to propel growth in the low cost segment.. this is great!

It has been reported that Tata is in talks with Thailand government to set up a factory there. The market for Nano is not just the aspiring class, but also high end customers in developed worlds as well. Think about Nano with features such as air bags, ABS, climate control, automatic transmission, traction control, etc. The features might raise the price of the car by a couple of thousand dollars, but would be truly an amazing car to own. Like RNT's take on Merc Smart. Once this happens, it will be less of an irony that (very soon) Jaguar, Land Rover, Indica and Nano all belong to the same stable..

I will wait until Diwali this year. One of my friends already told me that he is going to buy Nano when it hits the road. I know that there are atleast a few million others across the world who will lap this car up when they get the chance..

Great going Tata!!