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More details on the Tata Nano Europa

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The European version will be quite a bit different from the car sold in India.
And it gives us an idea of what we might be getting over here.

-1.0 Liter 60hp Engine
-5 speed manual
-ABS
-Traction Control
-14 inch wheels
-Priced to about half of a Smart.

The Smart starts at $12000 in the US. So were are talking about a $6000 here. That is a full $4000 less than the most basic Versa.

Would it work here?
Would you get one?

Conversation 25 comments

  1. the changes make a heck of a lot of difference, to my eye. and that's quite the cheerful interior color…. i don't see how it could be beat for $6000, even if it was $7500 'nicely equipped.' it will have to have a basic safety package if it's to be sold in the States. could be a really interesting niche to open up in the market. could be brilliant. could be a Yugo, though, too.

  2. I swear I am seriously going to consider buying this car when it goes on sale. Of course it's not going to be as cheap as in India, but I think it offers a perfect and practical solution for congested cities like mine (Barcelona), and still at a reasonable price, very much unlike the ridiculously overpriced Smart

  3. I like the look. Would I get one? No, not as long as the freeway is crowded with two ton SUVs driven by folks busy on their cell phones or fixing their eye makeup.

  4. it will probably sell well due to the extremely low price but a lot is going to be riding on the crash data…it looks awfully small and vulnerable and many Americans are still driving monster suv's and trucks.

  5. Why does it look like a super mini toyota previa minivan. Especially with that wannabe lookalike toyota emblem on the steering wheel. Just watch out for the drivers floor mat sticking to the accelerator pedel….LOL

  6. Would I get one? No.

    Is it the perfect city car? Yes.

    I don't need a city car, but if I really did I would look very closely at this one.

  8. ultra-cheap cars, like the Japanese and Korean's first cars to the US market almost always sell well enough to survive to see version 2.0 and beyond. the only exception i can think of is the Yugo, so this probably has a decent chance.

  10. what a beautiful car and design.
    Would welcome it open heartdly to states.
    Way better looking then crappy Smart.Good job Tata

  11. Would I buy one, NO. Like others have stated I don't live in a large metropolitan area. There are way too many large pickup trucks and SUV's where I live & would would be affraid of being squashed like a bug in this little thing. & I would hate to see what hitting a deer would do to it. It's a cute little car but that interior needs to come up a few notches in quality and features if they expect to sell very many in the U.S.

  12. This is an incredibly ridiculous little vehicle devoid of any element of engaging design… transportation at its most basic, unemotional level. I'm sure it beats the heck out of piling your family onto a moped, but if you think this will ever find any semblance of success in the States, you're out of your mind.

  13. "Anonymous said…
    I like the look. Would I get one? No, not as long as the freeway is crowded with two ton SUVs driven by folks busy on their cell phones or fixing their eye makeup.

    December 14, 2009 3:13 AM"

    It is a CITY car.

    Did you miss that???

  14. These visual changes are subtle but substantial. I think it looks good. The chief problem with this car is that it's not designed to hold up to the same speeds that even the cheapest subcompact. For example, one cost cutting measure was that the wheel hubs deteriorate very quickly at maintained speeds above 45mph. With a top speed of 65mph, that's just dangerous on some highways. How can this car be roadworthy? In India where the speeds are very low, that's probably fine. But here, that's not acceptable. There is no reason a new car needs to be this cheap. Buy used.

  15. WON'T PASS THE GOV CRASH TESTS. AND INSURANCE WILL COST MORE THAN THE CAR PAYMENTS (DUE TO TATA'S REP FOR BEING UNSAFE & AMERICA'S REP AS #1 IN THE WORLD FOR THE NUMBERS & COSTS OF PRODUCT LIABILITY LAWSUITS & PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUITS. (WHY DO YOU THINK HEALTH CARE COST SO MUCH!) 93% of ALL Lawsuits filed in the entire world are filed in the USA. Tata doesn't have a ghost of a chance in that environment.

  16. "It is a CITY car.
    Did you miss that???"

    What's your point? Cities have highways. Are Nanos supposed to be licensed as some other sort of vehicle than everything else?

  17. Yes I would buy one, as a second car to go to work and back.
    Would it work here? There are stil too many closed minded ppl here, so I don't think so, unfortunately

  18. CITY car? I suppose one could drive around Los Angeles without venturing on to the freeways. Probably quicker to walk.

  20. What's your point? Cities have highways.

    You weren't addressing me, but most good cities have mass transit or even taxis for longer journeys. In America, we've lost our highways to semis anyway. Our suburbs have been lost to SUV drivers, and our rural areas lost to pickup trucks. Living in the city (and doing most driving in the city), there is a need for smaller, cheaper cars.

    But maybe you were talking about L.A. or Atlanta. That's a different story.

  23. "You weren't addressing me, but most good cities have mass transit or even taxis for longer journeys."

    I was addressing the person who said that this is a "city car." I live in Manhattan and have lived in DC. And you're right, most cities have mass transit. Within the city, no one wants to drive a car when parking is expensive and difficult. Taxis, car service or subways are faster and cheaper. As you get further outside the city, public transit alone doesn't deliver you within walking distance of your front door. So a car is still necessary. I do occasional work 7 highway miles outside the city. The Nano with a reliable top speed of 45 and a maximum speed of 65 would have to perform better than that. And if its suggested optimal speed is 45, is it really roadworthy at 35mph? How about after a year or two? I can't think of many situations where such a feeble vehicle would be acceptable. Perhaps within a gated community as security patrol?

  24. TATA sells fiat cars in India. Perhaps Fiat could sell TATAs as a Chrysler/Dodge model in North America..

  25. As you get further outside the city, public transit alone doesn't deliver you within walking distance of your front door. So a car is still necessary. I do occasional work 7 highway miles outside the city. The Nano with a reliable top speed of 45 and a maximum speed of 65 would have to perform better than that. And if its suggested optimal speed is 45, is it really roadworthy at 35mph? How about after a year or two? I can't think of many situations where such a feeble vehicle would be acceptable. Perhaps within a gated community as security patrol?

    All very good points for discussion. I remember when living in downtown Chicago that neighbors would buy beater cars like a Chevette just to tool around town and not worrying about snow plows or salt-covered streets in the winter. Disposable transportation, if you will.

    So many of us just don't need much more than a car to carry us from home to work to the bakery and back on a daily basis. My old neighbors would love to have something brand new that was cheap enough to serve such a purpose. We'll see how the Nano goes in serving a need like that.

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