Tata launches Nano

The much-awaited Tatas' Rs 1 lakh car, the Nano, has finally arrived. The car made its first appearance at the ongoing 9^th Delhi Auto Expo 2008.

The car comes with a rear-mounted 624 cc, 35 bhp, 2 cylinder, all-aluminum engine. It has been priced between Rs 1.20 lakh and Rs 1.30 lakh after taking into account transportation costs, insurance and registration, and a 12.5% VAT.

The four-door, four-seater hatchback can hit speeds of 70 kph. It comes with one wiper instead of two, a reduction that is evident in a lot of the features - the speedometer is analog, there is no radio, power steering, or air-conditioner. The boot is small, fitting just one suitcase.

On the other hand, the Nano hasn't skimped on the safety. An all-aluminum body with crumple zones and intrusion-resistant doors afford industry safety levels. The car is also equipped with seatbelts, strongly anchored seats, and tubeless tyres. The car's tailpipe emission performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. More importantly, its pollution level was lower than two-wheelers made in India. At 20 kmpl, the car's carbon dioxide emissions also are low.