Tata Nano: World's Cheapest Car Gets an On-Sale Date
February 22, 2008

By Nick Kurczewski

The world’s cheapest car finally has an on-sale date.

When it appeared January 10 at the New Delhi Auto Expo, the Tata Nano amazed everyone with its rock-bottom starting price of $2,500. Tata Motors executives explained how and why the company chose to build such a low-cost car, but no one would go on the record to say when the Nano would go into commercial production.

Mystery Solved

Ravi Kant, managing director of Tata Motors, has confirmed Nano production will commence in October this year. Speaking to journalists while surveying the construction of the factory in West Bengal that will build the super-cheap city car, Kant reaffirmed Tata’s commitment to maintaining its internal production timelines.   

Business Standard India quotes Kant as saying pre-production models will be built in June or July, with commercial production planned for “some time in October."

As for the factory in West Bengal — which is still far from being completed — Kant struck a note of measured optimism.   

"The equipment is now beginning to come and we will start putting up the equipment. Weld shop, press shop, paint shop, assembly shop, engine shop are all priority areas. Plus, the service areas are all being worked out, and we do hope that things go on, barring very unforeseen circumstances like the rains we had," said Kant in statements published by Business Standard India. 

Tata has said initial annual production will be around 250,000 Nanos. The first two or three years' production will be devoted solely to meeting the demands of the Indian market. However, Tata officials have said eventual yearly production of the Nano could reach up to one million units.

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