Tata Nano to hit Sri Lanka market
Shirajiv SIRIMANE
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World’s lowest priced passenger car Tata Nano
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The much talked world’s lowest priced passenger car, Tata Nano would
be available in Sri Lanka by end of the year. Tata Motors launched the
world’s smallest car, the Tata Nano last week. General Manager of Diesel
and Motor Engineering Company (DIMO) agents for Tata vehicles in Sri
Lanka, Ajitha Perera said that they have received many inquiries from
the Sri Lankan public on the Tata Nano. “We have requested Tata Motors
to give us around 50 cars of the luxury model per month for the Sri
Lankan market,” he said. These luxury models will come with air
conditioning. The price of the Nano model in India is 120,000 Indian
rupees, or 2,000 US dollars including taxes.
The nearest priced competitor is Maruti 800, which costs roughly
twice as much as the Nano.
“However we expect the car to cost less than Rs. 800,000 in Sri Lanka
with all the taxes,” he said.
The small four door, five-seat hatch back Nano car is about three
meters long. The Nano’s also expected to get 50US miles per gallon and
the Diesel version too is on the way.
Tata can currently produce about 60,000 Nanos a year until a
250,000-unit plant in Gujarat State comes up in 2009.
The Indian company had said that it plans to sell a version of the
Nano in Europe in two thousand eleven. After that, the car will also be
available in the United States. Experts say demand for low-priced
automobiles is likely to increase as the international economic crisis
continues.
With over 4 million Tata Vehicles pursuing in India, it is the
premier in commercial vehicles and the second largest in passenger
vehicles. It is also the world’s fifth largest medium and heavy truck
manufacturer and the second largest heavy bus manufacturer. Tata Cars,
buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe,
Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America.
Tata Motors and Fiat Auto have formed an industrial joint venture in
India to manufacture passenger cars, engines and transmissions for the
Indian and overseas markets.
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