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RIP : Tata Nano

Abha Gupta. Dated: 7/14/2018 11:03:43 AM

• 1 car produced in 2018
• Many Cars caught fire
ER ABHA GUPTA
Jammu, July 13
The car of lower middle class, to middle class Tata Nano is no more in the production line. In 2008 during its launch, it was believed that a scooter towing man taking his wife and kids will now take his family in a dignified manner in Nano car. But ten years later, in 2018, Tata Motors has announced that Nano will be phased out by the end of the year.
The Tata Nano entered the Indian market in 2008 priced from just 100,000 rupees. The price increased over time, and according to Tata Motors' website, an entry-level Nano starts at 236,447 rupees today.
Right from the get-go, the Nano was plagued with production issues, not to mention poor safety and dismal crash test results. The cars were also known to catch fire.
The production numbers of Nano dropped drastically ever since its inception. Where 275 units of Nano were produced last year, in the month of June, this year only 1 unit was produced this year.
10 years back while owning a car was a dream for most Indians, especially the lower-middle class, Nano had given them a chance to follow that dream. But unlike the buyers, environmentalists were not so enthusiastic, especially because of the fear of millions of Nanos flooding the already congested roads, sending emissions levels higher.
There were several let-downs that the eagerly-awaiting Nano enthusiasts soon found out about. The base model, although initially advertised as a Rs 1 lakh car, actually cost around Rs 1.4 lakh. Moreover, to cut down on costs, the base model had no AC, no power steering.
This is not what the middle class had dreamt of. People wanted a car for comfort, not as a status symbol (which the Nano, with its "slightly upgraded-autorickshaw look" could anyway not provide). But this car both looked ugly and felt claustrophobic.
There was worse in store for Nano owners. The "dream car" had a tendency to catch fire — sometimes on its very first drive out of the storeroom.
We hope that Tata Motors will launch some other car which will cater to the needs of middle class, keeping in view safety and look.