Tata Nano might soon be launched with power steering as part of its strategy to boost sales, which has not been able to catch up with desired rate upon its release, sources have claimed. It had received much hype prior to its launch as the world's cheapest car, being tagged at a lakh rupees only. At that time, there was much speculation that it would replace the Maruti 800 as the common choice among ordinary households. However, due to several unavoidable circumstances, the huge promises that it vouchsafed witnessed a crash-landing after its release. Tata Nano has been struggling to get over initial hiccups even until now and has brought about a number of modifications to make up for the initial debacle.
Emeritus Chairman of Tata Group, Ratan Tata, has accepted that sales strategies of this highly affordable car was not targeted towards the right direction. He also added that it could still have a bright future with these modifications and live up to its expectations. However, the time required to bring this into effect has not been disclosed by the automotive giant.
Tata Motors initially launched this car in 2009 with the hopes that the model will change the way Indians travelled. However, due to the poor marketing strategy followed by the company, the car faced a nosediving response. In addition, the selling price backfired and had a major contribution in bringing about its dubious future prospects.
The 2013 Nano Model was introduced to the market with some changes that was not able to bring about the desired effects. With a redesigned new bumper, new wheel covers and chrome garnishing, the efforts to bring an upsurge in its sales in the market was evident. Also, two new variants of Tata Nano, running on CNG, were introduced to the automobile market. There are also expectations that a diesel-powered model would enter showrooms by March 2014.
The current petrol variant of Nano is powered by a 0.6-litre MPFI engine generating a maximum power of 37.4 bhp at 5500 rpm alongside a peak torque of 51 Nm at nearly 4000 rpm. As claimed by the company, the fuel efficiency of this car is approximately 22.2 kmpl in city conditions and 25.4 kmpl when run on highways under ideal conditions. The tank capacity is a maximum of 15 litres. Having a ground clearance of 180 mm, the car ensures a smooth ride on highways.
