Nearly a decade after it was introduced, time is being called on the Tata Nano, once billed as the world’s cheapest car. According to news reports, production of the compact city car at the automaker’s Sanand facility in Gujarat, India totaled just one unit last month, compared to 275 vehicles in the same period a year ago.
The company says that it will now produce the Nano on a made-to-order basis if there is demand coming from dealerships, but in all reality it looks as if the project is pretty much over, and Tata has acknowledged that the car in its present form will not be able to continue beyond 2019.
It’s a far cry from the year after the car was officially launched into the market. At its height, in 2010, sales amounted to around 9,000 units that year, but has dwindled to virtually nothing. In June, only three Nanos were sold, as opposed to 167 during the same month last year.
First introduced in 2008, the Nano was the result of Ratan Tata’s vision of wanting to provide those with lesser means a safer alternative to motorcycles in terms of personal transportation. When it debuted, the asking price for the base model was 1 lakh, or 100,000 rupees (essentially, under RM6,000), which made for quite a draw, at least initially.
The pricing did however mean that the car was basic, and not just in intent – the base model had no radio, power steering, power windows or air conditioning. It had only one wiper and a single wing mirror, and there was no rear hatch, so access to the rear of the car – which is where the 38 PS and 51 Nm 624 cc two-cylinder petrol engine is housed – was only from the inside.
Aside from no safety kit to speak of, the car itself gained a reputation for catching fire, which didn’t help its cause. In the end, being cheap wasn’t exactly a selling point, especially if going that route wasn’t safe. There’s talk that electrification may resurrect the Nano, but by all accounts it looks simpler to start with a cleaner slate.
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More proof to show that those who mean well, don’t always end up doing well.
True that bro Aero. We are proud Perodua Axia got ABS & dual front airbags as standard.
Perodua is Malaysia’s best selling brand. Enuf said
Sales of Perodua is 210,000 per rannum
Sales of Proton is 50,000 per annum
So 4X the volume. Rakyat Malaysia know better which is the better and safer car
Pipu buy P2 coz it is cheap not because it is good
At least we got Myvi, a safe and good car at a cheap price.
Thank you Perodua for giving Malaysians a cheap and good car. No wonder Myvi is the best selling car in Malaysia!
Not safe, not good, but relatively cheap. It’s the only reason people buy it.
Thats not the only reason, compared to competitors, most of the cars in Perodua’s lineup are also very reliable, which us Malaysian are very fond of.
My family cant afford a Myvi yet. But the Axia just as good and safe.
Myvi not really safe in real world coz it has thin tin milo metal sheet
Malaysians are proud of Perodua despite Proton fanboys coming here and badmouthing the car. This is why sales melambung
Perodua fanboy will say that other car manufacturer fanboy go and defame Perodua… Even it’s structure really not safe… Haha
a safe and good car at a cheap price – MY FOOT. Why i always hear about fresh graduates can’t even afford a Myvi when shopping around for a brand new car (plus this Poodua cleverly ‘cutting corner’ on most areas – eg a XL size temperature gauge previously available in Myvee1 and Myvee2, now totally gone in Myvee3 which is INTOLERABLE FLAWS – that blue/red idiot lights are too cheap, too crappy and absolute useless, tens of thousands of timebomb OTR where there’s good chance for the car engine smoked out or even catching fire like this NaNo in case if engine overheating).
yes we believe you Proton salesman. Sales figures of 1.2 million Myvis speak for themselves.
Perodua sold more Myvis alone in 3 months than entire Proton fleet in 1 year. Sales figures speak on the confidence of the rakyat of its safety
I see lots of news frm newspaper when involving real accident, most myvi driver always pass away.
I like my Myvi and I am proud of it. I am also proud Malaysia has a new clean government finally!
What does a clean government has to do with this article specifically and with cars in general? Take a hike, kid. Politics are for adults, not immature brats like you wet behind the ears.
Myvi is the last choice what to do, not enough money to buy better cae
Bring it to malaysia. For bikers to drive , no more weaving in and out of traffic and stopping under the flyover in large numbers when it rains. I like.
Though started with a noble intention, it shows marketing a really affordable car as `cheap` can do more damage by crashing the would-be-owner`s image. Sadly its also apparent here, with those buying entry level prestige branded cars debadging them as soon as they are driven home. As the saying goes `Biar susah, tapi gaya/muka mesti ada`
Seriously, why not top up abit buy a safer hatchback than this glorify 4 wheel tuk-tuk?
800cc Suzuki Alto or Datsun Go just cost 2.6lakh.
I’m sad because she’s cute.. lulz
Bring it to malaysia. For bikers to drive , no more weaving in and out of traffic and stopping under the flyover in large numbers when it rains. I like.
Educating the rempit is better. Teach families family planning also. Having like 10 kids each, parents really cannot keep an eye on each of them.
Pls learn to be emphatic and have sympathy for our brothers who have lesser income john
… and additional thousands of cars on the road during your normal commute to work. Think about the traffic and parking area required.
Some of them cant afford a car. Have you seen a family wait under bridge until the rain stops? While you just looking from posh leather seat of your car, A/C at 22 celcius and listening to your favorite tunes.
May I please ask what have you did to the community aside from your professional role?
Think u shld think before you write bud. And talk is cheap. Cheers
I would love to buy one, to drive to the shops, to the school to pick up my kids, down Chow Kit’s narrow streets and even to the golf course to replace those awful buggies
Bring it to Malaysia, this is a good alternative for the lower income family to own a transport better than whole family riding on a bike.
Bodo..u want the road standstill with car??
It’s only got a single wing mirror? So for sure we could’ve cut Proton cost without putting in signal lights
The idea was right. But to get to the engine was a chore…
Saw one Tata Nano around KLIA last month. Malaysian registration. Can’t take a photo because I was driving.
this car scored 0 stars. lol….
I had driven the Tata Nano in India. The model I drove was top of the line with Automatic gear and with Air con. It was grossly underpowered and I had to switch it to AMT mode and manually shift to get it going. The brakes were a joke and did not stop on time. This is a very unsafe car and I won’t be sorry to see it go
Sounds like myvi to me
it is a 2 cylinder 600cc car. what do you expect. 0-100kmh? forget it.