The 4-wheeled scooter debut

UPDATE: It’s called the Nano.

Reuters photo

Tata Motors president Ratan Tata introduced his company’s long-awaited 1-lakh car, a “people’s car” in the manner of the original Volkswagen Beetle and the 1957 Fiat Nuova 500, earlier today at Auto Expo 2008 in New Delhi, India.

One lakh is 100,000, the new car’s price in rupees. At current exchange rates, that’s a little over $2,500. The Nano is powered by a rear-mounted 624cc engine that produces 33 horsepower. According to the Hindustan Times, Tata told assembled media at the car’s unveiling that it fully complies with frontal crash standards and Euro IV emissions regulations (roughly similar to current California emissions standards). The Economic Times of India reports in the car’s “Beauty Specs” (?) that it also passed offset frontal and side impact crash tests.

So far, most writers to the Times of India’s Web site express a positive reaction to the new car. There’s more about it at Autobloggreen.com

While some are gnashing their teeth and rending their garments about the idea of—horrors!—more cars on India’s roads, the Nano would most likely replace autorickshaws and overburdened old scooters, not to mention their smoky, worn-out 2-stroke engines.

Yesterday, Tata rival Bajaj Auto announced a $3,000 mini car designed in partnership with Renault-Nissan that the company expects to bring to market in 2-4 years. The Tata Nano will go on sale sometime late this year.

So, are we gonna see this thing in the U.S.? If I were to place a wager, I’d say yes. That it complies with E.U. standards from the get-go is an excellent sign; making it pass U.S. certification would, in theory, be a piece o’ cake. From a marketing standpoint, at the oft-reported likely U.S. price of $6,000 it’s either the cheapest new car in America by a good three grand, or the ultimate greenie/hipster ride loaded to the gunwales with leather (or some kind of eco-fabric), infotainment up the wazoo and space for up to five, and a price tag that could be thousands less than a smart fortwo Passion.

One more thing—there’s a cricket pitch at Marymoor Park in Redmond, and it’s not there because the Eastside is teeming with Brits. The Nano already seems to be a source of considerable national pride, and I would suspect many former residents of India who now work for Bill and Steve would jump at the chance to own one.

As for whether you’ll be able to buy a Nano at Wal-Mart, we’ll just have to wait and see…

But wait, there’s more! Here’s the official Web site.

From the Times of India:

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