Two Year Later Nano Sales Are Still Failing To Light The World Ablaze

Two-and-a-half years after its glitzy launch, a car that was meant to revolutionize personal transport in India -- and perhaps all of Asia -- remains stuck in first gear. August was the second-worst sales month ever for the Tata Nano, the world's cheapest mass-produced car and a flagship product of India's giant steel-to-software Tata Group. Tata Motors, whose plant in the western state of Gujarat has the capacity to turn out 250,000 cars a year, shipped only about 1,200 Nanos to dealers in August, compared with slightly more than 8,000 in the same month last year.

Clumsy marketing, a rash of mysterious electrical fires, and an unusual design (e.g., a welded -shut trunk, only one side-view mirror) have all dented the car's appeal. The Nano was projected to be selling 20,000 to 25,000 units a month by now, and some of the car's more enthusiastic boosters had even predicted a market in Europe and the United States. Instead, only about 129,000 Nanos ply Indian roads.



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acronis - 10/12/2011 4:12:12 PM

+1 Boost

The Nano as cheap as it is, shows you that "price" can only take you just so far, even in the third world.

LexSucks - 10/12/2011 5:24:23 PM

+1 Boost

What do they expect? The car is crap.

veyron1001 - 10/13/2011 1:00:46 PM

+2 Boost

Much like the Volt

LexSucks - 10/13/2011 1:56:30 PM

0 Boost

"Much like the Volt" — veyron1001

- Still trying to figure out the relevence but OK

LexSucks - 10/13/2011 5:01:38 PM

-1 Boost

You need to look at that other thread.

g2ok - 10/12/2011 5:41:35 PM

+2 Boost

This car was a good idea by a smart man, Ratan Tata, but the company lost it's focus. They needed this to succeed, but bought Rover and Jaguar which are on the opposite end of the car spectrum. Those are probably losing money in this economy as well. He should have known that the Maruti 800 is a stalwart of the Indian market and the Nano was well below this benchmark in overall value.