Tata Motors

Tata Motors

Just before the dawn of the New Year we reported on Tata Motors’ production issues as related to the Nano and the fall out it seemed to cause with their customers (further reading). Now we have gotten word from the New Deli Auto Show that Tada’s chairman confirmed that the company is considering bringing the small and inexpensive minicar to the United States. Now all that is left to see is if it will happen in the three-year time frame that has been suggested.

CEO David Smith made the first call for help in February and now Ratan Tata has joined the fight

CEO David Smith made the first call for help in February and now Ratan Tata has joined the fight

This isn’t the first time we have hear rumors that the Tata Nano could come to the U.S. Back in June of last year it was thought that the Nano might show up state side by 2011 (more here). Today, chairman of Tata said, “For the United States we need a car which has a larger engine and we need additional crash test modifications and we are in the process of doing it.” This addresses some of the issues Tata Motors is facing in trying to bring the Nano to the U.S. market; we also suspect this is the reason for the additional time built into the launch schedule from the last public announcement at Cornell University in June. The U.S. isn’t the only future target market, the Nano is also slated to join the European automotive market by end of 2011.

Bottom line—the Mini or Micro car is becoming a much-publicized portion of the automotive market, especially in developing countries. However, as Ratan Tata said to journalists today in New Dehli, “We also recognize there is a market [for the Nano] not only in developing countries, but possibly in the developed countries." He could indeed be correct, considering the success of the Smart. We here in the U.S. market will have to wait and see if a larger motor and high crash test standards are enough to attract the average American buyer.

 

[Source: Reuters]