21:22
kaushik
We had been impatient to get our hands on the Nano the entire month. Calls to Tata Motors, calls to the dealership, calls to the plant — we’d done it all, and daily status checks attained ‘ritual’ status. When THE day arrived, the office witnessed a mini-riot. This would be one of the first Nanos on the road and excitement was high. Some staffers volunteered to come along to take ‘official’ pictures, while others said they’d come to check out the paperwork, but most wanted to just be there.
The chaos at office led to us finally sneaking out to the dealership feigning a trip to the john. And yet, there were five of us! But first the price. It wasn’t even close to the all-important and much-hyped one-lakh figure but more like two. With a whopping 14 percent slapped onto cars for company registration (for individual, it is seven percent), the on-road figure with all taxes and insurance soared to Rs 2.19 lakh for the top-of-the-line LX version. What gave us some consolation was that the Nano worked out Rs 47,000 cheaper than a company-owned Maruti 800.
Arriving at the dealership before time, we expected a long wait. But Tata Motors’ corporate showroom snapped to attention and delivered the car with a level of professionalism that surprised us all. Our Nano made an entry that would put any bride to shame, with garlands, coconut and other puja paraphernalia, and the papers all in order. Tata Motors has a tall order of Nanos to deliver, so we guess it helps to be quick.
Papers signed, car checked, coconut broken and swastika drawn on the bonnet, we left the dealership for our first taste of Mumbai city traffic in the Nano. Would it sink or swim? Would it feel totally out of depth and too basic, or would it take to the cut and thrust of Mumbai traffic like any other small car?
The first couple of kilometres tell us a lot. For a start, we don’t feel as vulnerable in this car as in a Maruti 800. There’s something more substantial to its build and since you’re seated higher in the Nano, you don’t get the feeling that you are about to be mistakenly run over by someone twice your size. The next surprise is how much peppier the Nano feels in the midst of the city traffic as against out on an open track or highway. Despite its lack of outright power and a rev limiter that’s meaner than an executioner working a guillotine, the Nano has more than enough pep to keep it running alongside the rat pack. The short gearing and responsive motor allow the little Nano to dart forward when you put your foot down and you can even overtake once you figure out exactly when to up-shift. And for once, this Tata gearbox is really nice to use, its metallic ‘clack-clack’ feel and compact throw are quite sweet.
So yes, initial impressions are that the Nano can cut it quite easily with the Swifts, i10s and Altos. Even the air-con works pretty well when the car is on the move. But it’s not summer, so let’s wait and see how bad it gets when you are waiting at one of the city’s really long traffic signals. Of course, this car comes with its fair share of compromises, most of which are more severe than those made on other cars. This means there are quite a few areas where the Nano feels more austere than a regular car should. The unassisted steering feels a bit heavy at parking speeds and large bumps tend to upset its composure, causing the front to bob and the rear to kick. The engine and transmission tend to groan and grumble at times. And while the Nano has a lot of space for its passengers, the absence of a glovebox means your papers get tucked into the sun visor. It’s also difficult to hide your bag in the car when you step out for a bit, because you need to flip the rear seat to access the little boot below the parcel tray.
The cute-as-a-button Nano draws more attention than even a Porsche and this means we still haven’t mustered enough courage to leave our little one unattended in a parking lot — we fear the dreaded souvenir hunters. Everyone who’s anyone, including Peter Kronschnabl, president of BMW India, and Kevin Costello, Haymarket UK MD, has taken our little star for a spin around the block. And our Nano can already boast its first big adventure, a 2512km drive across India.
Arriving at the dealership before time, we expected a long wait. But Tata Motors’ corporate showroom snapped to attention and delivered the car with a level of professionalism that surprised us all. Our Nano made an entry that would put any bride to shame, with garlands, coconut and other puja paraphernalia, and the papers all in order. Tata Motors has a tall order of Nanos to deliver, so we guess it helps to be quick.
Papers signed, car checked, coconut broken and swastika drawn on the bonnet, we left the dealership for our first taste of Mumbai city traffic in the Nano. Would it sink or swim? Would it feel totally out of depth and too basic, or would it take to the cut and thrust of Mumbai traffic like any other small car?
The first couple of kilometres tell us a lot. For a start, we don’t feel as vulnerable in this car as in a Maruti 800. There’s something more substantial to its build and since you’re seated higher in the Nano, you don’t get the feeling that you are about to be mistakenly run over by someone twice your size. The next surprise is how much peppier the Nano feels in the midst of the city traffic as against out on an open track or highway. Despite its lack of outright power and a rev limiter that’s meaner than an executioner working a guillotine, the Nano has more than enough pep to keep it running alongside the rat pack. The short gearing and responsive motor allow the little Nano to dart forward when you put your foot down and you can even overtake once you figure out exactly when to up-shift. And for once, this Tata gearbox is really nice to use, its metallic ‘clack-clack’ feel and compact throw are quite sweet.
So yes, initial impressions are that the Nano can cut it quite easily with the Swifts, i10s and Altos. Even the air-con works pretty well when the car is on the move. But it’s not summer, so let’s wait and see how bad it gets when you are waiting at one of the city’s really long traffic signals. Of course, this car comes with its fair share of compromises, most of which are more severe than those made on other cars. This means there are quite a few areas where the Nano feels more austere than a regular car should. The unassisted steering feels a bit heavy at parking speeds and large bumps tend to upset its composure, causing the front to bob and the rear to kick. The engine and transmission tend to groan and grumble at times. And while the Nano has a lot of space for its passengers, the absence of a glovebox means your papers get tucked into the sun visor. It’s also difficult to hide your bag in the car when you step out for a bit, because you need to flip the rear seat to access the little boot below the parcel tray.
The cute-as-a-button Nano draws more attention than even a Porsche and this means we still haven’t mustered enough courage to leave our little one unattended in a parking lot — we fear the dreaded souvenir hunters. Everyone who’s anyone, including Peter Kronschnabl, president of BMW India, and Kevin Costello, Haymarket UK MD, has taken our little star for a spin around the block. And our Nano can already boast its first big adventure, a 2512km drive across India.
The car has proven to be trouble-free as well as very efficient all through. Initial fuel economy figures in Mumbai’s stop-start traffic also tell us that this car is easily the most fuel-efficient petrol car in India. We got an impressive 15.5kpl and we expect this to improve once the motor has run in fully.
What I’m itching to do, however, is to swap the narrow front and wide rear wheels and have a bit of fun with this rear-engined rear-wheel-drive car in an empty parking lot.
What I’m itching to do, however, is to swap the narrow front and wide rear wheels and have a bit of fun with this rear-engined rear-wheel-drive car in an empty parking lot.
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