Tata Nano - world's cheapest new car is unveiled
It is 3 meters long, seats four comfortably or five at a squeeze, does 65mph and aims to revolutionize travel for millions. The “People’s Car” is also the cheapest in the world at 100,000 rupees (£1,300) – the same price as a car stereo in a Mercedes Benz or one third of the registration tax we pay on a brand new city car with a 1 liter engine in Malta and that’s without even thinking of the extra 18%vat charged on this illicit tax, but back to the Nano
The Nano, from Tata, the Indian company which is now the owner of Jaguar and Land Rover, was unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo yesterday to music from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Ratan Tata, the company chairman, harked back to the first flight by the Wright Brothers and the Moon landing as he revealed the cute, snub-nosed hatchback that will allow millions in India’s emerging middle classes to buy a car for the first time.
“I hope this changes the way people travel in rural India. We are a country of a billion and most are denied connectivity,” he said. “This is a car that is affordable and provides all-weather transport for the family.”
The aluminum shell contains a rear-mounted 33bhp two-cylinder petrol engine and weighs about half a tonne.
The car is the culmination of five years’ research and input from across the world, including Italy and Germany. But it was designed and made in India, defying expectations that a company best known for its huge lorries could manufacture a cutting edge passenger car.
A team of 500 engineers worked on the car, to be produced at a plant in West Bengal. In an effort to allay fears that something so cheap could not be safe, Mr Tata said that it had passed a full-frontal crash test in India and was designed to sustain further impact testing under European standards.
Tata cut costs by minimizing components, particularly steel, and taking advantage of India’s low production costs. Because of its size, it uses less sheet metal, has a smaller and lighter engine than other cars, smaller tube-less tires and a no-frills interior. The company has applied for 34 patents to cover its innovations. “We shrunk it, made the engine smaller and used fewer materials but we haven’t taken any shortcuts in term of safety or emissions,” Mr Tata said.
The Nano is roughly half the price of the cheapest car available today. China’s QQ3Y Chery and India’s Maruti 800 are both about £2,550.
All This for £1,300 or €1,700
Top speed 65mph
Engine rear-mounted 623cc, 33bhp multipoint fuel injection engine
Transmission continuous variable transmission
Fuel consumption 50mpg
Registration Tax in Malta for New Private Vehicles
New cars coming from EU countries are subject to Registration Tax and VAT as per schedule below.
Engine CC
Rate
Not Exceeding 1000cc
50.50%
Exceeding 1000cc but not exceeding 1300cc
50.50%
Exceeding 1300cc but not exceeding 1500cc
53%
Exceeding 1500cc but not exceeding 1800cc
60%
Exceeding 1800cc but not exceeding 2000cc
65%
Exceeding 2000cc but not exceeding 2500cc
75%
Exceeding 2500cc but not exceeding 3000cc
75%
Exceeding 3000cc
75%
There is also an 18% of VAT upon the cost, insurance & freight of the vehicle(CIF).Registration Tax and VAT are calculated on the Invoice Value (CIF price) of the vehicle depending on the cubic capacity of the vehicle.
The Nano, from Tata, the Indian company which is now the owner of Jaguar and Land Rover, was unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo yesterday to music from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Ratan Tata, the company chairman, harked back to the first flight by the Wright Brothers and the Moon landing as he revealed the cute, snub-nosed hatchback that will allow millions in India’s emerging middle classes to buy a car for the first time.
“I hope this changes the way people travel in rural India. We are a country of a billion and most are denied connectivity,” he said. “This is a car that is affordable and provides all-weather transport for the family.”
The aluminum shell contains a rear-mounted 33bhp two-cylinder petrol engine and weighs about half a tonne.
The car is the culmination of five years’ research and input from across the world, including Italy and Germany. But it was designed and made in India, defying expectations that a company best known for its huge lorries could manufacture a cutting edge passenger car.
A team of 500 engineers worked on the car, to be produced at a plant in West Bengal. In an effort to allay fears that something so cheap could not be safe, Mr Tata said that it had passed a full-frontal crash test in India and was designed to sustain further impact testing under European standards.
Tata cut costs by minimizing components, particularly steel, and taking advantage of India’s low production costs. Because of its size, it uses less sheet metal, has a smaller and lighter engine than other cars, smaller tube-less tires and a no-frills interior. The company has applied for 34 patents to cover its innovations. “We shrunk it, made the engine smaller and used fewer materials but we haven’t taken any shortcuts in term of safety or emissions,” Mr Tata said.
The Nano is roughly half the price of the cheapest car available today. China’s QQ3Y Chery and India’s Maruti 800 are both about £2,550.
All This for £1,300 or €1,700
Top speed 65mph
Engine rear-mounted 623cc, 33bhp multipoint fuel injection engine
Transmission continuous variable transmission
Fuel consumption 50mpg
New cars coming from EU countries are subject to Registration Tax and VAT as per schedule below.
Engine CC
Rate
Not Exceeding 1000cc
50.50%
Exceeding 1000cc but not exceeding 1300cc
50.50%
Exceeding 1300cc but not exceeding 1500cc
53%
Exceeding 1500cc but not exceeding 1800cc
60%
Exceeding 1800cc but not exceeding 2000cc
65%
Exceeding 2000cc but not exceeding 2500cc
75%
Exceeding 2500cc but not exceeding 3000cc
75%
Exceeding 3000cc
75%
There is also an 18% of VAT upon the cost, insurance & freight of the vehicle(CIF).Registration Tax and VAT are calculated on the Invoice Value (CIF price) of the vehicle depending on the cubic capacity of the vehicle.
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