230 HP Tata Nano is World’s Cheapest Supercar

As both a leader in mass-market natural gas/bio-diesel alternative fuel use and the world’s least-expensive new car, the Tata Nano has always been fascinating. It didn’t quite become the hot seller that its makers had hoped, however, and plans to fund a sturdier, more powerful version of the Nano for US consumption haven’t yet come to fruition. If anyone at Tata is listening, however, I’d like to nominate the above version of the Nano for introduction to North America.

Built by Indian tuners JA Motorsport, this Tata Nano features a tuned, turbocharged version of the “Super” Nano’s 1.3 liter engine that’s good for 230 HP, giving the tiny car raucous acceleration and a ripping soundtrack from 0 all the way to the car’s 120 MPH gear-limited top speed.

JA Motorsport is calling their Nano “India’s Fastest Hot Hatch”, and adds Recaro seats, a racing-style wheel, a lowered and widened suspension, upgraded AP brakes, and ultralight racing-style wheels fitted, for show purposes, to a set of ultra-sticky track day tires.

The project is a great way to attract attention to India’s Nano, which has been largely ignored in the wake of smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles like the Elio trike. Ironically, it’s been Elio’s efforts to create a new “autocycle” designation with the US’ Department of Transportation (so its customers don’t have to wear helmets on what is, legally, a motorcycle) that could open the door for the more practical, four-passenger Nano to come to the US and steal that vehicle’s thunder.

That would be interesting- the battle of the sub-$7000 brand-new (not) cars!

JA Motorsport 230 HP Tata Nano

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Source | Images: Indian Autos Blog.

Tata ConnectNext EV Concept Looks To The Future

Tata Motors may not be known for its cutting edge concepts, but the Tata ConnectNext EV Concept is a hybrid minivan straight out of Blade Runner. While there are no plans for production, it’s the first Tata concept that makes me think Indian cars might make it to America.

At about four-meters long and sporting suicide doors, a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, and flexible seating, this is the kind of concept car I’d expect at any of America’s major auto shows. But instead it debuted at the Delhi Auto Show in India, where Tata is a major player. The concept features passenger entertainment systems and a minimalistic driver interface, again pulled straight out of a sci-fi movie.

I dig the Tata ConnectNext EV Concept, though don’t expect it to see production anytime soon. Instead, it’s a design study meant to showcase where Tata might, one day, go with its vehicles. If Tata can keep this up, maybe we can forget about all of those roasty, toasty Nanos, a car which was once rumored to be bound for American shores.

Whatever happened to that?

Source: Carscoops 

Mahindra Reva e2o: Living With India's Most Modern Electric Car

In just three years or so, the number of plug-in cars on U.S. roads has gone from just a few thousand to over 160,000 units, with over a dozen different models available to consumers.

In India though, electric car sales are much smaller--despite a population of over 1.2 billion. And just one single electric car model is on sale right now to Indian consumers--the Mahindra Reva e2o.

It may be some time before we get a go in an e2o ourselves. But thanks to the wonders of the internet, and The Indian Express, we can get an idea of what India's sole electric car is like to drive.

First, a little background.

Mahindra was formed in 1945 and is now one of India's biggest automobilemanufacturers, largely concentrating on a range of off-road vehicles and SUVs that look suspiciously similar to some vehicles sold in the West.

The company also owns the Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Private Limited company, responsible for the Mahindra e2o you see here.

It's best known for the REVAi, a tiny electric car best known (and much maligned) in some markets as the G-Wiz. The e2o is its substantially more modern and better-styled replacement--though we suspect the narrow, upright styling will still be an acquired taste for some readers.

If you think you've seen it before, you're right--the car was previously known as the REVA NXR, but is now sold under the Mahindra brand name.

For the journalist on The Indian Express, that it's electric at all is a unique experience--remember the first time you drove an electric car yourself?

That means comment is largely reserved for well-known electric car benefits, such as the smooth, silent drivetrain, an initially brisk step-off and gradual paucity of power as the speed rises.

Handling is also good, one assumes in relation to its closest gasoline competition--cars like the Tata Nano and Maruti Suzuki Alto--thanks to the low placement of the battery pack.

There's also a simple digital instrument panel--monochrome, providing simple data on speed, range and state of charge--as well as a navigation system, 4-speaker JBL stereo, reversing camera, keyless entry and projector headlamps.

Mahindra e2o electric car

These toys go some way to making up for the car's R4.76 lakh price.

To American ears, that doesn't sound so bad--at the current exchange rate, you're getting an electric car for about $7,700. But a top-spec Tata Nano costs around $3,600 and a basic one a faintly unbelievable $2,400.

Think of the difference between a Nissan Versa and a Nissan Leaf and you're not far off--the up-front cost of the tiny e2o is fairly significant if cheap transport is the customer's goal.

You do take a performance hit, too.

Okay, so India's basic cars are hardly the most speedy of vehicles. A Tata Nano develops just 38 horsepower from its 624cc engine.

But a Nano can still top 60 mph, where the e2o stops accelerating at 50. It'll also go further on its tiny 4-gallon gas tank than the e2o will go on a full charge--about 60 miles.

There are also problems charging. No, not in terms of how long it takes to charge, but whether it'll charge at all--as we've covered in the past, India's power grid is highly unreliable at the best of times. In some areas, electricity is even rationed to ensure the grid can cope with demand.

And that's before you get to what powers India's grid in the first place, which makes the environmental credentials of electric cars somewhat dubious there--even if they'd have massive benefits for inner-city air.

Still, it sounds like the e2o is a competitive product in its home market, and you never know--once India cleans up its grid, Mahindra's electric vehicles may well be seen as significantly there as cars like the Tesla Roadster and Nissan Leaf are in the U.S.

Source: Green Car Reports

2014 Tata Nano Debuts, CNG Model Tags Along

Tata’s Nano is famous for being the least expensive new car you can buy anywhere, but sales haven’t been as strong as the company had hoped, so changes have been made to the highly-anticipated 2014 version of the Tata Nano to ensure that it’s more competitive against similarly priced used cars, and to make the car even cheaper (and greener!) to operate.

From a visual perspective, the 2014 Tata Nano is distinguished by tastefully-applied chrome trim and a new rear bumper with sporty mesh inserts. The new Nano can also be “optioned up” with four personalization kits that add features like a contrasting-color roof, body graphics, alloy wheels, and sporty-looking body kit. Interior changes include a new center console, twin gloveboxes, updated upholstery, “luxurious” soft-touch surfaces, and (this is the big one) an available 4-speak MP3 audio system with USB/AUX connectivity.

The big change for the 2014 Nano, however, is locate dunder the hood. The 38 hp, 624 cc gas engine is a carry-over, but Tata has added a new, bi-fuel 624 cc engine variant that can make up to 33 hp running compressed natural gas. The ability to switch between gasoline and CNG will help reduce harmful emissions from the cars, and also allow Nano buyers in developing nations added mobility. Of course, with natural gas being so much cheaper than gasoline, on top of that, it seems owning and operating a Nano has gotten cheaper, still. The updated 2014 Tata Nanos now start at a more expensive, but still ludicrously cheap (by US standards) $2500 (approx.).

Source | Photos: World Car Fans.

India’s Tiny Vans A New Wave Of Automotive Ingenuity

The Ford Model T was really only remarkable because it was produced in such large numbers. Painted just one color (black!) and available with only the most basic of options, the Model T was a very humble vehicle built en masse. Today, America lacks such simple, basic transportation…but over in India automakers are producing a new generation of cars that harken back to the era of the Model T both in simplicity and broad appeal.

Jalopnik’s Jason Torchinsky wrote a very compelling piece on why India is producing some of the most ingenious cars in the world. Because the average Indian consumer is so poor, any car with aspirations of selling in large numbers must be both cheap to produce and dead nuts reliable.

The Indians seem capable of doing both, developing among other things a Tata Nano-based van (called the Magic Iris). In order to save money and weight, the Magic Iris uses windows and a rear tailgate made from canvas. Coupled with an 11 horsepower diesel engine, the Magic Iris has very Model T-like specs; a 35 mph top speed, and a mpg rating of 70 to 80 mpg.

For the average Indian, who is lucky to even own a three-wheeled auto-rickshaw, the Magic Iris is a big step up, as is the Mahindra Maxximo. With three rows of seats and a 25-horsepower engine, the Maxximo also utilizes a primitive start/stop system and can even be had with a CNG-powered engine. An all-electric version is in the works as well, though EVs in India will likely have a very limited appeal.

The whole Jalopnik piece is an insightful look into how different and creative the Indian automakers are. It even landed Jason an invitation to see these cars for himself from the owner of Mahindra. Maybe while he is over there, he can find out what happened to the small diesel pickup we were supposed to get.

Source: Jalopnik

Redesigned Tata Nano to arrive in U.S. wearing price tag under $10k

Tata's much ballyhooed Nano isn't exactly selling as expected in its home market of India, especially after the well-publicized fires engulfing the several examples of the world's cheapest car. Despite that, the head of Tata Group, Ratan Tata, says his company remains intent on bringing an updated sub-$10,000 Nano to the States, and he intends to do so in three years.

While the Indian market gets a bare-bones Nano powered by a two-cylinder, 37-horsepower engine, Tata unsurprisingly says the US version will have a larger engine, power steering and traction control.

"The Smart and the Fiat 500 have high sticker prices, and people buy them because they are small cars," Tata tells Automotive News. "But everyone knows you put a lot of money into it. We hope that the sub-$10,000 car has appeal."

With the US economy still slowly recovering, a car for under $10k could have plenty of appeal. But the Indian automaker has several obstacles to overcome first, not the least of which is building a dealer network for the Nano. Tata owns Jaguar and Land Rover, but that group's CEO, Andy Goss, says there has been no discussion about using those dealers to distribute the Nano.

Perhaps the updated US-bound Nano will be more like the Nano Megapixel concept (pictured above) we saw at the Geneva Motor Show back in March. That car had a longer, 138-inch wheelbase and a larger 325cc engine supplemented by two electric motors. It's safe to assume that if Tata wants to keep costs down so that it can offer the car below $10,000, the next Nano won't get a hybrid powertrain like the Megapixel, but perhaps it will pick up some of the car's size and styling cues.



Source: Autoblog

Ratan Tata hopes to restart Nano sales after fiery start - VIDEO

When India's Tata introduced the Nano in 2009 at about $2,500, it was a hot-seller. It was expected to set the world on fire with demand for cheap wheels. In fact, a year after its rollout, the Nano almost did set the world on fire after at least three units burned to a crisp. Sales plummeted to a record low of 509 in November, 2010.

Ratan Tata has run the company for 20 years and plans to retire at the end of this year. But before he leaves the company, he hopes to revive sales of the little car he helped develop.

"The Nano is something I would love to make successful because I don't think it's exploited its full potential right now," Tata said in an interview with Bloomberg TV India. "There has to be another push to make Nano what it can be."

Extended warranties for current Nano owners, as well as promises that the fires were only isolated incidents, were the first step at restoring confidence in the Nano. A new version of the Nano came out in November with a larger engine, and July sales totaled 5,485. In all of last year it sold 74,527. By comparison, Suzuki sold 491,389 examples of its competing Maruti brand.

In the video below, Ratan Tata talks a bit about the company's purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover and of his upcoming retirement.

Tata Motors shows CNG, diesel-electric hybrid and fuel cell concepts at Auto Expo 2012 in India, unveils 3 new production vehicles

Indigo Manza Hybrid. Click to enlarge.

Tata Motors showcased its alternate fuel technology capability at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2012 by displaying four concepts: the Tata Nano CNG; the Tata Indigo Manza diesel-electric hybrid; the Tata Starbus Fuel Cell (hydrogen); and the Tata Magic Iris CNG. The Tata Motors portfolio already includes a full electric vehicle—the Tata Indica Vista Electric Vehicle—and CNG-electric hybrid buses.

The company also unveiled three new production vehicles at the Auto Expo 2012: the Tata Safari Storme, the new generation Safari SUV; the Tata Ultra, the company’s new LCV & ICV range; and the Tata LPT 3723, India’s first 5-axle rigid truck as well. They will be commercially launched in the next financial year.

Tata Nano CNG Concept. CNG kit components have been applied to the bi-fuel CNG Tata Nano. The sequential gas injection system has been calibrated with the EMS system for smart switching between CNG and gasoline fuel systems. The car comes with software with safety strategies such as automatic cut-off CNG supply even in the case of leakages and automatic fuel quality checks. The CNG fuel system has been packaged in order to not disturb the existing luggage space.

The Tata Nano CNG comes with a touring range of more than 150 km (93 miles) in addition to the existing touring range (375 km, 233 miles) of the Nano 2012 and CO₂ emissions of 92.7 g/km.

Tata Indigo Manza Hybrid Concept. Powered by a Hybrid 1.05 liter DiCOR engine and 45 kW electric traction motor, the Indigo Manza Hybrid functions as both a series and a parallel hybrid. The vehicle is designed to deliver performance with less than 90 g CO₂/km in city traffic conditions through technologies such as high speed cranking, regenerative braking, auto start/stop, series hybrid mode and limited range pure electric operation. On the highway, the vehicle delivers best-in-class acceleration performance in the parallel hybrid mode.

Apart from regenerative braking, the Indigo Manza Hybrid Concept also recharges its Li-ion battery pack with a roof-mounted solar panel.

Tata Starbus Fuel Cell Concept. The 30-seat Tata Starbus Fuel Cell Concept was developed with support from the Government of India’s Department of Scientific and Industrial Research under the Technology Development & Demonstration Programme.

The bus features a fuel cell stack has gross peak power of 85 kW, Li-ion battery pack, and two rear motors motor with the peak power output of 186 kW with motor speed from 600 rpm to 2100 rpm and torque of 1,050 N·m (774 lb-ft) at 800 rpm. The maximum speed of the bus is 70 km/h and gradeability is 17%, which is suitable for city applications.

Magic IRIS CNG. Click to enlarge.

Tata Magic IRIS CNG. The Tata Magic IRIS CNG is a “last-mile” public transport vehicle. It comes equipped with a 611 cc, water-cooled 12.8 hp CNG engine with 37 N·m torque, mated with a 5-speed gear box.

It adheres to Tata Motor’s CNG safety standards such as Single Point Gas Injection, Swagelok Joint, Solenoid Valve on ITVR (integrated tank valve & regulator) and comes with stainless steel pipes instead of mild steel pipes, special air venting system arrangement to prevent rusting and gas leakages. The tamper proof ECU electronically limits maximum speed of vehicles as per local city requirements.

Features of the car-like Tata Magic IRIS CNG include all-steel, fully covered body with hard top, double steel sheet doors, 12” radial tires, ergonomically designed seats with seat belts, digital instrument panel, stylish dashboard mounted gear shift lever, steering wheel, big windshield, side mirrors and glass windows.

Production vehicles. The Safari Storme is powered by a 2.2L 16-valve common rail (DiCOR) engine (138 hp/103 kW power; 320 N·m/ 236 lb-ft torque) with a variable geometry turbo, mated with a 5-speed manual transmission. Electronic shift-on-the-fly (ESOF) enables shifting from 2WD to 4WD on the move.

For safety, there are 4-channel ABS with EBD, disc brakes on all wheels, a new rack-and-pinion steering system, rigid ladder frame construction with hydro-formed long members, crumple zones, side intrusion beams on all doors, collapsible steering column, dual SRS airbags, inertia switch and an auto engine immobiliser.

The Tata Ultra LCV & ICV range will comprise variants from 5 to 14 tonnes. The range will be powered by new generation 3L (138 hp/ 103 kW) and 5L (168 hp/ 125 kW) common rail (DiCOR) 16-valve engines, offering higher aggregate life, longer service intervals and low NVH.

The Tata LPT 3723 is India’s first 5-axle rigid truck. With a payload of 25 tonnes (ideal for cement and steel movement), it will reduce the cost/tonne-km. It is powered by a Cummins 6BT 5.9L engine (154 kW/ 207 hp at 2500 rpm) and mated with a 9-speed gearbox.

Tata Motors’ displays also include, in passenger vehicles, a Tata Nano concept, the Tata Pixel concept, the Tata Indica Vista Concept S2, the Tata Manza Nova concept, the Tata Aria – AT concept, the Tata Sumo Gold and the Tata Xenon concept. Other commercial vehicles displayed are the Tata Prima 7548.S - Concept, the Tata Prima 3138.K AT, the Tata Venture Ambulance, the Tata Ace Refresh and the Tata Super Ace (Left Hand Drive).

Tata Motors is India’s largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of Rs.1,23,133 crores ($27 billion) in 2010-11. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, Spain and South Africa. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover. It also distributes Fiat cars in India, and has an industrial joint venture with Fiat in India.

With more than 6.5 million Tata vehicles plying in India, Tata Motors is the country’s market leader in commercial vehicles and among the top three in passenger vehicles. It is also the world’s fourth largest truck manufacturer and the third largest bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America.

Source: Green Car Congress

Tata unveiling Manza Hybrid concept at New Delhi show

Tata Motors will unveil a hybrid-electric version of its Tata Manza at the Auto Expo 2012 show in New Delhi next week, as the India-based automaker continues to hint at including electric-drive vehicles in its fleet.

The Tata Manza Hybrid concept car will include lithium-ion batteries, according to Rushlane.com. Little else has been revealed about the performance, price or potential debut date of the Manza Hybrid, but other advanced-powertrain vehicles to be unveiled at the show include the Mahindra Verito Electric.

Tata, which in 2008 acquired Jaguar Land Rover from Ford for $2.3 billion, continues to show signs of moving into electric-drive powertrains to boost its fleetwide fuel efficiency. The company had planned to start selling its Tata Vista Indica electric vehicle in India last year, though that model has yet to debut there. Tata says the 74-horsepower Vista Indica EV has a single-charge range of about 100 miles and a top speed of 71 miles per hour.

Tata started selling gas and diesel versions of its Manza series last February, with prices starting at about $10,000. Tata said last June that one Manza owner was able to get fuel economy of 46.33 km per liter (about 109 miles per gallon) out of his diesel-powered Manza. Additionally, Tata last March debuted its Tata Indica eV2. That diesel-powered compact achieved fuel economy of about 59 miles per gallon, making it India's most fuel-efficient production car certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).


Source: Autoblog Green

Tata Nano Gets Facelift, More Power and Better Fuel Efficiency

We may have unfairly called the Indian-built Tata Nano “unusually combustible” last week, but there’s no denying that the world’s cheapest car is responsible for helping tens of thousands of Indians get behind the wheel of their first car.

Now the diminutive Tata Nano has just undergone its first major revision since its release in 2008, offering an increase of power, more standard features, and a headline-grabbing fuel economy of 59.7 miles per gallon.

More power, higher gas mileage

Just like its predecessor, the upgraded Tata Nano features a simple 0.6 liter rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive transmission. But Tata’s engineers have managed to squeeze extra power from the small unit, harnessing 50 horsepower from an engine which previously only produced 46 horsepower.

Torque is up too, increasing from 35.4 ft-pounds to 37 ft-pounds, while the engine’s economy has been improved from 55.51 mpg to an astonishing 59.74 mpg.

Tata Nano Europa at Geneva Auto Show

Admittedly, the tiny Tata Nano weighs 1,322 pounds, but for a car that can carry four adults and costs less than a set of custom wheels for a 2012 Toyota Prius, we have to be impressed.

Simple upgrades

But the upgrades aren’t the kind of things you’d expect in a high-mileage car in the U.S. Instead, simple but practical upgrades -- like the switch from vinyl seats to fabric ones -- are touted as giving customers added luxury from this no-frills car.

For more wealthy customers, the $3,752 Tata Nano LX comes with air conditioning, cup holder, central locking, front power windows, mirrors on both sides of the car, and door handles.

Yes, we did just say door handles.

But why the interest?

2009 tata nano minicar 005

The Tata Nano isn’t a car we’re likely to see being sold in the U.S. For a start, we think it’d struggle to get past the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s tough crash tests. And if Tata managed to reengineer it for the North American market, you can bet both its low, low price and frugal fuel performance would be affected as a consequence of substantial upgrades.

Nevertheless, the Tata nano is an important car. As the largest automaker in India, Tata is a force to be reckoned with. And as owners of the Jaguar Land-Rover group, Tata is already heavily involved with the automotive world outside of India.

If Tata engineers can work their magic on a small, 0.6 litre engine to make it one of the most efficient cars on the market anywhere in the world, it’s only a matter of time before those improvements are used on Tata’s other cars.

Eventually, we can imagine the lessons learnt on the Tata Nano and it’s tiny engine to filter through the whole of the Tata group.

While we think the concept of a 0.6 liter Jaguar or Land-Rover is about as likely as snow in Hawaii, we think it is only a matter of time before Tata Nano-inspired fuel saving makes it into the larger, more prestigious Tata group cars.

Source: Green Car Reports

Tata Motors Indica Vista EVX wins small passenger EV category at RAC Future Car Challenge

The Tata Indica Vista EVX, developed by Tata Motors’ UK subsidiary, Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC) engineers, won the Most Economic Small Passenger EV and the Most Economical & Environment Friendly Small Passenger EV under the Small Passenger EV Category at the inaugural RAC (Royal Automobile Club) Brighton to London Future Car Challenge.

Tata Indica Vista EVX at RAC Future Car Challenge. Click to enlarge.

The Royal Automobile Club’s new initiative was staged as part of the 2010 LBVCR weekend to actively promote and demonstrate environmentally-friendly energy technologies. The event saw the participation of 60 vehicles from major OEMs, as well as entries from private companies and individuals. The challenge was open to Electric, Hybrid and Low Emission Internal Combustion Engine vehicles and energy consumption was measured in various modes during the journey from Madeira Drive, Brighton to Pall Mall, London.

The Tata Indica Vista EVX completed the 58-mile journey from Brighton to London at an energy cost of £1.35 (US$2.18). The route was completed with a 36% depletion of the lithium ion phosphate batteries. This would give a vehicle range, in typical real-world driving conditions, of approximately 160 miles (258 km).

The Tata Indica Vista EVX was originally developed to compete in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X-Prize competition in the United States in the summer of 2010. It is based on a Tata Indica Vista EV (earlier post), developed by TML’s subsidiary in the UK, TMETC plc. The Tata Indica Vista EV is currently part of the CABLED Demonstration Programme funded by the UK Technology Strategy Board and production vehicles, assembled in the UK.

The Tata Indica Vista EV will be a more practicable option for the consumer, capable of carrying four individuals, adequate luggage space, with a predicted range of up to 200 km (124 miles) and acceleration of 0-60 km/h in less than 10 seconds.

Source: Green Car Congress

Zotye launches low-cost car in China

Zotye Auto launched a basic model—called Jiangnan Alto—with a retail price of 18,800 yuan ($2,838). The Jiangnan Alto features a 0.8L engine.

The company plans to focus sales of the Jiangnan Alto in China’s inland regions, including Hunan, Hebei, Shanxi, Sichuan, Shandong, Jilin, Shanxi, Henan provinces, and in rural areas. It is the first domestically made car sold below 20,000 yuan in China, costing only 2,000 yuan more than the world’s cheapest car, Tata Motor’s Nano, referred to as “The People’s Car.” An average mid-range family car costs around 150,000 yuan in Beijing Friday.

...Though the present basic model does not yet meet Beijing’s vehicle discharge standards, Zotye Auto is in the process of upgrading the vehicle to meet the capital's emission regulations. The whole series of Alto vehicles will be made available in the Beijing market at the same price as elsewhere.

The Alto series was previously produced by joint-venture enterprise Changan Suzuki; Zotye bought the IP and manufactures the series in Changsha, Hunan Province.