When Ratan Tata promised to roll out a small car at a price tag of Rs.1 Lakh, it fired the imagination of the one billion plus people of India and created tremors in the global automotive industry. The small car, christened, Tata Nano, has always been just more than a four-wheeler for its manufacturer. Ratan Tata was targeting the masses and had thought of the Nano small car as an affordable transportation solution. The auto industry was completely bowled over when the project was announced and when the hatch was finally unveiled at the Delhi Auto Show, it evoked a lot of interest with the cute design that was cutting edge and interestingly different.
The Tata Nano small car launch event took place in the year 2009 and the sales report turned out to be decent. The market was expecting Nano’s storm but the sales figures only depicted a drizzle with which the criticism of Tata Nano hatchback began. All the positive aspects of the hatch were bottled and the negativities were torched. With time and the basic psychology of humans, the bad overpowered the goodness of Tata Nano and the small wonder was tagged as a failure. Here is a look at the pros of Tata Nano which were long lost with all the criticism splashed across the tabloids.
Tata Nano price might have gone higher than what was promised earlier, when the company made an announcement that it is planning to bring in a four wheeler at Rs. 1 lakh; but it can’t be denied that Ratan Tata did launch the world’s cheapest car. No hatchback is available in the Indian market at Rs.1.5 lakh except for Tata Nano; the affordability quotient has been fulfilled. Not just with the price; the whopping mileage figures that Tata Nano offers, deserves a good long look at the car. The 624cc engine powering Tata Nano, offers 25.4kmpl fuel economy (ARAI), and the mileage figure is best-in-class.
The steering wheel offers easy maneuverability and turn circle radius in just 4 meters, which makes it easy to steer clear in crowded cities and narrow lanes; the Nano is also easy to park. Talking in terms of designing, Tata Nano looks were refreshing with out-of-the-box curvy designs that offered it a distinct styling and presence on the road. The interiors are spacy with good fit and finish and the central console features are good and easy to use. The design definitely lacks flair and luxury but then do not forget the price you are paying for the Nano small car is way less than its competitors in the market.
Now, the initial woes that the engine does not offer decent power, was covered with the refreshed version of the hatch and the power output figure was taken from 35bhp to the latest being 37.5bhp. The initial lack of space in terms of interiors was also covered with the introduction of glove boxes. Tata has been constantly working to upgrade its small car alongside the marketing strategies which at first proved fatal for the car. When Tata wanted to market the Nano hatchback as the ‘The people’s car’ and most affordable hatchback against competition, the marketing strategies portrayed it as,’ poor man’s car’ because of which the status conscious Indian could not adapt to the revolutionary concept and Nano failed to realize its full potential as the momentum got lost in initial years.
Since then, the company has been working on not only in terms of refreshing the hatch but also in terms of marketing strategies on an entirely new concept. The Indian auto major launched a new marketing strategy wherein the customers can buy the car with the swipe of a card online! The radical product from the house of Tata, Nano’s new marketing strategy seems extremely innovative and is attracting a lot of attention. The world has definitely gone online and e-shopping has gained momentum here in India too, but purchasing a car online was a thought, nobody came up with, so far. The buyers of Nano can pay, book as well as pay the booking amount online. The Nano hatch will either be delivered at their doorstep or can be driven home from the nearest Tata showroom.
All these innovative technologies and marketing strategies alongside the persistence of the Indian auto major can surely help Tata Nano gain customer confidence in the market provided, people are ready to forget the initial woes and accept the product as an upgrader from two-wheeler to the world of four wheelers.
Story sourced from www.cardekho.com