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Indian automaker Tata had planned to enter the European market with an upscale version of the world’s cheapest car, known as the Tata Nano Europa. Instead, it seems Tata will hold off on its European conquest until it develops this, the Tata Pixel, a shortened (112 inch-long, 1,653 lbs!), coupe-ified Nano. Autocar reports
Group chairman Ratan Tata says the car will partly replace the previously proposed Nano Europa, once its concept-only swing doors are replaced by two conventional doors and engineering of instrumentation and controls is completed.
Don’t expect the gullwing doors or iPad-alike instrumentation to make it into production, but the Pixel will remain a four-seater and features improved handling and NVH characteristics compared to the Nano. What’s not clear is whether the Pixel’s hyper-rotating wheels will make it to market, and whether they would be likely to cause an accident in the event of a steering overcorrection. Meanwhile, despite a lingering fire problem, the Nano is now selling around 9k units per month in India, and Malaysia is on tap as the vehicle’s first export market. Whether Tata can leverage the underpinnings of its radical low-cost car for a competitive mature-market offering is still very much an open question…
Right now, the Indian market is waiting for the Nano diesel. Although average fuel economy is in the range of 40+mpg (US), it is still too expensive for its target motorbike market that is used to significantly higher mileage. The diesel should help address that by improving fuel efficiency and helping lower operating costs as diesel is around 20% cheaper than gasoline in India. It is expected to feature a turbo in conjunction with direct injection, but it will increase the price of the car by around $1000. Target average mileage is expected to be around 55mpg US. ETA is Q4 of this year.
Pretty handsome little unit, even if it’s a concept. Would it make sense to relax certain safety standards for micro-cars like this? After all, motorcycles don’t have rollover protection, side-guard door beams, 5-mph bumpers, etc.
That steering is brilliant…
These cars are cute, but they need my auto safety bumper invention.
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