[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by VeluM

Why?

1) In my eyes it looks incredibly tacky. (As does the Kwids 3 bolt wheel.) And Tata has to correct an image problem.

2) Trying to take the car mainstream. Do the same for its rims! More aftermarket choices!

Regards
Sutripta

[Viju]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

How much would you pay for one?

Assuming the specs are somewhere between the current Nano and Tiago, I expect the price to be somewhere in between as well. I would gladly pay that kind of money, for what I feel is a brilliant city run-about, compared to other cars in the same price bracket.

[Sutripta]

^^^
You and I would, but most people won't if there is even a whiff of Nano association (name, looks, whatever) with it. And given its rear engine rear drive setup, no way one can disassociate it from the Nano. Unfortunately.

Regards
Sutripta

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

^^^
You and I would, but most people won't if there is even a whiff of Nano association (name, looks, whatever) with it. And given its rear engine rear drive setup, no way one can disassociate it from the Nano. Unfortunately.

Regards
Sutripta

I don't think it is just the Nano name. I am all for liking the car but when I had the opportunity of living with one for a couple of days, ended up absolutely hating it for the terrible vibrations and pathetic performance. Even in the city with the Nano's blindspots, I found that I could nip in and out of traffic just as easily in my Wagon R and on open stretches actually cover some distance and make up time which the Nano just doesn't allow you to do. Had a bent rim as well and that was when I realised how un-intuitively designed and placed the jack and tools were. The gearlever felt worse than trying to drive with a PS3 controller. Overall the car did not live up to any of my expectations from a modern car. You know that feeling when you get out of your hatchback and into a D2 Segment sedan and then back into your hatchback? I do cause I often switch between the WagonR and Kizashi. Surprisingly, though I never thought it was possible, I got the same feeling when I gave the Nano back and hopped into my WagonR The car felt leaps and bounds ahead in terms of steering, braking, refinement, power, noise levels etc. So for some people it is not the Nano name but the relative closeness to an auto with AC (Completely understand that this might be the result of having to price it so low) than to a car (atleast what we have come to expect is a car). Hope they sort these basic things out with the Pelican; noise, less vibration, more seat comfort, disc brakes, atleast ten more horses and just a better feeling ride, would do wonders to its sales. I believe there are a lot of people like me out there who know their cars yet still cannot stand the Nano for the similar reasons and are willing to pay more for a basic limited usage entry level product just to get something more car-like.

[Majumdarda]

Any possible / probable launching dates as yet? Read someone posting that the model has been seen doing the rounds in Katraj (might be). In that case, I think its probably on the very last stages before making an official entry.

[silverado]

Tata is not going to give up on Nano yet. With bigger wheels I am expecting a more absorbent suspension. Also with bigger engine, we should finally see disc brakes at front and maybe ABS as well.

I hope they have corrected the positioning of wiper this time when it is in resting position.

I hope they don't leave anything as far as features are concerned, since with kwid people have started expecting a lot more from lower end of market as well.

Being a proud owner of Nano since last 5.5 years, I am happy to see Tata Motors being positive about Nano and taking it a level higher.

[apachelongbow]

I drove the Nano for a week (replacement car) when between my Safari and the Storme. I found it a honest car. Just like the Alto. Does what is needed. Feels fit for the price it's our mistake if we search for highway performance or cornering power or big car feel in it. People do drive it across highways but people drive 100cc mopeds to Leh as well. For me, I wouldn't drive any hatchback on the highway, simply put, too flimsy and too unsafe.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I don't think it is just the Nano name.
...
I believe there are a lot of people like me out there who know their cars yet still cannot stand the Nano for the similar reasons and are willing to pay more for a basic limited usage entry level product just to get something more car-like.

We were not talking of the current Nano (of which everybody seems to have a different take) but of a "attainable dream" near future Nano.

Regards
Sutripta

[Majumdarda]

Its been a long time and I see no new updates with regards to the probable new Nano Avatar. Was there any more spotting of this testing mule? Any further observations.

[basubhatta]

I have a Nano XTA 2015 model. When people ask me about the price and I say 3.5L OTR, the first thing EVERYONE says "Why didn't you go for an Alto?". It immediately turns me off. I purchased it after knowing everything about Alto. Still I believe it is better in many areas comparing the Alto (discussed in several forums, it also lacks in several areas). I really enjoy driving this small car. But general people (many of them are car owners) do not respect this car as well as the owner of this car. No matter whatever TATA does with Nano, the perception perhaps will not change. Therefore, it is wise to launch a new design with a new name. Spy pics of Pelican confirm many changes in positive direction. Hope the exterior will also get a new jacket with front engine configuration.

[ashutoshb]

It looks like what I always wanted the Nano to be. A better engine without the two cylinder's autorickshaw noise, bigger wheels that look so much more proportionate now and much much better interiors.

And here lies the Pelican's problem. Because it shares the body frame with the Nano, no matter what they may call it, people will always look at it as an upgraded Nano.

Assuming that they are targeting the Alto and the Kwid-RediGo siblings, it already looks difficult. A lower price, in my opinion, will be of no help here.

Maybe, better performance, more features, gizmos at the same price as the competition, can do the trick.

[shashanka]

Going through the various posts in this thread, one gets the feeling that, despite the general negativity about the Nano there is an underlying section of the public who dearly want to love the Nano, if only......

I am firmly in this corner and I too am rooting for the Nano's new avatar. All the suggestions in this thread from the members are perfectly valid, and one sincerely hopes that the boffins at Tata - like those at M&M - take public feedback seriously, at least as far as the Pelican goes. I have just one reservation - please dont play around with engine location & drive train layout. Rear engine, rear wheel drive in a small runabout - this is something that speaks to the deeps in me, and I'm sure to many other buffs of my vintage.

The Renault Dauphin & the Fiat 500 are fresh in my mind (both were owned, in succession, by one of the teachers - the well loved Mr. Daniels - in our school, St. Joseph's, Allahabad, in the sixties). And it would be a fabulous coup (of sorts) for Tata Motors to resuscitate - successfully, one hopes! - this lay-out. Specially when one sees the sorry inevitability of it all - when even the venerable Beetle has gone the way of all flesh - from being that rear engine/RWD icon to the current horror with water cooling & FWD!

[im_srini]

Originally Posted by shashanka

I have just one reservation - please don't play around with engine location & drive train layout.
Rear engine, rear wheel drive in a small runabout - this is something that speaks to the deeps in me, and I'm sure to many other buffs of my vintage.
...
The Renault Dauphin & the Fiat 500 are fresh in my mind.
...
Specially when one sees the sorry inevitability of it all - when even the venerable Beetle has gone the way of all flesh - from being that rear engine/RWD icon to the current horror with water cooling & FWD!

I have to admit that I do not see the fascination of those who wish to see a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, city runabout.
Having an engine at the back complicates a lot of things, like cooling, & having to convey the controls to the clutch & the accelerator all the way to the rear, & having the fuel tank at the front.
The cars being reminisced about had much lower power densities & could even make do with air cooling.
I hate to break it to the people who think that being rear-wheel-drive makes the Nano a BMW - it does not !
Even our everyday 'ricks' are air-cooled & rear-engined, that does not make them Porsches; there's nothing great about it.
So let's not weigh down the engineers by nostalgia & instead hope for better, & perhaps conventional, engineering.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by im_srini

I have to admit that I do not see the fascination of those who wish to see a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, city runabout.
Having an engine at the back complicates a lot of things, like cooling, & having to convey the controls to the clutch & the accelerator all the way to the rear, & having the fuel tank at the front.
The cars being reminisced about had much lower power densities & could even make do with air cooling.
I hate to break it to the people who think that being rear-wheel-drive makes the Nano a BMW - it does not !
Even our everyday 'ricks' are air-cooled & rear-engined, that does not make them Porsches; there's nothing great about it.
So let's not weigh down the engineers by nostalgia & instead hope for better, & perhaps conventional, engineering.

Sorry, old chap but I beg to differ - air-cooling, rear-engined, RWD lay-outs have been around since before I (& possibly you) have been around - Porsche(as you mentioned), Tatra, VW(the original Ferdinand Porsche design) among many others.

The current obsession with FWD runabouts (abominations, pardon me) since Issigonis' Mini are nothing but doffing the hat to packaging convenience & aggregate-assembly economics. They have little to do with either engineering integrity, durability or reliability. Agile handling perhaps (and that too restricted to WB <2.5 mtrs) but not much more.

Their mfrs. only mantra is to lead the public up the garden path with a lot of hot air & gobbledegook while exploiting the obsession of a large percentage of urban buyers (nothing wrong with this, let me assure you!) with replacing the current model in the garage with another clone every couple of years. With the mfrs. laughing all the way to the bank !

[WorkingGuru]

You have a point. Being "impressed" with rear engine for unreal reasons is unnecessary. It's simply an engineering solution/choice for such a light car.

Rear engine makes the rear heavier, and engine can push forward a tiny bit better comparatively if the 623cc engine was in the front which, results in good traction when climbing uphill.

Btw, The fuel tank is below the passenger seat, not in front of the car.

Although Nano is a 7-8yr old product, they've improved it properly with facelifts. I seriously doubt there'll be a Nano replacement for the next 5 years.