[directinjection]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

The one litre Esteem was also about 45hp, the 1.3 carburetted was about 68, and the FI version of the 1.3 was about 80.

IIRC, the correct figures are 45, 65 and 85.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by GTO

Rather than lack of power, the reason is a 1st gear that's too tall for the size of the engine.

No, I don't think that's it. I made a point of reconfirming today, first gear doesn't encourage you to stay there for too long, one needs to move to second asap as in other cars. There seems to be a flat spot at starting/low rpms. I find the same in third when coming on to moderate city inclines, where the car seems to lose some drive. Reminds me of my otherwise excellent, i20 1.2 petrol, now sold.

Needs an ECU remap.

In fact I think this is one thing Tata could look at - a bolt on performance kit, to improve in gear drivability even beyond what is it today, decent enough though that is in the current car. The car can do better than just keep up with city traffic.

[msaudf]

Originally Posted by Sesh2000

After reading the review on the first few pages, I was a bit deflated to read about the Nano's [in]ability to negotiate higher gradients, especially from a stationary position.

I have seen several Tata Nanos in Kodaikanal, Ooty, Wayanad etc which are all hill stations in South India with pretty steep inclined roads and even spoke to a group of nano owners who were on their way to Kodaikanal and they said the nano takes inclines and ghat section roads without much trouble, but admitted to find some difficulty in taking off from stationary on very steep inclines and it take some practice to get moving if stuck in those situations. A good condition clutch will ease the issue is what they say, but putting the car in such a situation repeatedly had ruined the clutch of several cars. They said the Key is to keep the car rolling, simple!

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by msaudf

They said the Key is to keep the car rolling, simple!

Hard thing to do, in stop/start traffic with no median strip, in the hills.

[Sawyer]

Another view of the Nano interiors...with a new driver orientation under way!

[Sawyer]

First full tank to full tank FE, AC on all the time in relatively uncongested Pune city driving is 18.2 km/litre. I expect this to get better as the car runs in, but even if it doesn't, this is enough to be icing on the Nano cake.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

... first gear doesn't encourage you to stay there for too long, one needs to move to second asap as in other cars...

Wait till you have completed your running in. I can revv harder and higher than most other cars in almost every gear. The Nano loves to be revved. Did I tell you about pushing the speed to 60kmph in second gear? I couldn't do that in my Santro - and Santro is a huge 1100cc torque beast compared to the Nano!

Originally Posted by msaudf

... and they said the nano takes inclines and ghat section roads without much trouble, but admitted to find some difficulty in taking off from stationary on very steep inclines and it take some practice to get moving if stuck in those situations. A good condition clutch will ease the issue is what they say, but putting the car in such a situation repeatedly had ruined the clutch of several cars. They said the Key is to keep the car rolling, simple!

Isn't that true of any car?

[Sawyer]

I shall look forward to the running in completion. And, as I do for all new cars, an oil and filter change at 1000kms.

Just wondering - do all free revving engines tend to also be low on torque compared to others of the same size/power, that may not rev so freely? Or, if that isn't the case, do they tend to produce their max torque at higher rpms? Perhaps this is behind the grade ability issue being discussed earlier.

[S.MJet]

Nano coming with power steering & CNG option this year.

Cyrus Mistry at Tata Motors AGM
"We are now focusing on making Nano a smart city car & targeting young customers. We are coming out with power steering options with improved interiors & exteriors and better fuel efficiency"

Link to news
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/21961325.cms

[Sawyer]

Interesting, and seems to be what the ad campaigns are doing now. However what is needed to sell 20k units a month is to go after all the segments that the Nano can address, including the rural ones. No single segment will bring in those volumes.
As to other improvements, they are also welcome, but they will result in the price point getting even closer to the competition, and will involve a battle for market share.
Good luck to Tata though, the car deserves to succeed, that's for sure.

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by S.MJet

Nano coming with power steering & CNG option this year.
Cyrus Mistry at Tata Motors AGM "We are now focusing on making Nano a smart city car & targeting young customers. We are coming out with power steering options with improved interiors & exteriors and better fuel efficiency..."

Wasn't the CNG Nano launched in the Horizonext event in Mid-June?

Apart form power steering they could also add a few more features to make it feel abit more like a smart city car. And if they could somehow manage to bring in the Automatic version then it'd massively affect sales.

[///RMan]

Originally Posted by S.MJet

Nano coming with power steering & CNG option this year.

Cyrus Mistry at Tata Motors AGM
"We are now focusing on making Nano a smart city car & targeting young customers. We are coming out with power steering options with improved interiors & exteriors and better fuel efficiency"

Link to news
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/21961325.cms

Indeed Mr Mistry said that the Nano will be positioned and marketed in a higher segment that will help it move out of the '1 Lac Car' mindset which has sadly set in the people.

Also he said that the other Tata products will be freshly designed and specifically said that niggles in Indica, Indigo are being worked upon intensively and will be rectified.
On being asked why the tail lamps of cars are same, he answered they will be redesigned too

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by ///RMan

Indeed Mr Mistry said that the Nano will be positioned and marketed in a higher segment that will help it move out of the '1 Lac Car' mindset which has sadly set in the people.

They would definitely have to change the name and the shape of the car as a part of the re-positioning because people are bound to say, "Hey, isn't it just a Nano?"

Assuming the cost of adding an automatic transmission is Rs.40k, they should be able to sell a Tata 'Smart' for under Rs.3 lakh with other goodies. Remember how those gear-less scooters became dominant and no one wanted the old gear scooters any more? I don't mean to say that would happen to cars too, but sometimes people do prefer convenience over economy in the lower segments.

[hellmet]

Another source for the same piece of news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23792196

Very glad to see power steering finally arrive on the Nano. The other item in my wishlist has been disc brakes up front. Would also be extremely happy to see the diesel version out soon. Icing on the cake would be an automatic diesel, but boy do I have wishes !

[MARCUS_520i]

Good evening everyone!

I'm not sure as to whether the following has been posted on this thread before or not, but this evening, I saw a nano with a slightly different badging than usual. It was at the rear next to the LHS tail lamps and read "TCS Special".

Also attaching a picture of the same. Very very poor lighting conditions and a not-so-great mobile camera, hence the blur. Anyone knows about the 'speciality' of this one?