If you are thinking which the cheapest car in the world is, it definitely has to be the Tata Nano. This article concentrates on the least expensive car in the world…
A promise is a promise – Ratan Naval Tata
Generally, a majority of car enthusiasts discuss the fastest and costliest cars in the world. And this brings up brand names such as Porsche, Audi, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, DaimlerChrysler, BMW just to name a few. However, there has not been much talked about the cheapest car in the world.
Couple of years ago, Tata Motors, an Indian company, launched a car that is considered the cheapest car on the planet. This long-awaited car is named as the Tata Nano, about which you can read on in the following.
The Tata Nano
Owing to the price of this car by Tata, the Tata Nano is also referred to as the people’s car. Its debut was held in the much awaited Auto Expo on January 11, 2008 in New Delhi, the capital of India. However, its commercial release was dated on March 23, 2009.
Considering the price of this small car, it has been said that the Nano has fulfilled the dreams of many Indians who wanted to own a car. You would be surprised to know that in just a period from 9th April to 25th April, there had been more than 200,000 bookings.
Features and Characteristics of the Tata Nano
The Tata Nano is a mini car which has a 2 cylinder, 624 cc petrol engine which gives out a power of 35 hp. It has its engine in the rear. The Tata Nano has a 4-speed manual transmission.
It is claimed that the fuel economy of this small car comes to around 51.7 miles per gallon when driven on city roads and about 61.1 mpg on the highway under standard conditions. Along with being the least expensive, it is also considered the most fuel-efficient car in India.
As per test results, it reaches 37 mph in 9 seconds, with a top speed of about 65 mph. It is also believed that somewhere near September 2010, a diesel variant would be made available with a 690 cc engine.
How Much is the Cheapest Car in the World?
Before being offered to the public, it was reported that the Nano will be available for a price tag of rupees 100,000 (approximately $2,000). However, due to rising prices of materials involved in production, Tata Motors opted for increasing the price a bit.
The basic model Tata Nano Std was made available for around $2,600; the deluxe Tata Nano CX for about $3,200; and the luxury Tata Nano LX for approximately $3,700. A well advanced variant of the Nano was launched in 2009, which is known as Nano Europa.
Due to prominent add-on features, it will be available in the UK and Europe for somewhere around $6,000. In March 2010, the company launched the electric version of the Nano, which makes it the cheapest electric car in the world. This version is more likely to be in the $5,000 price range.
Other Least Expensive Cars in the World
- Chery QQ – $4,781
- Maruti 800 – $4,994
- Geely MR – $5,500
- Geely HQ SRV – $5,780
- Chery A1 – $7,394
- Tata Indica – $8,894
- Hyundai i10 – $9,096
- Fiat Palio – $9,242
- Renault Logan – $9,477
Considering the price of the Tata Nano, it has been included in the Guinness World Records for the least expensive production car. Many other car manufacturers are also planning to produce mini cars which will particularly be targeted to middle class consumers.
Hence, we can conclude that the cheapest car in the world is undoubtedly the Tata Nano. Note that the above mentioned car prices are approximated figures which may change over time.