The Tata Nano coverage on Indian Autos Blog was unlike any other blog or magazine and during our visit to the car's press conference at the Taj Mahal Hotel, we could talk to the R&D heads of Tata Motors backstage, where the idea of this rendering originated, represented here by our reader Baji.
One of them, Dr.Clive Hickman, Managing Director, Tata Motors European Technical Centre told us how he always wished the Indian Nano as a two-door car and how Ratan Tata almost immediately every time was against it.
Dr.Clive Hickman spoke to us for a lengthy duration during the cocktail party at the Mumbai Gymkhana grounds the same night when the car was formally announced. It was then Dr.Hickman told us there would be a number of variants of the Nano, but refused to talk more about it.
So here we have one certain variant. If not in India, this car will be sold in Europe with a bigger engine. This could be a cheaper alternative to the Toyota iQ, Smart Fortwo. With a 3-cylinder engine, the car could be more powerful and fun to drive. The ESP, ABS, Airbags are thrown in for good measure, so the car becomes more safer.
The 2-door version could also have leather seats and accessories/comfort that is lacking on the Indian version. The addition of a power steering is certain and so are Pirelli alloy wheels that were present on the Tata Nano Europa.
Frankly a two-door Nano cannot look different than the rendering above as there is very little room for design improvisation. The wheels and colors might be different, but if you strip two doors of it, it should look more or less like this car.
