Image (Tata Nano Europa) for illustrative purpose only
Autocar India reports Tata Motors will reopen bookings for the Tata Nano nationwide on August 15. Bookings have been declared open on August 3rd in Kerala predicting strong demand for this car before the Onam festival in the state.
The company began production of the Nano at the mother plant in Sanand, Gujarat earlier in June and has been working constantly to increase production since then.
Tata Motors, according to Autocar India, hopes to boost volumes to 20,000 Nanos a month by March 2011, which will make it the second largest car manufacturer in our country.
With the main Sanand plant, which has an annual capacity of 2,50,00 Nanos, beginning its production in full-swing, Tata announced that the Nano would be readily available at showrooms and customers car walk into a showroom and drive out with a Tata Nano from August onwards.
When Carwale contacted Tata inquiring about this development, Tata (was playing safe) denied the fact that current bookings are open and the company has to deliver the Nanos for over 1,00,000 customers who are waiting for their Nanos. Tata has delivered around 37,500 Nanos till now and would be looking to clear its order backlog soon.
Contradicting Tata’s announcement, a Tata dealer in New Delhi says -
The base model is almost readily available. You can book today and take the delivery tomorrow. If booked today, the top-end model can be delivered in 15-20 days
When further questioned about how they can deliver cars to new customers when there over a lakh who are waiting for their Nano, the dealer said the new bookings are being done by ‘management quota’. That is, the new customer has to write to Tata requesting his/her Nano.
What we feel is that Tata is trying to balance between its customers who are patiently waiting for their Nanos and its new customers. Tata wouldn’t want prospective Nano buyers entering showrooms to get turned off by Tata’s inability to cater to new bookings. We think Tata while trying to clear its order backlog could also be letting out a marginal number of Nanos for new customers, who Tata can’t afford to lose.
Tata Motors has made it official after so many speculative dates and rumors. The Tata Nano will be launched on March 23 at a special function in Mumbai. The car will be displayed across showrooms in India starting on the 1st week of April and bookings will commence the following week.
Details about how to book the car will be discussed during the function on the 23rd. Watch this space for more information.
The first units of Tata Nano will roll out from Tata’s Pantnagar facility by the end of February this year. While the engines and gearboxes for the Nano will be built at Tata’s plant in Pune, the final assembly will take place at the Pantnagar plant upon shipment.
At the 4th Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors’ Summit (VGGIS) 2009, held on 12th & 13th January 2009 at Science City, Ahmedabad, the ‘World’s Cheapest Car’ – Tata Nano was on display- in a bid to manifest one of its greatest achievements (by being home to Tata Motors’ mother plant) till date. Ratan Tata’s Rs 1 lakh car Nano, was among the 227 stalls which were a part of the exhibition.
