Now for the part about our test drive report that is the most awaited of all. Unlike what was being rumoured, the Nano has a surprisingly refined and capable 624cc petrol engine. The engine does not sound like that of an autorickshaw or a genset and is also not too strained when pushed during heavy acceleration.
Of course, the two-cylinder, MPFI engine, with a rated peak power of 35 PS, is tuned and mapped for fuel efficient performance. Its top speed has also been limited at 105 kmph with the help of an engine-rpm sensor and fuel cut-off mechanism. The fuel is cut-off at 5,600 rpm and fuel delivery is restarted once the engine rpm fall below the 5,550 rpm level.
I thoroughly enjoyed driving the Nano with relatively smooth linear power delivery and impressive straight line acceleration that took the speedo all the way to the top speed, our test vehicle proved that it is a fully capable car. In-gear top speeds were about 60 kmph plus in the second gear, about 94 kmph in the third and a 105 kmph in the fourth.
The Nano felt stable and quite confident at high speeds and though frankly, it would be ideal to avoid high speed travel in such compact cars, the Nano is clearly more than a match in the entry-level segment.
Tata engineers tell me that the most work had to be done in quietening the engine, without affecting its fuel-efficiency and performance characteristics. The exhaust note of the Nano is just like that of a regular gasoline engine with a bit of a burble. That has apparently been achieved after a considerable level of compact packaging of the muffler, since the length and space available was short due to the position of the engine. The in-cabin noise level is also relatively low and it has been achieved with the help of very simple, low-cost insulation, padding and noise-dampening materials.
The Nano’s engine has been mated to a four-speed cable-operated synchromesh gearbox. The gear stick is a bit tall in keeping with the seating position and the precise throw and clear shift quality of the gearbox came as a surprise to me. There is no notchy, sticky shift feel to this gearbox and the overall experience is quite pleasant and will be appreciated by first time women drivers.
Showing posts with label user views. Show all posts
Showing posts with label user views. Show all posts
Higher Claims and Reinsurance on Nano - Review
Higher loss claims and the possibility of non-proportionate reinsurance being factored into insurance policies taken for the Tata Nano, cannot be ruled out. This may necessitate the five insurance companies insuring the Nano to review the annual premiums that are currently expected to be in the range of 2.5 to 3 per cent of the insured declared value (IDC) of the model when it rolls out from the factory.
First time drivers graduating from two-wheelers, a larger expected commercial usage of the vehicle due to its low-ticket value, may increase the accident frequency. This may raise the possibility of higher loss claims accruing to insurers and consequent higher overhead expenses due to the low price of the Nano.
“Accident impact, availability of spare parts to replace those damaged, driver’s profile, the acquisition cost of a customer and the administrative cost of the insurer will vary from one insurance company to another.
If the combined ratio including claims and expenses of a company is about 95 per cent, then an insurer can make a margin or remain cost neutral. Otherwise he will suffer a loss,” Director of KPMG India, Shashwat Sharma told Express.
“The Nano will be used as a family car and not for commercial purposes. Hence, its risk profile will be attractive to insurance companies,” clarified Head-Motor Insurance, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company, Easwaranatarajan N.
ICICI Lombard is one of the insurers for the Nano.
While ruling out the possibility of a proportionate reinsurance due to the low-ticket size of the car, Sharma felt that nonproportionate reinsurance needed to be factored into the insurance policy. This would raise the premium cost to about 3.5 per cent of the IDV of the car.
But since most of the motor vehicles on the roads already carried insurance policies inclusive of non-proportionate reinsurance, oblivious to the policyholder, this was on expected lines.
A non-proportionate reinsurance cover encompasses all catastrophic events such as a flood, riots or an earthquake with the second insurer sharing the risk in case of a mass damage, to about 200 vehicles for instance, insured by the original insurer. In reinsurance, an insurance company passes part of its risk to another insurer if it is unable to absorb the entire risk itself.
But industry experts differed stating that reinsurance was expensive and not necessary for the Nano. Others felt that the insurance sector survived on the likelihood of unforeseen events occurring.
While not ruling out the possibility of reinsurance in case of Nano, Director, Crisil Ratings, Pawan Agrawal said: “It is primarily large industrial installations with huge risk exposures which take reinsurance cover. Even in the automotive sector, for a higher priced model like the Mercedes Benz it is viable, but Nano carries no large risk. Moreover, all the owners are not going to meet with an accident together.”
source:Expressbuzz.com
First time drivers graduating from two-wheelers, a larger expected commercial usage of the vehicle due to its low-ticket value, may increase the accident frequency. This may raise the possibility of higher loss claims accruing to insurers and consequent higher overhead expenses due to the low price of the Nano.
“Accident impact, availability of spare parts to replace those damaged, driver’s profile, the acquisition cost of a customer and the administrative cost of the insurer will vary from one insurance company to another.
If the combined ratio including claims and expenses of a company is about 95 per cent, then an insurer can make a margin or remain cost neutral. Otherwise he will suffer a loss,” Director of KPMG India, Shashwat Sharma told Express.
“The Nano will be used as a family car and not for commercial purposes. Hence, its risk profile will be attractive to insurance companies,” clarified Head-Motor Insurance, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company, Easwaranatarajan N.
ICICI Lombard is one of the insurers for the Nano.
While ruling out the possibility of a proportionate reinsurance due to the low-ticket size of the car, Sharma felt that nonproportionate reinsurance needed to be factored into the insurance policy. This would raise the premium cost to about 3.5 per cent of the IDV of the car.
But since most of the motor vehicles on the roads already carried insurance policies inclusive of non-proportionate reinsurance, oblivious to the policyholder, this was on expected lines.
A non-proportionate reinsurance cover encompasses all catastrophic events such as a flood, riots or an earthquake with the second insurer sharing the risk in case of a mass damage, to about 200 vehicles for instance, insured by the original insurer. In reinsurance, an insurance company passes part of its risk to another insurer if it is unable to absorb the entire risk itself.
But industry experts differed stating that reinsurance was expensive and not necessary for the Nano. Others felt that the insurance sector survived on the likelihood of unforeseen events occurring.
While not ruling out the possibility of reinsurance in case of Nano, Director, Crisil Ratings, Pawan Agrawal said: “It is primarily large industrial installations with huge risk exposures which take reinsurance cover. Even in the automotive sector, for a higher priced model like the Mercedes Benz it is viable, but Nano carries no large risk. Moreover, all the owners are not going to meet with an accident together.”
source:Expressbuzz.com
Tata Nano Exterior Reviews
There are few examples of an automobile that is as sharply focused on one issue as is the Nano on frugality - of manufacture, of acquisition and of regular maintenance.
And so, every single part of the car was approached with a fresh intent and without the pre-fixed notion of how it already exists in other cars. The idea was to keep the weight of the car low, so that it can offer high fuel-efficiency, meet emission norms and be capable of being manufactured within the pre-defined cost. These points were also important to ensure that the theme of frugality can be extended to include low cost of ownership.
To meet these targets, first Tata engineers chose a hybrid-monocoque chassis for the Nano. Compared to the conventional monocoque chassis used in most modern cars, in the Nano, the light-weight frame and sub-frame, together with long members for additional rigidity have been welded to the monocoque body shell. This has helped keep the Nano’s panels lean and light-weight, without compromising the small car’s safety record. The Nano meets front impact and side impact collision requirements.
Tata engineers have also used other innovative low-cost/ low-weight features like the ribbed panel for the roof and the stiff cross-member located just behind the driver and co-driver seats for improved rigidity and side-impact protection.
Some of the other parts that were compacted or miniaturised include a specially developed tiny fuel pump, a smaller than average 80 cc, rotary-vane compressor for the air-conditioner and a compact outside rear view mirror. The mirror itself is fixed to the door mounted stalk using a simple ball and socket joint so that it can take knocks on our crowded streets without breaking up.
The Nano’s frugality focus has also meant that every ounce of efficiency has been squeezed out of every part. That has been the reason for the choice of 12-inch light-weight steel wheel rims, tubeless tyres because they offer lower rolling resistance and are nowadays only as expensive as ‘tubed’ radials, and that has also been the reason why the fuel tank capacity of the Nano has been kept at a compact 15-litres. Small cars like Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai Santro and Maruti 800 have a turning radius of above 4.4m and in the case of Spark and Santro, even aided with a power steering. Nano has a tighter turning radius of 4m, so most drivers will not miss power steering in the Nano.
The compact size of the Nano has not meant that its payload capacity is compromised. It is rated to carry four adults and luggage weighing a total of 300 kgs. Fully loaded, the Nano is only slightly heavier than the unladen Santro. The Nano is not offered with a few features like the left hand side outer rear view mirror. It is an optional dealer-level fitment even in the CX and LX variants.
But, one of the features that it has managed to do away with again due to ingenious frugal engineering is the need for a headlamp-levelling system. It would have led to added costs. By fine tuning the suspension dynamics to ensure that there is no change in the angle and alignment of the headlamp beam due to uneven distribution of weight in the car, Tata engineers have ensured that the Nano be exempt from incorporating headlamp-levelling.
With a rear-mounted engine, the Nano also features some very unique positions for key, heavy parts to keep the weight distribution within a 40:60 ratio between the front and rear. As a result, the battery is located right below the driver’s seat and the fuel tank is located below and just behind the co-driver’s seat. Further, to ensure that the stability and handling of the Nano is not compromised, the car has been given wider 155/65 tyres at the rear, compared to the 135/70 at the front.
And so, every single part of the car was approached with a fresh intent and without the pre-fixed notion of how it already exists in other cars. The idea was to keep the weight of the car low, so that it can offer high fuel-efficiency, meet emission norms and be capable of being manufactured within the pre-defined cost. These points were also important to ensure that the theme of frugality can be extended to include low cost of ownership.
To meet these targets, first Tata engineers chose a hybrid-monocoque chassis for the Nano. Compared to the conventional monocoque chassis used in most modern cars, in the Nano, the light-weight frame and sub-frame, together with long members for additional rigidity have been welded to the monocoque body shell. This has helped keep the Nano’s panels lean and light-weight, without compromising the small car’s safety record. The Nano meets front impact and side impact collision requirements.
Tata engineers have also used other innovative low-cost/ low-weight features like the ribbed panel for the roof and the stiff cross-member located just behind the driver and co-driver seats for improved rigidity and side-impact protection.
Some of the other parts that were compacted or miniaturised include a specially developed tiny fuel pump, a smaller than average 80 cc, rotary-vane compressor for the air-conditioner and a compact outside rear view mirror. The mirror itself is fixed to the door mounted stalk using a simple ball and socket joint so that it can take knocks on our crowded streets without breaking up.
The Nano’s frugality focus has also meant that every ounce of efficiency has been squeezed out of every part. That has been the reason for the choice of 12-inch light-weight steel wheel rims, tubeless tyres because they offer lower rolling resistance and are nowadays only as expensive as ‘tubed’ radials, and that has also been the reason why the fuel tank capacity of the Nano has been kept at a compact 15-litres. Small cars like Chevrolet Spark, Hyundai Santro and Maruti 800 have a turning radius of above 4.4m and in the case of Spark and Santro, even aided with a power steering. Nano has a tighter turning radius of 4m, so most drivers will not miss power steering in the Nano.
The compact size of the Nano has not meant that its payload capacity is compromised. It is rated to carry four adults and luggage weighing a total of 300 kgs. Fully loaded, the Nano is only slightly heavier than the unladen Santro. The Nano is not offered with a few features like the left hand side outer rear view mirror. It is an optional dealer-level fitment even in the CX and LX variants.
But, one of the features that it has managed to do away with again due to ingenious frugal engineering is the need for a headlamp-levelling system. It would have led to added costs. By fine tuning the suspension dynamics to ensure that there is no change in the angle and alignment of the headlamp beam due to uneven distribution of weight in the car, Tata engineers have ensured that the Nano be exempt from incorporating headlamp-levelling.
With a rear-mounted engine, the Nano also features some very unique positions for key, heavy parts to keep the weight distribution within a 40:60 ratio between the front and rear. As a result, the battery is located right below the driver’s seat and the fuel tank is located below and just behind the co-driver’s seat. Further, to ensure that the stability and handling of the Nano is not compromised, the car has been given wider 155/65 tyres at the rear, compared to the 135/70 at the front.
Tata Nano Interiors Review
Much has already been written about the Nano’s vital statistics in terms of interior space compared to its nearest rival – the Maruti 800. But, it still does take you by surprise when you get to sit inside the Nano and personally get a feel of the space that has been leveraged out of a tall, relatively narrow outer shell.
There is considerable headroom and the fact that there is no engine under bonnet in the front helps the Nano offer deep foot wells and so lots of legroom for front passengers. At 1,652mm, the Nano is about 6 cms taller than the Hyundai Santro Xing, the tall-boy of small cars and it is also wider than both the small cars.
With the engine being positioned at the rear and just above the rear axle, the extremely stubby, short bonnet only houses the spare wheel and tyre, the air-conditioner condenser, air-conditioner’s air intake (in the LX and CX variants), the fuel filling point, and the tanks for the windscreen washer fluid and the brake fluid. There isn’t anymore space there and so no other storage option has been provided.
The Nano is a two-box car and is not a hatchback in the conventional sense of the term, since there is no hatch door to open out at the rear. In fact, though the rear of the Nano looks like it has an integrated hatch door, there are actually two parts – the rear glass and the rectangular, curved metal panel below it, both of which are fixed and bolted on. Access to the rear luggage storage area of 130 litres is via the back seat. Fold down the rear seat and the parcel tray fixed to it and you can reach the luggage area. It is pretty simple to do, but is likely to be one of the points that will be most criticised. The process has to be repeated and another floor panel fixed with the help of six wing nuts have to be removed to gain access to the engine of the Nano.
So, for a regular top-up service or even simple diagnostics, the rear engine bay can be reached only this way. But, the rather awkward process has to be tolerated, since the Nano’s focus on low costs means many of these features that are taken for granted in other hatchbacks cannot be carried forward in the One-lakh car.
There is considerable headroom and the fact that there is no engine under bonnet in the front helps the Nano offer deep foot wells and so lots of legroom for front passengers. At 1,652mm, the Nano is about 6 cms taller than the Hyundai Santro Xing, the tall-boy of small cars and it is also wider than both the small cars.
With the engine being positioned at the rear and just above the rear axle, the extremely stubby, short bonnet only houses the spare wheel and tyre, the air-conditioner condenser, air-conditioner’s air intake (in the LX and CX variants), the fuel filling point, and the tanks for the windscreen washer fluid and the brake fluid. There isn’t anymore space there and so no other storage option has been provided.
The Nano is a two-box car and is not a hatchback in the conventional sense of the term, since there is no hatch door to open out at the rear. In fact, though the rear of the Nano looks like it has an integrated hatch door, there are actually two parts – the rear glass and the rectangular, curved metal panel below it, both of which are fixed and bolted on. Access to the rear luggage storage area of 130 litres is via the back seat. Fold down the rear seat and the parcel tray fixed to it and you can reach the luggage area. It is pretty simple to do, but is likely to be one of the points that will be most criticised. The process has to be repeated and another floor panel fixed with the help of six wing nuts have to be removed to gain access to the engine of the Nano.
So, for a regular top-up service or even simple diagnostics, the rear engine bay can be reached only this way. But, the rather awkward process has to be tolerated, since the Nano’s focus on low costs means many of these features that are taken for granted in other hatchbacks cannot be carried forward in the One-lakh car.
Test Driving the Tata Nano Review
Before allowing me behind the wheel of a Tata Nano test car at Tata Motors’ engineering research center and high-speed testing center here two hours south of Mumbai, a team of engineers told the story of the car’s gestation.
Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, envisioned a safe, affordable and all-weather form of transport for Indian families that couldn’t afford a car. The vehicle Mr. Tata dreamed of would have a starting price of only 100,000 rupees ($2,000).
The engineering team was never short of ideas, said David Hudson of Tata Motors. For instance, they considered the use of plastic body panels and, in one case, having only one door on the driver’s side, he said.
But the fact is, the Nano is actually frighteningly conventional in its design, Mr. Hudson said. The Nano’s body and chassis are steel, while the bumpers are plastic. Only 122 inches long, the Nano is the shortest four-passenger car on sale in India, though it looks bigger than it is because of its height and wide stance.
The Nano has a 32-horsepower, 624-cc, 2-cylinder engine mounted in the rear. Access is given to the engine via a removable panel underneath the foldable rear seat. Despite being a fraction of the size of most economy-car engines, the all-aluminum engine provides reasonable pep. Engine noise is also far less than one might imagine given the size and simplicity of the Nano.
Acceleration is hardly neck-snapping. An informal timed run from zero to 50 miles an hour took 16.4 seconds; a Tata engineer said the company’s testing time is about one second faster.
The steering lacks power assistance but directs the car nicely. The turning circle of the Nano is undoubtedly one of its best parlor tricks: With a turning radius of only four meters, the Nano is nearly capable of doing a 360-degree turn in its own tiny shadow. Three models are available in India: the base, midlevel CX and the LX. With taxes and fees, the base runs about $2,200; the fully equipped LX is $3,360.
The majority of cars Tata provided for testing purposes were LX models, with features like air-conditioning, power brakes, and fancier seat and door-panel trim. On a 93-degree day, the A/C was much appreciated and had little measurable impact on acceleration.
The Nano is capable of seating four adults, but five hopped on board for a short run to gauge the performance difference with nearly 700 pounds of people on board. The Nano itself tips the scales at only 1,322 pounds, so acceleration naturally suffered. Yet the ride remained stable and comfortable.
Perhaps the most crucial test of the Nano came when Tata allowed a brief drive through the neighboring town of Pimpri. Weaving the Nano between lumbering trucks, auto rickshaws and pedestrians (not to mention the occasional goat and stray dog), the Nano didn’t miss a beat. Many fellow motorists took notice of India’s “People’s Car” out for a spin. A group of children cheered and waved as the Nano rolled through town.
HIGHLIGHTS
By Nick Kurczewski
Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, envisioned a safe, affordable and all-weather form of transport for Indian families that couldn’t afford a car. The vehicle Mr. Tata dreamed of would have a starting price of only 100,000 rupees ($2,000).
The engineering team was never short of ideas, said David Hudson of Tata Motors. For instance, they considered the use of plastic body panels and, in one case, having only one door on the driver’s side, he said.
But the fact is, the Nano is actually frighteningly conventional in its design, Mr. Hudson said. The Nano’s body and chassis are steel, while the bumpers are plastic. Only 122 inches long, the Nano is the shortest four-passenger car on sale in India, though it looks bigger than it is because of its height and wide stance.
The Nano has a 32-horsepower, 624-cc, 2-cylinder engine mounted in the rear. Access is given to the engine via a removable panel underneath the foldable rear seat. Despite being a fraction of the size of most economy-car engines, the all-aluminum engine provides reasonable pep. Engine noise is also far less than one might imagine given the size and simplicity of the Nano.
Acceleration is hardly neck-snapping. An informal timed run from zero to 50 miles an hour took 16.4 seconds; a Tata engineer said the company’s testing time is about one second faster.
The steering lacks power assistance but directs the car nicely. The turning circle of the Nano is undoubtedly one of its best parlor tricks: With a turning radius of only four meters, the Nano is nearly capable of doing a 360-degree turn in its own tiny shadow. Three models are available in India: the base, midlevel CX and the LX. With taxes and fees, the base runs about $2,200; the fully equipped LX is $3,360.
The majority of cars Tata provided for testing purposes were LX models, with features like air-conditioning, power brakes, and fancier seat and door-panel trim. On a 93-degree day, the A/C was much appreciated and had little measurable impact on acceleration.
The Nano is capable of seating four adults, but five hopped on board for a short run to gauge the performance difference with nearly 700 pounds of people on board. The Nano itself tips the scales at only 1,322 pounds, so acceleration naturally suffered. Yet the ride remained stable and comfortable.
Perhaps the most crucial test of the Nano came when Tata allowed a brief drive through the neighboring town of Pimpri. Weaving the Nano between lumbering trucks, auto rickshaws and pedestrians (not to mention the occasional goat and stray dog), the Nano didn’t miss a beat. Many fellow motorists took notice of India’s “People’s Car” out for a spin. A group of children cheered and waved as the Nano rolled through town.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Only 122 inches long, the Nano is the shortest four-passenger car on sale in India, though it looks bigger than it is because of its height and wide stance.
- Despite being a fraction of the size of most economy-car engines, the all-aluminum engine provides reasonable pep.
- Engine noise is also far less than one might imagine given the size and simplicity of the Nano.
- The turning circle of the Nano is undoubtedly one of its best parlor tricks: With a turning radius of only four meters,..
- The steering lacks power assistance but directs the car nicely.
By Nick Kurczewski
Tata Nano Review - is it worth the Hype?
India is predominantly a market of small cars and a big chunk of the choice of vehicles available is concentrated on the affordable end of the spectrum.
Yet, the prospect of safe personal mobility is a dream for most Indian families. The Nano is the first car that has the potential to fulfil this aspiration and truly be a people’s car in the Indian context and so, ‘Now you can’.
Like people’s cars of the past, the Nano’s too is a radical new design that has you riveted. Ultra-compact, tall and with free-flowing lines, it looks like a wide-eyed toddler eager to please, with a big smile plastered on its face.
After waiting for over a year, we finally had the opportunity to get behind the wheels of the Nano right after its commercial launch. So, what was it like and how will it perform on real tarmac? Read on to find out.
HIGHLIGHTS
Yet, the prospect of safe personal mobility is a dream for most Indian families. The Nano is the first car that has the potential to fulfil this aspiration and truly be a people’s car in the Indian context and so, ‘Now you can’.
Like people’s cars of the past, the Nano’s too is a radical new design that has you riveted. Ultra-compact, tall and with free-flowing lines, it looks like a wide-eyed toddler eager to please, with a big smile plastered on its face.
After waiting for over a year, we finally had the opportunity to get behind the wheels of the Nano right after its commercial launch. So, what was it like and how will it perform on real tarmac? Read on to find out.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Ultra-compact, tall and with free-flowing lines, it looks like a wide-eyed toddler eager to please, with a big smile plastered on its face.
- the fact that there is no engine under bonnet in the front helps the Nano offer deep foot wells and so lots of legroom for front passengers.
- Further, to ensure that the stability and handling of the Nano is not compromised, the car has been given wider 155/65 tyres at the rear..
- the precise throw and clear shift quality of the gearbox came as a surprise to me.
- Fold down the rear seat and the parcel tray fixed to it and you can reach the luggage area.
- The process has to be repeated and another floor panel fixed with the help of six wing nuts have to be removed to gain access to the engine of the Nano.
- Rear seat passengers may also find the performance of the air-conditioner wanting during the summer months.
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