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Tata Nano: Laying on the charm
Enough of eloquence (and the Nano deserves it all and even more) and on to enlightenment! Yes by that I meant the drive. Before firing the twin-cylinder 624cc engine, a bit of perspective. Everyone knows the social cause to which Ratan Tata tried to find a solution and the overall solution has manifested itself into an automobile unlike any in the world. The design is fresh, slick and sporty which many in industry thought not possible, but even more emphatic than that was the precise packaging which ensured that a minimum space was taken up by the mechanicals and almost 80 per cent given to the occupants. Even Honda couldn't have made a better attempt at the "man maximum, machine minimum" principle it embraces in its small car designs.
Then there is the science in the design as well, especially when we factor in the rear-engined layout. It is not about taking a drivetrain and planting it at the back to drive the rear wheels, the challenge facing the Tata Motors team thanks to the cost criticality was to ensure that the final product turned out into a proper car with exceedingly low NVH levels of two segments above and performance which wouldn't mean it being overtaken by a moped. The engine thus had to be robust and sweet in its power delivery while also having a good torque spread to enable the driveability factor to ram home, both from a usage point of view and also from the fuel efficiency perspective. Moreover from a ride and handling or comfort and safety angle also, the car had to be pretty neutral in its behaviour, given that rear-engined cars in history have had quirky manners. Our day long drive in the Nano gave us a sense of all what we wanted to know, on the performance and behavioral fronts.
View :Tata Nano Special Coverage View :Specification |
