Adil Jal Darukhanawala  Photos: Kunal Khadse    23 Mar 2009

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Tata Nano: Mechanicals

When the engine fires into life it is an almost new audio even for the most diehard automotive buff, a sound which mixes Japanese motor whirring with the putt-putting sound of an Italian single-cylinder two-stroke mill. That the Tata boffins have given a central exhaust vent might seem over the top but in the Nano it just seems so natural. Clearly the paradigm shift is clear: what is reasonable and proven sports car ethos has been harnessed for mass market sensibilities, even Prof. Ferdinand Porsche would have marveled especially when you make out that the entire drivetrain plus the rear suspension assembly is mounted on a separate sub-frame which is so conveniently hooked on to the monocoque body structure by four main mounting bolts. Hook on and hook off make it sound easy, much too easy but then what is it they say about the logic of simplicity being the toughest to implement? And also if you are talking technology, the said sub-frame is hydroformed, probably the first time such a process has been employed in the Indian automobile world.

Let's understand the engine as well - 624cc with all all-square bore and stroke dimensions of 73.5 x 73.5mm might seem tame but then factor in the 180-degree firing order making the engine vibe-free at source itself. The world's best component makers have contributed to the Nano's engine with Bosch, Mahle and ZF being key suppliers and in case you did not know, these are the very blokes who have been supplying cutting edge tech and componentry to such heavy hitters as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz to name a handful. The MPFI engine makes 35PS at 5250rpm but it is the 48 Nm of torque which is spread between 2500 and 4000rpm which coupled with the low 600kg kerb weight makes the Nano dart with alacrity and surprise the living daylights of myriad Marutis and Hero Hondas.

The four-speed gearbox is well sorted and has a good shift action and feel with nothing of the vagueness we have seen from the early Indicas from 10 years ago. The ratios are well spaced up to tap into the right torque points as one shifts up the' box, resulting in both great driveability and zest in traffic plus helps where it matters most - in the fuel efficiency. Tata Motors claims the car would deliver 25kmpl and even if it does anywhere between 20 to 21kmpl which we feel it would do given its performance and drive, expect this stylish car to get even more deeply ingrained into the psyche of the practical Indian. Given that its area of operation would be in the city, the car has a tiny 15-litre fuel tank perched beneath its front passenger seat which even with a 20kmpl consumption translates into a range of 300km.

And before we go any further, let us also put one more myth to sleep: the Nano is probably the cleanest automobile ever to go on sale in India. It is BS III compliant and is BS IV ready while work is already underway to meeting the strict Euro V emission norms. The Tata R&D boffins told us with a degree of pride in their voice that the car had lower emissions than the best selling 100cc bike in the country and if that isn't all, the overall Nano ranks as one of the world's best cars with the lowest CO2 emission levels, pegged at 110 grams per kilometre. And all this without a start-stop aid or with stuffed-to-the-gills (but crazily priced) computer controls.

View :Tata Nano Special Coverage

View :Specification