Tata Nano four-star rating in Euro NCAP?
March 12, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
Tata Motors is already considering bringing its Nano mini-car to Europe – if it passes Euro NCAP with a high safety rating.
The small Nano, which is aimed at the growing middle-class in India, is destined to be a big hit given its low price of 100,000 rupees or about $2850 AUD. However with Indian safety standards no where near as strict as the West, the company faces a big challenge getting the car ready for European markets.
If you remember, the Chinese made Brilliance BS6 made a mockery of itself and Chinese cars in general when it scored only 1-star in the Euro NCAP. It’s obvious Tata doesn’t want to make the same mistake.
Tata has already teased Europe with a glamorous display of the Nano at the Geneva Motor Show.
According to the Indian manufacturer, the Nano already has a full protective frame to meet local Indian safety standards, with the European versions expected to include airbags and other protective systems.
“We will only bring the Nano to Europe if it achieves a four-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test,” said Girish Wagh, director of the Nano program.
There is currently no time frame for a European invasion, with the company more focused on India, Asia and Africa first (no plans to enter the flooded Chinese market either).
It will be interesting to see how the extra safety equipment will effect the car’s small price, stature and limited power?
Would you consider buying a Nano if it scored four-stars and sold in Australia for less than $10,000?
The Nano is powered by a rear-mounted 623cc two-cylinder 25kW engine driven via a four-speed gearbox and manual steering.
Print it: 
this will never get 4 stars unless they add another 100kg of safety equipement, in which case it will need a new motor, in which case it will need to be redesigned .. in which case………….
Please don’t bring this to Australia.
I THINK THIS CAR SHOULD BE SOLD UNDER “TOYOTA NAME” AND TURBOCHARGED, MADE A HYBRID AND SUPERCHARGED WITH BEEFED UP SAFETY AND THEN WE CAN ALL COME ON HERE AND SEE “the new Hoff” LAY CLAIMS THAT: the new Toyota Nano is quicker to 0-100 then a Veyron if you get rid of the skinnier tyres and wacked on bigger ones and its new technology which Toyota invested a trillion trillion trillion $AUD helped significantly”
LOL….HA HA HA HA HA HA!
not only does it look better than the current barina it is safer
I’d consider it if it costs less than $5,000 and you get $5000 worth of free fuel with your purchase.
Needs a 5 speed gearbox, decent comfort, ride and handling plus the ability to cruise at 110km/h without occupants going deaf/insane. Less than $8k drive away please…
25kw is nothing, i think all cars should have to pass a 0-100km time to be allowed on public road otherwise this will annoy people.
Is thinking a 33HP/24kw motorbike with car shell over the top worthy of car fanatics praise?
I agree with Mitch, the GEEWIZ in London suffers the lack of abilty to overtake and catch up to traffic in front of it, so what hope is there for the Nano? It may be safe for what it is (and hats off to Tata for that), but sorry, I would never drive one.
I guess this is what the motoring society of Deli need – so that is great – for them. I also (like James T) would not like to see the Nano land in Australia.
I hate bagging cars – but I dont see this as a car :( – Its just another mode of transport – just…
$2850 i will take one.
Can and will give a deposit right now to show bona fides, NOT interested in any price increase due to outside factors etc etc, $2850 done deal.
As mentioned before, instead of buying my son a clapped out mini bike he can burn around in this with seat-belts on, a roof and a heater for winter….
Teach my wifey to drive better……..
Use it to tow a tow_behind_mower……
Finally, run down the shops with it.
Indians ARE shonks, but its proved -v- the Chinese they WON’T work in sweat-shops for peanuts, and are vastly more intelligent and worldly than the Chinese.
4-star safety rating, sticks it right-up-ya none belivers who shitcanned this Nano.
When can i buy it..?
Cheers
F-0
This has about as much chance of passing crash testing as I do.
I have it on good authority that we will see this car in this country as early as 2009 rebadged as a new Holden Barina.As O points out, it is safer and of better build quality than the current Daewoo version Barina.
You would probably be able to produce more power on a bicycle.
2850 aud is cheap for a coffin. and with 25kws takes you to the graveyard as well.
4 star NCAP or not this car i doubt will be released in australia or in US…TATA i believe is developing another small car platform with very high end features previously known as indica.
i believe this car will be safer and lot more cheaper than the crappy barina.
4 star Euro NCAP i dought it! for a $3,000 car. A sitdown mower costs that much
Why didnt they make the car electric or a hybrid? Wouldnt that be smarter?
If it can achieve a 4 star safety rating and sell for around $10k to $13k with good safety features,
and maybe have a turbo or bigger eng for more power/torque then it would be ok!! I still wouldnt buy one because its to small but it would be better than a barina for sure..
intersuburb not intercity transport plus at $104 per barrel for oil it might be a good 3rd car “for the kids”. In the city most speed limits are 40 to 80 anyway!
Maybe it will emerge as a Holden Matiz or Toyota Charade!
its funny…people on here dismissing its crash test credentials before its even been beefed up or tested. one thing’s for sure, this will be safer than the piece of shit econoboxes that people drive around today (say, pre 1998 hyundai excel…late 80s and early 90s sedans…) – but i cant see it being cheaper than about $6k here…which is how much i picked up my falcon AU XR6 VCT for…as you can see its an easy decision, despite costing $85 to fill up from empty :P
For you clowns out there who bag this car, you have to realise the whole purpose of it. This is effectively the Model T for India. Cheap car for the masses. Deal with it and accept the car for what it is.
If you want do any of these; tow your boat, lay down a smokin quarter mile time or drive across Australia etc, this car is not for you. Go check out one of the mainstream brands, but if you\’re after cheap wheels for a squirt around town then here is very viable option.
well said shaunl
Four stars is quite ambitious but I don’t doubt it. This car could indeed work here if it had a 4 figure price tag, around the $6k mark sounds good. There will be no competition at that level. If it turns out to be safe, then I hope it comes here.
can someone tell me how the hell the star ratings work?
i mean surely this would not be anywhere near as safe as a 4 star commodore, aurion or falcon.
on another note did anyone hear that the nissan navara scored 1/2 a star in the Euro safety tests? i keep meaning to find out a bit more about it but havent had the time to dig it up.
if a navara cant even rack up 1 full star then how can they sleep giving this 4 of them
i could by 6 nano’s for the price of a yaris good for driving around the city say u smash one there’s always 5 more spare
^^^^^^^^^^^What about your life Noel? You only have 1 life!
Duck,
i have it on good authority that Noel is a cat which would still leave him with 4 lives to spare once he prangs all of his Nano’s
Shaunl,
You make a good point. These cars are unlikely to ever make it in the western world but were designed for Joe average in India who would otherwise be carting his whole family around on a 75cc motor scooter. Even this vechile with its 1 star safety rating is safer than the alternative.Horses for courses!
Imagine a semi truck hitting this doing a hundred km/h it would be flattened like a pancake….about the same as a 2 star Barina….
^^^^^^^^^No it would be worse than a TK barina
why do you say that duck?
your logic really intrests me sometimes.
a 2 star car aint anything to be proud of either.
Considering all the bad comments from people , newspapers ,carweekly’s etc. etc. about the Citroen 2CV Still thousends of those cars whent on the road in many country’s , Thousends where sold to the public and they where more than happy to own one and go on the road with the Family
Now they are sad bicourse Citoen 2cv is not produced any more, You can bay a’reconditioned one for a’ high price
I do will bay a’Tata Nano when it is approved And then i will be on the lookout for Tata’s Air Car so i do not have to be a’oil tax slave of the people who own us and smile when i wil pass a’ petrol or gasoline or a’bensine station
U realise what this car is going to do dont you?
1.Price of oil will skyrocket, its frugal on fuel but a whole new class of car buyers will be establised, and they all need fuel to run…
2.The *others* wont sit back and let Tata get all the glory, i am sure that China would be working on a even cheaper engineered vehicle, and then Vietnam wont be far behind.
3.See #1 above, fuel WILL be going up much higher, no doubt about it…..groan
Cheers
F-0
A semi hitting this car would be the same as a semi hitting a big ford. DUUUUHHHH. You’d be dead anyway
Andrew M, No my logic is fine! Its that if a 3k car the Tata nano built in India can get a 4 star EuroNCAP, the Holden Barina is worth 14k and it only gets 2 star ANCAP!
I mean i highly dought at the moment that this ^ Indian Tata Nano can get a 4 star EuroNCAP. If it does i mean the barina needs to pick up its act……….seriously!
Tata, a world renowned company doing business in their International standards. So, it is better not to worry about the standards of TATA NANO
Nano will create a history in Automobile sector. Tata Nano will be come soon. Catch it and drive it
Frugal One,
Your arguement is totally invalid…you are worried that a billion people who previously didnt drive cars will start driving and push up fuel costs and you dont like it.
What gives you the right to drive a car over anyone else…I bet u $1000 that this TATA Nano consumes less fuel than your current car, produces less greenhouse gases thus is better on the environment….
You have to right at ALL to say that this is terrible that people in developing countries are starting to stand up on their own feet and buying cars, microwaves etc..
The car is just the start of it mate…This car wont make a dramatic difference..the will import more coal, minerals, technology….I rising fuel cost is inevitable…
If you are that worried go buy a LPG car.
Well half of the people saying a NO here are saying so just because it comes from an Indian manufacturer. Having said that, most of the people would buy a Nano if it does well in Europe -we like to blindly follow them don’t we?
For me I would seriously consider buying one because of the kind of money I would save in buying this car and fuel. Sydney traffic does not allow you to go above 20Kmph anyways and if I were to go on a long drive I would rather take my Tata Jaguar :)
i think this car that is being launched in india is not a good idea becuse the traffic is sooo bad and this car having one star n-CAP would not be able to survive a crash. also in india the whole family sits in the car with no seatbelts and they overload the car with 5 people more.
He friends nice to read the comments but because you decide any thing the higher version is going to come Which said as Europa i am sure will get good rating because of the engineering they have applied for cost efficient car check the following link about first drive in India.
Don’t forget the check mechanical section. and if tata wants to launch it in market other then india they can very well re-engineer the car with high performance and more safety the expected.
http://www.zigwheels.com/Revie.....090323-1-8
Hey, friends nice to read the comments, but would liek to say higher version is going to come Which said as “Europa” i am sure will get good rating because of the engineering they have applied for cost efficient car check link about first drive in India.
Don’t forget to check mechanical section. and if tata wants to launch it in market other then india they can very well re-engineer the car with high performance and more safety then expected. As the company who provides the parts to nano is niche in their own section check the following link
http://www.zigwheels.com/Revie.....090323-1-8
I would keep this car to pick up my childern from the school and go for shopping at local shopping centre. If I am gonna go to long drive, I would park this in the garage and take my falcon. i am sure i will save petrol by doing this.
Howz this idea guyyyzzzzzz?????????????
there are lot of powerful cars to buy but lets have a bit of peice of cake. enjoy it dont criticize it.
Get a grip guys. This is a car designed for India.
Most city traffic moves at less than 40 km/hr and the open road speed limit is 80 km/hr.
It is designed to get the masses of India off of motorbikes and in to cars.
Compared to the cars that did that for us (Model T Ford, Austin 7, Citroen 2CV), it comes up pretty well.
The arrogant petrol heads of the developed world should look around, and see how the bulk of the world’s population live. You may be surprised at your own excess.
my AUD 0.02 worth.
Guys,
In Australia they won’t produce anything and they don’t praise who do that.
Anyway, India is still developing country and Australia is already developed. And India needs this kind of Car and our Great TATA did it.
If you want to buy that car in Australia also – I don’t think there is a chance, they won’t sell it.
good luck,
guys,
we should cheer up the great business man tata who atleast think about the common people and put efforts and made such a car in lowest cost with required quality relevant to asian country. People are critisied just because of lowest cost but if they want they can sell much higher than this.
And offcourse it is better than used second hand car which might be worth of $5000.00.
Atleast they dont need to take the loan and pay high interest to the bank.
People bashing this car are really stupid and ignorant, I have seen and touched this car whilst on Holiday in India last Month. The quality is good and believe it or not it feels safe!. Even reviews of this car, they are all positive.
tata nano is a product which has imenmse potential worldwide , if only if they adhere to the perfromance and safet y norms of teh world.which is challenge at teh cost .