The Tata Nano is finally here and to be the first lucky owners of the ultra-cheap Nano, one must win a lottery. Tata Motors said today at the Nano’s launch in India that applications forms for 100,000 rupees ($1,983 USD) will be available in 1,000 cities starting April 9th. Following that, a computer will make a random selection and will decide the owners of the first 100,000 units.

Power for the Tata Nano comes from a 2-cylinder engine making 35-hp with a peak torque of 35 lb-ft. That allows for a top speed of 65 mph with an estimated fuel-economy of 23.6 km/liter (56 mpg).

The Tata Nano will be available in three trim-levels at launch including Standard, CX and LX. The standard version features three color options, single-tone seats, fold-down rear-seat but no air-conditioning. The Tata Nano CX gets five color options, heating and air-conditioning, two-tone seats, booster-assisted brakes and fold-down rear-seat with nap rest. The Nano LX gets everything from the CX plus central locking, front power windows, fog lamps, electronic trip meter, cup holders and a rear spoiler.

As for safety, Tata Motors says that the Nano’s “safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements – it passes the roll-over test and offset impact, which are not regulated in India.”

Follow the jump for the press release.

Tata Nano:

Press Release:

The Tata Nano Arrives

Tata Motors today announced the commercial launch of the Tata Nano, keenly awaited across India since its unveiling on January 10, 2008. The Tata Nano is BS-III* compliant and comes with an all-new 2-cylinder aluminium MPFI 624 cc petrol engine mated to a four-speed gear box and will be available in three variants. The cars will be on display across the country at Tata Motors Passenger Car dealerships and other select authorised outlets from April 1st.

Speaking at a Press Conference, the Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, Mr. Ratan N. Tata, said, “The Nano represents the spirit of breaking conventional barriers. From the drawing board to its commercial launch, the concept, development and productionisation of the car has overcome several challenges. It is to the credit of the team at Tata Motors that a car once thought impossible by the world is now a reality. I hope it will provide safe, affordable, four-wheel transportation to families who till now have not been able to own a car. We are delighted in presenting the Tata Nano to India and the world.”

The Tata Nano is currently being manufactured at the company”s Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand in limited numbers. The new dedicated plant, at Sanand in Gujarat, will be ready in 2010 with an annualised capacity of 350,000 cars.

THE THREE VARIANTS

The Tata Nano offers an incredibly spacious passenger compartment which can comfortably seat four adults. With a length of just 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, the Tata Nano has the smallest exterior footprint for a car in India but is 21% more spacious than the smallest car available today. A high seating position makes ingress and egress easy. Its small size coupled with a turning radius of just 4 metres, makes it extremely manoeuvrable in the smallest of parking slots.

The three trim levels and their key features available at launch are:

Tata Nano Standard (BSII* and BSIII*): The standard version, in three colour options, single-tone seats, and fold-down rear seat;

Tata Nano CX (BSII* and BSIII*): In five colour options, with heating and air-conditioning (HVAC), two-tone seats, parcel shelf, booster-assisted brakes, fold-down rear seat with nap rest;

Tata Nano LX: (BSIII*) With the features of CX plus complete fabric seats, central locking,  front power windows, body coloured exteriors in three premium colours, fog lamps, electronic trip meter, cup holder in front console, mobile charger point, and rear spoiler. Many of these features are not available on current entry-level small cars in the country.

PERFORMANCE & SPECIFICATIONS

Performance: The 2-cylinder engine ““ delivering 35 PS @ 5250 rpm and a torque of 48 Nm @ 3000 rpm – enables the car to have a top speed of 105 kmph and negotiate inclines with a gradeability of 30%.

Fuel efficiency: 23.6 km/litre, certified by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) under mandated test conditions, which is the highest for any petrol car in India.

Emission: The high fuel efficiency, coupled with a low kerb weight of 600 kg, ensures that the Tata Nano ““ at 101 gm / km – has the lowest CO2 emission amongst cars in India. The Tata Nano is BS-III* compliant and is BS-IV* ready. It is also available in BS-II* norms.

Safety: The Tata Nano’s safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements – it passes the roll-over test and offset impact, which are not regulated in India. It has an all sheet-metal body, reinforced passenger compartment, crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, besides mandatory seat belts and complies fully with existing Indian safety standards. Tubeless tyres ““ among which the rear ones are wider endowing extra stability ““ enhance safety.

Warranty: 18 months or 24,000 km, whichever is earlier.

- By: Kap Shah

After problems with the main plant location delayed the launch which was originally scheduled for Oct., Tata said today that its much anticipated Tata Nano mini car will be launched on March 23 with sales to begin in the second week of April. Pricing for the Tata Nano is expected to come in around 100,000 rupees ($1,984 USD).

“The cars will be on display at Tata dealerships from the first week of April,” the company said in a statement.

Power for the Tata Nano comes from a small 624cc 33-hp engine that allows for a 0 to 60 mph run 17 seconds. Fuel-economy is estimated at 60 mpg. 

Source: Reuters

Saab, which pitches it cars as jets on the roads, announced today that it is teaming up with India’s Tata to build a version Gripen fighter jet. The $12 billion dollar deal is a chance for Tata to get in on the biggest fighter jet deal in the world in years.

Executive Kjell Moller said that Saab is competing with companies from Russia, Europe and the U.S. to sell a total of 126 fighter jets to the Indian air force.

India is looking to begin testing in April and said that it will buy about 24 units in flying condition and will built the remaining 100 at a state-run facility. The Indian air-force is the world’s fourth largest and has 51 Mirage-2000 war planes built by Dassault.

Source: AFP (via AutoBlog)

Tata owned Jaguar and Land Rover announced today that they will be cutting 450 jobs today due to a “severe” reduction in demand for new cars. The cuts include about 300 management level jobs and 150 salaried agency staff.

The group said that managers will not be receiving any bonuses in 2009 and management pay increases have been deferred to Oct. 1 of this year.

Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive David Smith said that he doesn’t expect sales condition to return to normal anytime soon.

“It is only right and proper that our response to the unavoidable impact of the credit crunch and a severe reduction in demand includes actions across all grades and functions in the company.”

Tata Motors, creators of the Tata Nano and owners of Jaguar and Land Rover, reported a huge sales drop for the month of December due to tight credit and the slowing global economy. Overall Tata sales fell 47 percent to 25,219. Passenger vehicles fell a total of 31 percent while commercial vehicles dropped 51 percent.

“A deepening recessionary trend in the economy, coupled with continuing credit squeeze and high interest rates, has further depressed customer sentiments. As a result, automobile purchases are being severely impacted,” the company said in a statement.

Maruti Suzuki India, owned 54.2 percent by Suzuki Motor Corp., reported a sales drop of 10 percent. Rival Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 30 percent drop.

Source: Reuters

• “¢  AJ-V6D Gen III S 3.0L twin-turbo diesel with 275-hp and 443 lb-ft torque.
• “¢  0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds; top speed of 155 mph.
• “¢  Estimated fuel-economy of 42mpg (35 mpg U.S.).

Prior to the launch of the Jaguar XF-R which is scheduled for the 2009 Detroit Motor Show next month, Jaguar has dropped the details on the new 2010 Jaguar XF Diesel S.

Powered by the most advanced, powerful and efficient Jaguar diesel engine ever, the 275-hp XF V6 diesel can go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds and 50 to 70 mph in 3.2 seconds. Even with that performance level, the XF Diesel S averages an estimated fuel-economy of 35 mpg. Jaguar says that it is 12 percent more efficient than the 2.7L V6 diesel XF and offers 33 percent more power and 61 percent more torque. The engine is mated to Jaguar”s 6-speed ZF 6HP28 automatic transmission.

There is also a 240-hp version of the 3.0L diesel engine available as well. It gets 16 percent more power and 15 percent more torque over the 2.7L diesel. 0 to 60 mph comes in just 6.7 seconds while fuel-economy comes in at the same 35 mpg.

Pricing for the 2010 Jaguar XF Diesel S and the 2010 Jaguar XF Diesel will be announced closer to its launch date. Unfortunately, there is no word whether the models will make it to the U.S. to take on the upcoming BMW 535d.

Click through for the high-res image gallery.

2010 Jaguar XF Diesel S:

Jaguar and Land Rover will be getting their own form of bailout. According to the Financial Times, Tata Motors will inject “tens of millions” of pounds into Jaguar Land Rover to prevent an immediate cash flow crisis.

“The company is spending whatever is required to the best of its abilities,” Tata Motors spokesman Debasis Ray told the press. “A company has to run. We are doing everything to make the company run.”

Ray declined to say exactly how much Tata Motors will allocate for Jaguar and Land Rover. Tata bought the two luxury brands from Ford for $2.3 billion. The new investment comes on top of a “hundreds of millions” of working capital it has already provided to the British firms reported Financial Times.

Source: Detroit News

It’s been previously reported that Tata Motors is in talks with Chrysler to sell Jeep Wrangler SUVs in India. At the recent Bologna Motor Show, Mahindra & Mahindra, a Tata Motors rival, sent out a message to Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli and Tata Motors CEO Ratan Tata that basically screams “Forget you guys – we can do it on our own.”

The concept you see above is a Mahindra & Mahindra produced concept that looks a lot like the Jeep Wrangler lineup . The open-top study is nearly 4 meters long and is powered by a 2.5 liter 108-hp engine.

We’re wondering what Nardelli and Tata think about this.

Source: Auto Motor und Sport (via TTAC)

Detaching itself from Ford and introducing cars like the Jaguar XF, the British automaker has found new life and is looking to introduce some interesting models that could set aside the elegant and luxury image for the pussycat on the hood.

New owner Tata Motors is considering adding three new vehicles to the Jaguar lineup reports Automotive News Europe. The lineup includes a new coupe, a roadster variant of the new XF sedan and a new lightweight sports car that will compete with the Porsche Boxster. The 500-hp Jaguar XF-R is expected to debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

According to a dealer familiar with the plans, the coupe and roadster will be positioned below the Jaguar XK. The coupe will be unveiled next year followed by the roadster a year later.

Dealers also said that Tata is not planning a Jaguar SUV since it would compete with the Land Rover brand.

It seems like Chrysler isn’t only in bed with GM. Sources say that Cerberus officials are also talking to the Renault-Nissan alliance along with Fiat and India’s Tata Motors. Chrysler and GM made headlines this past weekend about a possible merger.

Chrysler LLC CEO Bob Nardelli recently sent out a letter to employees saying: “I can tell you that we have approached and have been approached by third parties who are interested in exploring future possibilities with Chrysler.”

Sources have confirmed that most of the negotiations with Renault-Nissan, Fiat and Tata have been put on hold since the recent industry conditions. 

Most of the talks held with these three companies have been mostly about product-sharing. However, insiders familiar with the talks with Nissan say that talks had gotten to the point of a possible deeper relationship. That probably made Ghosn happy since he’s been looking for an American partner.

Source: Detroit News

Tata Motors is likely to cut production at Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich assembly plant by the end of September. According to AutoCar, due to the economic slowdown, Jaguar will be the latest automaker to cut production; however, it is yet to be determined by how much.

A Jaguar spokesperson said that “final decisions have yet to be made, but its likely production of XJ and XK will be reduced, primarily in response to global demand.”

The spokesperson also said that Jaguar’s UK sales were up 12 percent due to the success of the XF sedan. Jaguar recently moved 300 workers from Land Rover to Castle Bromwich to help produce more units of the XF.

Source: AutoCar

Cerberus Capital Management controlled Chrysler is talking to a number of overseas automakers to form a partnership as it looks to increase cash and tap into growing markets outside North America. According to sources familiar with the talks, Chrysler has been talks with India’s Tata Motors and Italy’s Fiat.

Chrysler is talking to Tata Motors to sell its Jeep Wrangler SUVs in India and other Asian markets. Talks with Fiat about leasing production facility in North America are also progressing. The two are also talking about retail distribution in the North American market.

Tata and Chrysler have previously been reported to be working together to sell the electric-powered version of the Tata Ace in U.S.

Source: Reuters

Tata Motors Nano city-car is one of the most talked about compact vehicles in the auto industry today. Today we learned that Tata may team up with Fiat to sell the Nano outside of India. We also learned that the Indian automaker is teaming up with German powertrain maker FEV for a diesel version of the Nano.

According to The Economic Times , the small diesel engine will have fuel injection systems developed by Bosch, with the rest of it put together by Tata and FEV. FEV is also working with Tata’s rival Mahindra and Mahindra for an electric-diesel hybrid version of the Scorpio.

Tata has previously said that it will offer a diesel and a hybrid version of the Nano after the gasoline version is introduced next year. The gasoline version is powered by a 33-hp engine with a rear-wheel-drive architecture – averaging 52/61mpg (city/highway).

Source: Economic Times

Land Rover announced today that it is performing real-word tests of its Diesel ERAD Hybrid system seen earlier this year on the Land Rover LRX Concept . Land Rover says that the Diesel ERAD Hybrid program is just one of the many green-focused programs that Land Rover is working on. The company’s green initiative are grouped under the name e_TERRAIN TECHNOLOGIES (kind of like BMW’s EfficientDynamics).

Land Rover’s Diesel ERAD Hybrid system allows the SUV to run solely on electric power or by the diesel engine reducing CO2 by more than 20 percent or by 30 percent in ‘real-life’ urban conditions.

Land Rover is currently testing the system with Freelander 2 prototypes but says the technology has been designed to be scalable and modular so it would be easy to apply it to other Land Rover models as well.

Click through for the press release .

Land Rover Freelander 2 with e_TERRAIN TECHNOLOGIES :

Press Release :

Land Rover’s engineers are now conducting real-world tests with some ground-breaking Diesel ERAD Hybrid vehicles, aimed at dramatically cutting CO2 and other emissions while still delivering characteristic Land Rover all-terrain performance. These engineering ‘mules’ are based on Freelander 2 vehicles, but the technology is designed to be scalable and modular, so could be applied across a variety of Land Rover models and powertrains.

This programme is one of a broad range of sustainability-focused engineering programmes that Land Rover is pursuing, brought together by the company under the collective name e_TERRAIN TECHNOLOGIES.

In addition to these Diesel ERAD Hybrids, Land Rover is developing a range of other emissions-busting and fuel-saving technologies that will start appearing on its production vehicles from now and over the next decade. These range from a stop-start function ““ which will be available next year as standard on all manual diesel Freelander 2 models ““ to other advanced hybrid systems and lightweight vehicle architectures.

"Our innovative ERAD technology featured in the LRX concept car unveiled earlier this year, and we’re now starting to deliver on our sustainability commitments with full, on-road prototypes," says Phil Popham, Land Rover’s Managing Director. "These Diesel ERAD Hybrids mark a crucial point for Land Rover, where engineering concept is seen to become reality and our vehicles start to combine their formidable all-terrain capability with our radical new e_TERRAIN TECHNOLOGIES."

Diesel ERAD Hybrid overview

Land Rover’s Diesel ERAD Hybrid was developed as part of a multi-million-pound project supported by the UK Government’s Energy Saving Trust, under the low carbon research and development programme. The objective is to develop a ‘parallel’ hybrid drive system compatible with all-terrain four-wheel-drive capability. As parallel hybrids, the vehicles can be driven solely by electric power or by the diesel engine, or by a combination of both. The system is designed to reduce CO2 by more than 20 per cent under the NEDC test cycle and to cut it by a substantial 30 per cent in ‘real-life’ urban conditions where hybrid technologies really come into their own.

Under many circumstances, today’s generation of petrol electric hybrids are little more efficient than the best modern diesel engines without hybrid technology. So Land Rover’s ambition is to add the benefits of a full hybrid system to modern, clean and efficient diesel powertrains, giving a win-win situation. To help deliver this, Land Rover has developed its own, unique Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) system, which actually has the potential to enhance the vehicle’s all-terrain capability.