Luxury Nano to hit the road

• Source: Global Times
• [08:20 January 08 2010]
• Comments

A new version of the snub-nosed Tata Nano, once touted as the world's cheapest car at $2,000 apiece, will be available soon at a price closer to that of a Ferrari or Porsche.

Mumbai-based firm D.C. Design says it is refitting the 3.1-meter five-seater hatchback, doing away with its plastic seat coverings, small wheels and single-dial dashboard.

The car's basic silhouette will be retained, but everything else will go in the new $220,000 bespoke models that will have a top speed of 200 kilometers an hour, double that of the original.

A prototype is expected in two months.

"We would like to keep the cost low but with the technology and the amount of work we will be putting into the car, the 10 million rupee ($220,000) price tag will be justified," said Dilip Chhabaria, head of D.C. Design, a specialist car refitting group that has worked for Bollywood stars and other wealthy drivers.

Given the prohibitive price tag, D.C. Design intends to work on only two to five cars a year ordered by the wealthiest resident and overseas Indians capable of paying more than 100 times the price tag for the basic car.

Separately, Tata Motors said Tuesday it will launch its modified Nano small car in the US in three years' time.

Agencies