Tato Nano

The Indian automaker intends to overcome obstacles and deliver on its promise of a $2500 all-weather, safe family car.

On January 10 -the date Tata's Nano city car was unveiled at the Auto Expo in New Delhi, India-the Indian automaker's website registered nearly 7.9 million hits, making it one of the busiest sites in the world that day. Since then, interest in the small, rear-engined, four-passenger car has not ceased as people world wide remain interested to see if the company can meet its aggressive cost target of 100,000 rupee (about $2500), excluding tax and transportation cost, despite rising material costs.

Most recently, interest in the car was piqued when news broke that Tata had been forced to suspend the construction and commissioning work at the Nano plant in Singur, India, because of continued confrontation and agitation at the site. Protesters, who have opposed the government acquisition of more than 1000 acre (405 ha) of farmland to use for the plant in the West Bengal region, have violently obstructed employees and contract labor from reporting to work. As this issue went to print, the company was evaluating alternatives for manufacturing of the Nano at its other facilities, despite having invested $350 million in the project.