Chairman Tata Seeks to Salvage Cheap Car Nano From Fire Debacle
This article is for subscribers only.
Ratan Tata wants another shot at promoting the Nano, conceived by the Tata Motors Ltd. chairman as the world’s cheapest car and whose sales plunged and never fully recovered after at least three caught fire.
The Nano, which starts at 141,898 rupees ($2,565) was developed as an upgrade option for millions of Indian motorcycle owners. First introduced in 2009, demand fell to a record low of 509 units in November 2010 after the cars caught fire. Sales have since lagged behind pricer models even after the company said the fires were isolated incidents.