Got my Tata!

[jetfuel]

...this was most interesting to me than the Nano arrival...how many people here in the USA even know about GM LPG cars.......I didn't...

General Motors India President Karl Sylm, front, and Vice President Corporate Affairs P. Balendran pose with the newly launched liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) version of the compact Chevrolet Spark in Ahmadabad, India, Monday, June 22, 2009. Globally, GM has sold 3.5 million Spark cars in 100 markets. The LPG variant would cost around 400,000 rupees ($8,000), about four times as much as the ultra-cheap Tata Nano, which is scheduled to hit India's streets in July.


jetfuel....now I know

[Padawan]

Originally Posted by John_H

From one of the gallery photos:They don't mention anything about a frame? Is there something under that sheet-metal? Sheet-metal really helps to... not do much.

If the big competition on the road is scooters and motorcycles, maybe the all sheet-metal car will hold up well in the nastier collisions.

Some information about the safety and crash-worthiness of the Nano:

Video: Tata Nano Passes European Crash Test - Wheels Blog - NYTimes.com

Crash Test Tata Nano - Affordable Yes! And Safe? - ATZ online

Autocar - Tata Nano crash test on video

[jwight]

Tata Nano site: Tata 'NANO' - The People's Car from Tata Motors

[Padawan]

Originally Posted by jetfuel

how many people here in the USA even know about GM LPG cars.......

Not many -- Big Oil sees to that.

But we sure know plenty about Hummers and Escalades.

[John_H]

From the ATZ online article

As part of the initial design brief, our target was to construct a modular body where structure could be added to the base vehicle to enable us to meet the regulated safety legislation for Europe

So a frame can be added!!

[jwight]

Gotta love the 12" wheels. Think they could trick 'em out with 15s?

We have 12 in wheels on the Mini - upsized from the original 10 inchers.

[jetfuel]

...from one of the sites...

Despite all these facts, the Nano must not necessarily meet European Safety standards. Dr Clive Hickman, Head of Engineering at Tata Motors Limited, stated: "The purpose of the tests that we are undertaking at Mira today is to demonstrate that the vehicle structure is appropriate for European legislation." Concerning the design of the Nano, Hickman explained: "As part of the initial design brief, our target was to construct a modular body where structure could be added to the base vehicle to enable us to meet the regulated safety legislation for Europe: the ECE offset frontal impact with deformable barrier. This will become legislation in India in three years time." That ECR 94 norm describes a 40 percent offset crash at 56 kilometres per hour.


jetfuel

[Big Panda]

Tata Motors






Fri Jul 17, 6:40 AM ET

Previous 18 of 48 Next
Tata Motors vice chairman Revit Cant. The world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, hits the streets on Friday, as the first customer gets the keys to a vehicle that its makers hope will transform travel for millions of Indians.
(AFP/File/Indranil Mukherjee)


I found this pic of the chairman. I believe they misspelled his name, so I corrected it. You know how picky I am about typos!!!

[Big Panda]

Originally Posted by jetfuel

This will become legislation in India in three years time." That ECR 94 norm describes a 40 percent offset crash at 56 kilometres per hour.


jetfuel

WOW.....I'm not that good at math, but isn't that something like 30 mph??
WOW!!!

[John_H]

The ECR 94 describes a 40% offset crash at 34.8 mph but what does it say about it? That the occupants should survive? Unscathed? Less than $500 of damage? Oh well.