I drove a TATA Nano for 10 years as a second car. I had purchased used TATA Nano in 2014 which was 3 years old and sold it recently after using for 10 years.
It was a cute, chik, ideal for Indian cities car which India ignored and failed. Whoeven sat in my car used make the comment “it’s so big inside. Lots of leg room” . This particular aspect TATA motors failed to communicate to Indians.
One of the primary reasons Indians buy car is to show off. This was ignored by TATA motors or Ratan Tata and the car started with a marketing which read “Car under 1 lac”. Although Indians are/were price concious, no one wants to buy a cheap car.
Ratan tata started facing challenges right from the beginning.
It all started with agitations at Singoor. Tata has to move to Gujarat. Huge cost implications meant that it was almost impossible to deliver a ₹1 lac car.
Then came the issue of Cheapest car which backfired as admitted by Ratan TATA in 2013.
But the responsibility of failing a good, reliable, worth its money Indian car lies with Indians who even today prefer low quality Asian cars to superior US / Europe brands. We chased away great Chevy, fiat, Ford cars while helping poor Asian car manufacturers survive and thrive despite global dull response for their cars.
Hopefully, India will not do the mistake they did with Nano again now. TATA cars are definitely superior to their counterparts from Hyundai/ Honda / Suzuki. You can atleast agree that they are in par.
Ratan TATA’s story of JLR takeover should inspire Indians. Hope Indian car markets mature fast.
The work and achievements of Ratan Tata will be etched in Indian history for ever
