Ratan Tata's Assistant Shantanu Naidu Owns The Last Nano Built: Shares Emotional Post
The Tata Nano may not be a vehicle which was the absolute best in its class. However, it was still extremely special because of the story it had behind it. The Nano was the vision of the late Sir Ratan Tata, who was the former Tata Sons emeritus, business tycoon, and philanthropist, whom the world will remember till eternity. Recently, Ratan Tata's former secretary, Shantanu Naidu, has shared a few images of the last ever Tata Nano that was built.
Shantanu Naidu shares heartfelt post for last ever built Tata Nano
The emotional post appreciating the last ever Tata Nano built by the company has been shared on Instagram by Shantanu Naidu and Sock Talks TV on their page. In the images, Naidu can be seen standing next to the white-colored Tata Nano, which was named “Lily.”
He highlighted that Lily is now six years old, and she may be small, but she has held the weight of Naidu’s entire world. He added, “She’s a memory keeper, evidence of a promise kept, and a whisper of an engineering legacy never meant to be forgotten. Thank you, Lily, for your loyalty and love, despite all the battle-scar dents. Happy sixth to the last Nano from the shop floor.”
Tata Nano: The dream of Sir Ratan Tata which failed
For those who may not be aware, the Tata Nano was born after Ratan Tata once saw a middle-class family of four people riding in pouring rain while sitting at a traffic signal. That day, he envisioned a ₹1 lakh car that would solve the transportation issues of common families. And in 2008, his vision even came to life at the Delhi Auto Expo when the Nano was launched for ₹1 lakh.
At the time, it earned the title of “World's Cheapest Car” and “People’s Car.” As a result of this, it initially saw huge hype in the market and also received over 2,00,000 bookings. However, later the Tata Nano faced issues, which included manufacturing problems. Originally, the Nano was planned to be built in Singur, West Bengal. However, the project was halted due to land acquisition protests.
Later, the plant was built in Sanand, Gujarat, where it was built till the end. Another major reason why the Nano could not become a success was because it was labelled as a “cheap” and “poor man's car.” This market image made its sales poor. Even Ratan Tata later acknowledged that the marketing missteps caused the Nano to fail miserably.
Tata Nano: Gone but not forgotten
The Tata Nano, when it was launched, measured under 3.2 meters in length. However, despite its short length, four people could sit comfortably inside it. This tiny hatchback was launched with an even tinier rear-mounted 624cc, 2-cylinder petrol engine.
It was capable of producing 38 PS of power and 51 Nm of torque. This engine came mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox. Later-generation models also received an AMT gearbox. Its fuel efficiency was very impressive at 23 kmpl. Today, the Nano may not be on sale, but every remaining passing Nano reminds us of the late visionary business tycoon Sir Ratan Tata.