Tata Nano LX production ramped up

Tata Motors has decided to increase the production of the Tata Nano top-end model, the Tata Nano LX, due to high demand, reports say.Of the 2.03 lakh bookings recorded by Tata Motors, the Tata Nano LX variant accounted for half of the bookings.

The Tata Nano Standard variant accounted for 20 per cent of the bookings, and the Tata Nano CX variant accounted for 30 per cent of the bookings.

The company said that around 70 per cent of the bookings for the Tata Nano came via loan finance, while the remaining 30 per cent was accounted for by direct cash.

The demand for the Tata Nano LX is higher in the metros, while the Tata Nano Standard and the Tata Nano CX are in high demand in the Tier II and Tier III cities, the company has said.

The bookings for the Tata Nano have garnered Rs 2,500 crore, while another Rs 18.30 crore was collected through sale of forms.

Tata Motors has said that it has sold about 610,000 forms over a period of 25 days starting from April 1, 2009.

The names of the first 1 lakh customers of the Tata Nano will be chosen by a computerized method, and announced by June 25, 2009. The delivery of the first lakh Tata Nanos will start from July 2009 and continue till the end of 2010.

The company has that it will also announce the allotment schedule for customers who want to retain their bookings despite not making it to the first list of allotees.

Tata Motors said, “The retainees will earn an interest on their booking amount, effective from that date. The booking amounts of unsuccessful applicants who have not chosen to retain their bookings will be refunded at the same time.” said a company statement.

The Tata Nano is being manufactured at the company’s Pantnagar plant, in Uttarakhand.

Currently, 70 cars are being rolled out every single day at its Pantnagar plant.

The Pantnagar plant has an annual capacity of 50,000 cars, which can be pushed up to 90,000 units per annum, said the company.

Tata Nano’s Sanand plant, in Gujarat, will be up and running by end-2009. The annualised capacity of the Sanand plant will be 25,000, and can be ramped up to half a million units, the company has said.

The Tata Nano LX comes is priced at Rs 1,70,335 (ex-showroom) in Pantnagar. The price of the Tata Nano LX variant is Rs 1,72,360, in Delhi, and Rs 1,85,375 in Mumbai.

The Tata Nano LX variant comes with alloy wheels, fog lamps, air conditioning, body-colored bumpers, tripmeter, front power windows, 3-Spoke steering wheel, front and rear fog lamps, and central locking.