Tata Nano Penguin pickup truck rumours

We are not sure what the hell this is. But it sure looks like the Ace, though smaller. Rumours are that this is a new mini pickup truck, smaller than the Ace, based on the Tata Nano.

Tata Penguin mini puckup, photo courtesy IndianAutosBlog

Why call it Penguin? For now, we can take a look at those headlights in the photo above for a reason! Remember that this might be just a code name. Tata was pretty secretive about its chosen names occasionally, like in the case of the Nano – so the name might change by the time it is launched.

Of course there are no clear pictures, or any clarifications from Tata Motors at this point. If this really is based on the Nano, production is possibly a long way away. Tata Nano production itself is not at full tilt yet, what with Sanand plant not operating at its optimum capacity even now. We think Tata’s priority would be the Nano, once the Sanand plant is in full action mode in some 6 months’ time. However, they are working on a lot of variants of the Nano including electrics, and this could be one of the plans.

Tata had said in 2008 that the company would be manufacturing a smaller version of its little Ace pickup. We think it was Overdrive magazine which mentioned this news initially. The Penguin mini pickup will use a 350 cc single cylinder diesel engine, and is likely to be produced from Tata’s Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand.

Many think this photo is of the upcoming Tata Penguin pickup truck – it looks smaller than the Ace, has  short wheelbase, a single wiper… and the little diesel engine is mounted at the rear and drives the rear wheels, like in the Nano. What else could it be?

Anyway, notice that the recent entrant into the mini pickup truck market – the super ugly Mahindra Gio – is what the Penguin would be competing against. Also, it would definitely take on those three wheeler pickups based on Bajaj Auto’s autorickshaws or Piaggio Ape models.