Tata Nano soft launch in 2008 December

The Hindu newspaper is reporting that Tata Nano would have a soft-launch by 2008-end, followed by a full-scale launch in the the beginning of 2009. The soft launch would see some 2000-3000 Nano cars being launched.

The Hindu was told this by a vendor who attended a Tata Motors vendors’ meet.

That delay is understandable, considering that Tat Motors had to shift the Tata Nano plant to Sanand in Gujarat after the Singur catastrophe. Major portions of the plant are not yet moved to Sanand by Tata. The initial few Nano cars are likely to roll out from the Pantnagar or Pune plants of Tata Motors.

AA soft launch would mean Tata has managed some technically stick to their internal deadline, and perhaps launch the car officially on the upcoming birthday of Ratan Tata this year.

What does this mean for a Tata Nano buyer? Well, the soft launch is of no good to you for sure. The production numbers we hear are between 200 to 3000 cars. They are not going to come to any regular buyers for sure.

Full scale production at the Sanand plant has to start for Nanos to be produced in large enough numbers for a regular launch. Our guess is, it would take a minimum of six months from now – that is April 2009, before the Nano would be available in showrooms for purchase. Tata Motors, ofr its part, is sticking to its last statement that it would be by the end of the current fiscal, ie, March 2009.