Earlier this year, Tata updated its Nano line-up with the addition of two new variants with power steering. Though the rumoured diesel mill might not make it to the production line, a new comprehensive set of upgrades is being planned for the Nano. A test mule of this car has now been spotted testing on L&T bypass road, just outside Coimbatore city.
A look at the rear of the test mule clearly indicates the presence of an openable rear hatch of the Nano, similar to the one showcased at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo. The car gets a reworked rear end with a new bumper and a high loading bay to accommodate the new hatch.
The front end has also been redesigned to present a fresher image of the car. It gets new bumpers with a different design for the air dam, which houses the repositioned fog lamps at both ends. It also gets new blacked out headlamps with chrome surrounds for the indicators.
The interiors of the car will also be revamped with a new design for the dashboard, new steering wheel gear lever and aircon vents. Features wise, the car will be equipped with the electronic power steering system from the Nano Twist variants.
The Nano will be powered by the same twin-cylinder 624cc engine churning out 37bhp and 51Nm of torque. Besides the regular four-speed manual gearbox, the new Nano will also get the option of Tata’s new automated manual (AMT) gearbox, similar to the one used by Maruti in the Celerio hatchback. This gearbox will also find its way into the two other Tata products, the Zest and Bolt.
Tata has been adding several updates to the Nano in order to bring it on par with its competition and change its image from that of ‘the cheapest car’ to a smart city car targeted at a young audience. The addition of an openable hatch and the AMT gearbox will add practicality to the Nano and make it a serious contender against the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and the Hyundai Eon, though Tata will have to adopt a good marketing strategy for the car.
