Sometimes being cheap and cheerful just isn’t enough. Production delays, land debates and questions over occupant safety are killing the Tata Nano faster than an unexplained engine fire. India’s people car is struggling in spite of the nation’s booming car market and a low asking price of just US$2,900, half of what its nearest rival costs.
With economic growth at a staggering 9% per annum and a 22% year-to-date increase in car sales, Tata must have felt it was onto a sure thing. Things started out good, with 200,000 advanced orders for the sub-subcompact before its 2009 launch.
However, sales have been flagging these past four months with the Indian carmaker selling just 509 Nano’s in November, down from 9,000 in July.
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