Ratan Tata said, "A promise is a promise"

In 2008, Tata Motors launched the Tata Nano as a common man's car. But there is more to the Nano than just being another car.

It was a cold winter morning in January 2008. But hundreds of journalists, businessmen, ministers etc had gathered early in the morning at the 2008 Auto Expo. Hall No 11 was packed to the gills and there wasn’t even space to stand. The Expo was buzzing with anticipation, and it was not for some big luxury sedan or a premium SUV! It was for a little car which till then was called the “One Lakh Rupee Car.”

The festivities began and a piece of racy music filled the hall. Silhouettes of the “One Lakh Rupee Car” started appearing on the screen amidst massive cheers. This was the car that everyone said was not possible. People had joked that it would be a glorified auto rickshaw, that it would be extremely uncomfortable and most importantly, it was impossible to make a car for this price. But all of that changed as Ratan Tata drove the little white car onto the stage amongst a massive crowd cheer.

It was now evident that Tata’s “One Lakh Rupee Car” was indeed a reality. The little car was small on the outside, but big inside. It did have four wheels and a steering wheel. The cabin was spacious enough to accommodate four passengers and access was via four doors. It also offered an AC for crying out loud. Additionally, it was nothing short of being a marvel of engineering as the engine sat at the back, thus freeing up valuable cabin space. The Nano would also offer a fuel economy of around 20kmpl. In all the still unnamed “One Lakh Rupee Car” was something which the common man of India needed. But could he afford it?

As the press conference approached its finale, Ratan Tata emphasised on the name. He said that some suggested it be called the “Budhdhu Car” but Tata Motors decided to call it the “Nano” as it depicted high technology and small size. Now came the clincher as the price was the talking point of the Nano. Ratan Tata said that the cost of manufacturing had substantially risen since the project started. But the standard version of the Nano would come with a dealer price of Rupees One Lakh. While the crowd went berserk, Ratan Tata said “Having said that, I just want to say, that’s because a promise is a promise.” Ratan Tata had truly done the unthinkable. The Tata Nano came as a gift to the 'common man' of our nation.