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Article: India's Nano, Driving Like a (National) Dream
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- March 24, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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I didn't want to be the first Western journalist to crash a
Nano.
But I was so curious about the world's cheapest car I was willing
to take that chance.
With a sticker price of about $2,000, the new Tata Motors' Nano
has been mocked as a lawn mower for four. It has no air
conditioning, stereo or air bags. Those cost extra. It does come
with a single windshield wiper, kind of skimpy for a country with a
monsoon season. Oh, and the Nano comes only with manual
transmission.
But in a country where it's not uncommon to see a family of four
or five perched precariously on a motorcycle, it puts the dream of
car ownership within reach of India's emerging middle- and working-
classes.
I was excited ...