2012 Tata Nano CX - Neon Rush


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There is an interview
with Patrick Whitney, Dean of the Institute of Design at Illinois Institute of Technology, the largest graduate school of design in the US.
in Economics Times today.

According to Whitney, If Tata Motors went to US first with the Nano and then came back to India then it would have been a runway hit here.

Whitney says "the Tatas may have lost an opportunity in Nano by not positioning it as a product of choice for the middle and upper middle class consumers in developed world and then sold it in India. Instead by marketing directly to the middle class and lower middle class in India, the product ignored the aspirational ambitions of the class of people it is currently targeting."

Tata should have sold Nano in US first: Patrick Whitney, Illinois Institute of Technology - The Economic Times

It seems Whitney has studied Indian mindset thouroughly.
Nano?! Aspirational?! There is some truth in what Mr. Whitney has said and one of the major reasons the Nano hasn't taken off is the fact that for a first time Indian car buyer on a tight budget, radicalism simply doesn't click. I have friends earning Rs 12000 p.m. who ride Bajaj Platinas with their wives and kids and these friends have told me that they would much rather plonk their money on a Maruti 800 than on a Nano because the Nano simply doesnt look like a conventional car "Log kya kahenge yaar, mazak udega ki dabba chala raha hai" (what would people comment - see he's driving around in a box). On the other hand, people who are flush with cash do not mind being different and are always ready to go for a car like the Nano as a gift to their spouses, kids, etc as their third or fourth car for driving around in the city. But the moment such affluent people get to know that the Nano is targeted at the first time car buyer, the chic associated with the car pales and so they too end up staying away from the car. It's always easier to move down (ask Skoda, Toyota) than to move up (ask Maruti, Hyundai) when it comes to selling cars across diverse segments. Nano would certainly have caught the aspirational tag had it been launched in the US/Europe first, as Mr. Whitney has said. I wonder what kind of market research did Tata do before finalizing the Nano.
 
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deville_56

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Nano pimped and ICE'd and left for Coimbatore. Snaps and details coming soon. All DIY [evil]

Nano?! Aspirational?! There is some truth in what Mr. Whitney has said and one of the major reasons the Nano hasn't taken off is the fact that for a first time Indian car buyer on a tight budget, radicalism simply doesn't click. I have friends earning Rs 12000 p.m. who ride Bajaj Platinas with their wives and kids and these friends have told me that they would much rather plonk their money on a Maruti 800 than on a Nano because the Nano simply doesnt look like a conventional car "Log kya kahenge yaar, mazak udega ki dabba chala raha hai" (what would people comment - see he's driving around in a box). On the other hand, people who are flush with cash do not mind being different and are always ready to go for a car like the Nano as a gift to their spouses, kids, etc as their third or fourth car for driving around in the city. But the moment such affluent people get to know that the Nano is targeted at the first time car buyer, the chic associated with the car pales and so they too end up staying away from the car. It's always easier to move down (ask Skoda, Toyota) than to move up (ask Maruti, Hyundai) when it comes to selling cars across diverse segments. Nano would certainly have caught the aspirational tag had it been launched in the US/Europe first, as Mr. Whitney has said. I wonder what kind of market research did Tata do before finalizing the Nano.
True. Main point ruined the show was boasting the 1-lakh price tag. This gave the impression that it's an pacca el-cheapo car and wont be any good. They also tried worser techniques like exchanging bike for car. They could've started with the mileage and value engineering aspects.
 
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Nano pimped and ICE'd and left for Coimbatore. Snaps and details coming soon. All DIY [evil]



True. Main point ruined the show was boasting the 1-lakh price tag. This gave the impression that it's an pacca el-cheapo car and wont be any good. They also tried worser techniques like exchanging bike for car. They could've started with the mileage and value engineering aspects.
Is this Unnikkuttan's Nano??

And thats true, most of the people still consider it as a cheap 1 lakh car with no quality. Once, I had a chance to drive frnd's nano and I found it lot more spacious than 800 and it doesnt struggle much to climb hills.
I think the 2012 Nano is bit more powerful than 800.
 
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deville_56

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Is this Unnikkuttan's Nano??

And thats true, most of the people still consider it as a cheap 1 lakh car with no quality. Once, I had a chance to drive frnd's nano and I found it lot more spacious than 800 and it doesnt struggle much to climb hills.
I think the 2012 Nano is bit more powerful than 800.
Yeah. Unnikkuttan's Nano.

Even the A/C unit works better than many hatchbacks.
 
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The AC is good, no doubt on that. The 800's AC in comparison feels like , to quote Jeremy Clarkson, " an asthmatic ant blowing at you through a straw". But the rest of the package leaves too much to be desired in terms of, what else but desirability !
 
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deville_56

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The donor/replaced car
2012-01-02 22-29-17_resize.jpg

Finally at Devil's Workshop [evil]
2012-01-03 10-31-46_resize.jpg

2012-01-03 11-03-02_resize.jpg

The left ORVM, comes in piano black finish. Bigger and better.
2012-01-03 11-03-43_resize.jpg

New Black interiors exclusively for CX variant.
2012-01-03 11-11-59_resize.jpg

2012-01-03 11-12-14_resize.jpg

The only storage setup.
2012-01-03 13-03-50_resize.jpg

Everything combined, single stack for lights and wiper. Windscreen washer works only in wiper off position.
2012-01-03 13-04-23_resize.jpg

Ignition key position a bit awkward, difficult to reach.
2012-01-03 13-04-49_resize.jpg

Old-school type hazard switch. I tried to push it for a long time, cursing poor quality, later only realized it was pull not push [frustration]
2012-01-03 13-04-55_resize.jpg

Deep Dash

2012-01-03 11-11-52_resize.jpg

Black fabric interiors

2012-01-03 11-04-57_resize.jpg

2012-01-03 11-06-46_resize.jpg

Parcel tray

2012-01-03 11-07-00_resize.jpg

Seat pull. It was effortless and now only single pull.
2012-01-03 11-07-08_resize.jpg

Flipdown.
2012-01-03 11-07-17_resize.jpg

Reflector holder, nice thought.
2012-01-03 11-07-26_resize.jpg

Tata thinks eco.
2012-01-03 11-07-46_resize.jpg

Thick insulation. Can't even hear the idling sound
2012-01-03 11-08-21_resize.jpg

Rear legroom with front seats all way back. No one's never ever gonna use front seat in this position, there will be 2-person gap between him and the dash.
2012-01-03 11-11-12_resize.jpg

Some cheap after thoughts.
2012-01-03 11-05-33_resize.jpg

Bonnet open.
2012-01-03 13-05-07_resize.jpg

Tata warns not to tap directly from battery and there was solid fuse setup direct from the terminal. I took connection from there only, using thick-guage wire and fuse.
2012-01-03 13-05-25_resize.jpg

The boot, oops perhaps bonnet. Stephney is 135 profile. Inconveniently positioned filler cap. They could've incorporated filler hole somewhere in front fender.
2012-01-03 13-05-55_resize.jpg

Value engineering.
2012-01-04 21-59-48_resize.jpg
 
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deville_56

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Everything off the Donor Zen.

Hella 500F.
2012-01-03 22-00-41_resize.jpg

My first complete ICE install [evil]

Pioneer HU
2012-01-04 21-57-25_resize.jpg

Pioneer tweeters.
2012-01-04 21-58-34_resize.jpg

Aiwa speakers from old Hifi. Was confused whether to fit Pioneer ovals in enclosure from Zen or this. After trying both decided to fit this. This had more crispiness and awesome clarity. Pioneer had more thump, less clarity.
2012-01-04 21-59-00_resize.jpg

The DIY numberplates [evil] and Hella done.
2012-01-04 22-00-38_resize.jpg

Black pillars. Sorry, no closeups.

2012-01-04 22-01-10_resize.jpg

Last time back to back.
2012-01-04 22-01-28_resize.jpg

Hella plus highbeams.
2012-01-04 22-07-08_resize.jpg

The throw.
2012-01-04 22-07-33_resize.jpg
 
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The stock headlights itself are very powerful.
At night it looks like a big vehicle coming behind us in the rear view mirror.

Yesterday night I saw a Orange coloured Nano (from the colour, it was a 2012) taking a U turn and racing ahead. Sound was much better than the old Nano. Look like that phut phut exhaust note is no more there.
 
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Nice pictures Deville, from the pictures the 2012 Nano is a great deal to buy and Fabric seats! its really a good thought, how is the cushioning levels of the seats?(Front and rear).
 

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Good pictures. Thanks for giving us a wonderful virtual tour of this car.
Old-school type hazard switch. I tried to push it for a long time, cursing poor quality, later only realized it was pull not push
:biggrin: Maruti 800 also has a similar pull type hazard warning switch.

Drive Safe,
350Z
 
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deville_56: :offtopic: I do not mean to dilute your enthusiasm but even today I would any day still prefer that golden beige Zen with Hellas to the Neon Rush Nano. Sorry !
 
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deville_56

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Updates of Nano: Getting 17-19 with AC in city. Handling not inspiring, so he reduced the tyre pressure. Going to upgrade front tyres to 145 profile [evil]

Nano is looking great with the additional set of lights!
Terror on road.
Good pictures. Thanks for giving us a wonderful virtual tour of this car.
:biggrin: Maruti 800 also has a similar pull type hazard warning switch.

Drive Safe,
350Z
Thanku thanku. I would've hammered it if I didn't find it was pull type.

The stock headlights itself are very powerful.
At night it looks like a big vehicle coming behind us in the rear view mirror.

Yesterday night I saw a Orange coloured Nano (from the colour, it was a 2012) taking a U turn and racing ahead. Sound was much better than the old Nano. Look like that phut phut exhaust note is no more there.
I asked him to upgrade the headlights, but he wanted the Hella only. Car is very much silent compared to older ones.

Nice pictures Deville, from the pictures the 2012 Nano is a great deal to buy and Fabric seats! its really a good thought, how is the cushioning levels of the seats?(Front and rear).
Lumbar and thigh support is great, far better than our Estilo.


deville_56: :offtopic: I do not mean to dilute your enthusiasm but even today I would any day still prefer that golden beige Zen with Hellas to the Neon Rush Nano. Sorry !
Zen started giving troubles and it was difficult to manage it there in Coimbatore. Already spent more than 20k recently and needed another 40-50k to make the car in pristine condition. He was having severe vision problems and Zen's driving position clearly focused even low beams directly to his eyes. He tried everything from polaroid windscreen films to blinding Hellas, but none worked (All trucks and Aces in CBE running with 100/90, or maybe 130/100 and never use dip). He wanted something with higher seating position.

Obviously, he misses the Zen too, especially its handling. He recently upgraded tyres for better handling. 155 in front and 165 in rear on new Esteem rims.

Zen is not sold, parked in Trivandrum at his home along with the Xeta 1.4 and i10 Auto.
 
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Your Nano is looking great on those added hella lights.
I had seen it in other vehicles also. I thought initially it a horn. Now only I came to know that it actually is a light.
 
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Great car Man., My brother booked a perl white LX I strongly recommended him to buy an orange but he needs white badly :) waiting for the delivery!
 
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