Nano may be rolled out in Oct-Dec quarter

Mumbai Jul 01, 2008

The manufacturing facilities at Singur, West Bengal would be expanded to meet the demand in the domestic and international markets in the future


Tata Motors, India's biggest automobile company, is likely to begin production of the Nano compact car in the last quarter of this year, Chairman Ratan Tata says in the annual report for the year 2007-08.

The manufacturing facilities at Singur, West Bengal would be expanded to meet the demand in the domestic and international markets in the future, Tata says in the report that is posted on the company's web site.

New variants of the Nano are under development, to meet the new environmental and fuel price challenges, as also the market requirement of several international markets, Tata says. The Nano was unveiled at the Auto Expo in Delhi in January.

The high volumes of the Nano range will dramatically change the company's market position, reach and visibility, Tata says.

Tata says there is a need to introduce a greater number of attractive products for Jaguar and Land Rover, and to re-kindle Jaguar's past image connected with its sports car heritage. Both brands have tremendous unfulfilled market potential and a significant global presence, he says.

JLR brands will add global scale, profits and visibility to Tata Motors, enabling it to take its place in the global auto industry as a credible international automobile company, Tata says.

On the current fiscal year, Tata says it will be a year of major challenges for the company. Higher fuel prices will negatively impact both commercial vehicles and passenger car sales, he says.

There will also be an enormous and unprecedented increase in material costs, and negative impact from tighter money supply and higher interest rates, Tata says.

source:indiainfoline