In 2008, Tata Motors introduced a little city runabout known as the Nano. It was cheap—at around P2,000 (P100,000 or so in today’s money), it gained acclaim as the world’s most affordable mass-produced car. While you’d think that this would send buyers to Tata showrooms in droves, it doesn’t seem to be the case as the carmaker will be axing the model real soon.
According to Tata, there isn’t enough demand for the little Nano. This despite its efforts to give it a bit more street cred in the form of the Nano GenX that was released in 2015. The model gave consumers such niceties as Bluetooth and USB connectivity, power steering, and a larger fuel tank. Moreover, it still kept the price to a reasonable P3,000+.
Great, right? Not quite, says most consumers as the Nanao’s sales have been dropping drastically. From 275 units in June 2017, Tata just produced one unit last month. This has led to the decision to discontinue the model, which the automaker says, will not continue beyond 2020.
So why is the Tata Nano not doing so well despite its affordable pricetag? It could be attributed to consumers wanting more bang for their hard-earned buck. Apparently, most buyers don’t simply want a conveyance that will get them from Point A to B. It’s not just about getting around in a box or jellybean on wheels. It’s about getting stuff like safety features that give yu confidence behind the wheel, making you feel safe (which the Tata Nano sadly lacks). Consumers seem to be getting more sophisticated nowadays. And again, this is what the Nano isn’t.
