Video: Tata Nano Seen First Time In Motion

Since its official debut at Delhi Autoexpo earlier this year, Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car, has never been photographed testing, until now. An Indian man who had a video camera, caught a base model Nano driving on the famous Pune-Mumbai Highway performing a test run.

Tata to Spin Off Jaguar, Buy Land Rover

While the sale of the Jaguar and Land Rover has not been completed yet, Tata is preparing to make major changes at the companies. According to sources speaking with InsideLine, Tata purchased a 450-acre swath of land in Gurgaon, outside of New Delhi, for the explicit purpose of building Land Rovers. The source said that "... Jaguar will be spun off almost immediately."

British labor unions supported Jaguar’s sale to Tata over rival bids from Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra and an American private equity firm. Both companies could eventually attempt to buy Jaguar from Tata should these reports become true.

Ford announced Tata Motors was the preferred buyer of Jaguar and Land Rover back in January and the sale could be completed in the next few weeks.

Tata To Sign Memorandum On Sale Of Jaguar This Month

Ford and Tata are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover in late February or early March. Ford has reportedly agreed to continue supplying engines and components, and Tata to accept the pension arrangements. The final issue is Ford's discussions with British auto workers unions. The unions don't have any problems with the deal between Ford and Tata, but they haven't agreed anything to with Ford neither.

The sticking point appears to be that Ford has only given verbal guarantees, and the unions want those guarantees locked in for the next few years, presumably in writing. Until then, the unions won't recommend accepting the deal. Aside that Tata has signed off on both Land Rover and Jaguar's business plans through 2012, which means the F-Type could finally go into production.

Tata To Take Nano To Europe In 2012

European buyers have to wat four years to buy a Tata Nano. World’s cheapest car at a suggested price of €1,722/ USD 2,500 has an initial production plan of 250,000.

The main barrier to Euro entry will be stringent crash standards and Euro 5 emission standards. "We will develop a successor model in four years time, which will meet the Euro 5 emission regulations and the crash standards in Europe," Girish Wagh, head of Tata’s compact car division, was quoted as saying by German weekly Focus.

Another target is to reduce the average fuel consumption from 5 litres per 100km (62.5 miles). Initially the Nano will be marketed and sold in developing countries in Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Jaguar Has Plans For F-Type, Two-Door XF And Four-Door XK

Jaguar isn't just sitting and waiting around to see how its future is going like. The premium English automaker plans to move ahead with new product development. We've already seen spy shots of the next flagship XJ sedan, and heard rumors of a new Porsche 911 rival sportscar. New reports now suggest that Jaguar executives have begun coordinating with their bosses gonna be's at Tata about some new models.

Although Tata is not in a position to sign off on the development of new models at this point, it reportedly likes the sportscar project. The Porsche rival will be reportedly basing off the XF's steel chassis. Jaguar also presented its hosts with plans to make a two-door coupe version of the new XF sedan. Lastly, a plan was presented to lengthen the XK coupe and add two more doors to build its own rival to compete with Aston Martin's upcoming Rapide. This last development contradicts earlier reports that suggested the next XJ sedan would adopt the four-door-coupe approach, offering instead that the new XJ would include more interior space than the model it replaces.

Spy Shots: Tata Safari

India’s biggest automaker Tata is today famous with its Nano car and possible buyout of Land Rover and Jaguar. But first they have a new SUV to work on. The new version of the Tata Safari, famous for being India’s very first locally designed, developed and manufactured SUV, has snapped in northern Sweden testing.

Available in both 4x2 and 4x4, the Safari was launched in 1998 and restyled in 2005. Originally it featured a 1.9-litre turbo-diesel engine. But a 3.0-litre turbo diesel and a 2.0-litre diesel were also made available for 2005 model year. Safaris currently range from about USD 16,350 to USD 28,480 in the Indian market. While a baseline Mistubishi Pajero costs around USD 47,025.

Gallery: Tata Safari Spy Shots

Toyota Takes It To Tata

It is no industry secret that India-based Tata Motors has shaken the automotive world with release of their $2,500 Tata Nano. Called "The People's Car," the Nano has the potential of being a huge hit in the company's home country.

Both GM and Toyota have said they plan to work out a vehicle that could rival the Nano. What had been unclear is if the automotive giants could match the ultra-low price point Tata has set. It looks like Toyota can. The Times Of India is now reporting that Toyota has informed India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of their plans to begin building small cars in India.

The investment to produce cars meant for export out of India will cost less to Toyota because of the low standard wage and purchase parity India has with other nations. That means more can be purchased for the same amount of money in India than in countries like Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe was quoted as saying, "There is a huge market for low-cost/price vehicles," but he expressed concern about Toyota's ability to maintain a high level of quality.Today, India's Commerce and Industry Minister, Kamal Nath, told The Times, "[Watanabe] met me and informed me that Toyota would be doubling its investments in India and would also make small cars in the market that would be exported to other countries as well."

Production of the car will take place at Toyota's current joint-venture facility near Bangalore. Final details are expected to be announced in three to four months. As the new World's Largest Automaker, this move will be key for Toyota to maintain global market share in the future.

Breaking: Tata To Take Full Stake In Jaguar And Land Rover

It's reporting that Tata will be going for an outright purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover when the buyout of the two automakers from Ford completed. It was originally assumed that Ford would still maintain a minority stake in both luxury marques, as it did with the sale of Aston Martin to Prodrive last year. But the automaker has determined that the Tata is well equipped to take over both brands entirely.

We're wonder if Tata has the infrastructure to supply Jag and L.R. with the necessary components, from drivetrains to switch knobs. We'll know more when the deal is sealed in the coming months.

GM To Compete With Tata Nano

GM is looking at building cheap cars which compete with Tata's Nano. And GM's part-ownership stake in Wuling Motors, a Chinese manufacturer of sub-$3,000 utility vehicles as a possible source of a GM Nano competitor.

Lutz said that one way to make an inexpensive car for the developing world is to repurpose a legacy platform that has become obsolete. The tooling and design will have long been paid off, and there'll be plenty of experience from the manufacturing side, too. This is what GM China is already doing with the Daewoo Matiz/Chevrolet Spark. It might be not good of dumping an old product that isn't safe or clean enough for mature markets, but it is good enough in other parts of the world. That said, it could also be a way to maximize the life of an investment while also providing developing markets with a better product than they'd have otherwise.

Tata And Chrysler Sign Deal To Import Electric Vehicle

India's top vehicle builder really wants to become a world player. To that aim, Tata Motors has entered into a new deal with Chrysler, LLC to develop an electric version of Tata's Ace mini truck for sale in North America.

Chrysler's Global Electric Motorcars division (GEM) is working with Tata to import fully-assembled vehicles that meet all the appropriate U.S. regulations. The battery-operated Ace has successfully navigated the required safety tests, and they're reportedly ready for production. Tata wants to eventually export up to 50,000 vehicles to the US, but they've pegged the goal for 2008 at 10,000 units.

What Can You Buy With $2,500 ?

Tata has finally revealed its $2,500 car. The Tata Nano was unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Expo. The car has a 30-horsepower 624-cc engine; a four-speed manual transmission; a disc/drum brake setup; room for five; and claimed fuel economy of 54 US miles per gallon. There will be tw0 versions: Standard Nano and Luxury Nano.

Tata claims that the car meets safety and environmental standards (such as Euro IV emissions compliance).

Gallery: Tata Nano

Tata's $2,500 Car To Be Unveiled Next Month

Tata Motors is expected become the winning bidder for Jaguar and Land Rover in the coming weeks. While the Indian automaker could soon be selling expensive British luxury cars and SUVs, it's also hard at work developing the world's most cheap car.

The cheap car under development is expected to sell for around 100,000 rupees or around $2,500 USD, and it has just announced that it will be unveiled early next month at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. The car is expected have an engine in the rear powering the rear wheels, four doors.

Three Bidders Remain For Jaguar/Land Rover

Although Ford says no announcement will be made about what company will end up with Jaguar and Land Rover until 2008, Automotive News says that three bidders remain in the running.

India's Tata Motors, and Mahindra & Mahindra and U.S. private equity firm One Equity Partners are all still interested, but Tata looks to be the most likely candidate to own Jaguar and Land Rover.

The Birmingham Post had expected an announcement saying Tata Motors will pay as much as $2 billion for Jag and Land Rover. But a Ford spokesman tells Business Week that the company won't say anything about a possible deal until after the new year.

Breaking: Tata Confirmed To Buy Jaguar And Land Rover

English Birmingham Post newspaper reported that Tata Motors will be named the winning bid for Jaguar and Land Rover. Neither the seller, Ford, nor the buyer, Tata, have confirmed that an announcement has made, and in fact Ford has repeatedly said that a buyer will not be named until early next year.

The British paper reiterates the same estimate we've heard before, that Tata will be doling out around £1 billion, or $2 billion USD, for the right to own these two storied brands.