Cornell University’s ‘Unpacking the Nano‘ exhibition is a critical investigation of the design and potential impact of the latest people’s car: Tata Motors‘ Nano, introduced in India in June 2010.
Weighing in at less than 1,400 pounds and just over 10 feet long, the Nano has a 2-cylinder engine and a maximum speed of 65 mph. It only has a 3.96 gal (15 liters) fuel tank and a 2 cylinder, 624 cc (0.624 liter) engine and gets 60 mpg (25.4 km/liter)
‘Over the past few months, the Nano’s popularity in India has waned considerably. Concerns over safety became acute last year, as Indian newspapers began reporting freak incidents of Nanos catching fire. Even as the Nano continues to be lauded around the world, Indians aren’t really buying into the idea. In a recent customer satisfaction poll conducted among 9,300 car owners in 26 Indian cities, the world’s cheapest car lagged far behind its closest competitor.’
The exhibition also suggests that for the $2,200 they might pay for a Nano, Indians could have had two motorcycles, three cows, 33 saris, 60 train tickets, five holidays in Thailand, three laptops, 1,200 packs of cigarettes, or 150 bags of rice.
Via: Metropolis
