When Ratan Tata, chairman of India's Tata Group, spoke at his alma mater of Cornell in June, 2009, he said he would bring his Nano, billed as the world's cheapest car, to the U.S. in two years. That was one month before its introduction in India. Since then the Nano has gone on to become the fifth best-selling minicar in India at prices starting at $3,515, and Tata is still filling an order backlog.
Bare bones don't begin to describe the Nano; there is no heater, and passengers are surrounded by painted metal. With its 35-horsepower engine and top speed of 65 miles per hour, it isn't suitable for Western highways but gets an exemplary 55 miles per gallon. Tata is redesigning the car with an eye to making it more crashworthy and aims to sell a slightly larger version in the U.S. for around $7,500.
NEXT: THINK
