The company has already unveiled the European version -- Nano Europa -- at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month -- which is likely to be fitted with a more powerful engine than the Indian version complying with Euro-V emission norms.
Noting that the company's Nano plant in Singur, West Bengal, was expected to come into operation in the last quarter of 2008, Ratan Tata, in a letter to shareholders in the annual report for 2007-08, said that manufacturing facilities would be expanded to meet domestic and global demand in the future. "New variants of the Nano are also currently under development to meet the new environmental and fuel price challenges".
Industry sources said Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle and Telco Construction Equipment Company might be the first off the block.
Tata Steel on Thursday revived its mega Rs 2,500 crore (Rs 25 billion) project to produce titanium dioxide from ilmenite mined from beach sands of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts in south Tamil Nadu.
"If need be we will move and relocated the Nano project elsewhere. Relocation will cost both the Tatas and the West Bengal government, but I will not bring my employees here if they will be beaten up," the Tata Group chairman said.
Banks make criteria tougher for funding the car. Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata's dream to help the common man own a four-wheeler may meet its bete noire in bankers as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and rival lenders realign rules to finance the Nano, touted to be the world's cheapest car.
Speaking to MPs from the West Midlands in the House of Commons during his recent visit, Tata said jobs at the research centres at Whitley and Gaydon were secure at least until 2012. A fresh business plan is expected to be drawn up for the company in 2012. Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham told reporters after the meeting that Tata indicated the possibility of employing more workers at the two centres.
At a time when the automobile industry is eyeing a market of 2 million cars by 2010, various automobile projects of industry majors, including Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra, are running behind schedule.
British Petroleum chairman Sir John Browne is likely to visit India next month to explore oil and gas opportunities in Asia's third largest economy.
Even as the government is trying to park politicians on the boards of 'Navratna' companies, an official committee has cleared names of people like Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata for appointment as independent directors on the board of HAL.
The new small car would be launched in the first half of 2008.
Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata on Tuesday expressed hope that the West Bengal government would be able to acquire land for its ambitious Rs 1 lakh car project in the state.
Tata said this in an interview to L'Espresso, an Italian media company. An excerpt from the interview quoted Tata as saying, "I have two passions in my life -- cars and aircraft. I have always dreamt of being able to be a fighter pilot and I confirm my desire to participate in the shareholding of Ferrari."
Economic reforms in India are being hampered by interventions from business pressure groups and politicians, including Left parties who support the ruling United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, Tata group chairman Ratan Tata said.
"The toughest part was continuing to believe that we could do it," Tata told journalists covering the Auto Expo in New Delhi, where he unveiled the lowest-priced car in the world. He added that "a promise is a promise", hinting at the ability of his company to deliver even in the face of brutal scepticism.
The Nano might have put a smile on millions of faces across the nation, but the traffic police in Bangalore is definitely not amused.
The company commenced production in January, 1999. While it achieved the 100,000th car in March 2001, and the 500,000th car in February, 2005, the progression from the 900,000th car to the millionth car was achieved in just 7 months.
"I am very satisfied and excited about this launch today and the Nano is not for my ego trip... certainly, not an ego trip at all," Ratan Tata said. The price of Rs 1 lakh was announced six years ago when the plan for the Nano was unveiled at an European motor show, he said. He added the fact that the company has kept its promise goes to show that it was not a "gimmick."
Known to be the world's least expensive car, Nano is expected to redefine personal transportation in modern India. Customers can expect to own a car coming at a price between Rs 1.20 lakh (Rs 120,000) and Rs 1.30 lakh (Rs 130,000), depending on the version.
Media persons mobbed Ratan Tata for comments on the controversy over the small-car project in West Bengal and also on the race to acquire Anglo-Dutch steel giant Corus.
a scarce resource. By some estimates, spectrum worth Rs 7,690 crore (Rs 76.90 billion) has been given away for ''free'' for mobile licences.
Ford Motor Co on Wednesday said it expects the sale of its two European marques Jaguar and Land Rover, in which India's Tata Motors has evinced interest, to be through either by this year-end or early next year.
Hero Honda is being egged on by the government's "unannounced concessions" in its 10-year vision statement, the Automotive Mission Plan, which envisages the development of low-cost vehicles.
The Tata Group is looking for investments in Bangladesh's steel, power and fertiliser sectors worth $2billion, a media report said in Dhaka on Saturday.
Tata group chairman Ratan Tata on Tuesday came out in support of the West Bengal government for offering shares of Haldia Petrochemicals Limited to state-owned Indian Oil Corporation -- a decision contested by HPL's principal promoter, the Chatterjee
A stake level of 26 per cent in a company is crucial as with this strength, a stakeholder can block any special resolution at board meetings.
Virtually rejecting the proposal of a major telecom player for levying a hefty entry fee of Rs 1500 crore (Rs 15 billion) for spectrum to start third generation mobile services
Ratan Tata had only good intentions when he said he conceived the Rs 1 lakh car as he cared for the safety of those using two-wheelers. But Bajaj Auto Chairman Rahul Bajaj thinks its just a ploy to market the vehicle.
The Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok on Friday conferred the honorary degree of doctor of technology on Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata for his and the group's contribution to industrial development and the Indian society.\n\n\n\n
Tata Motors has expressed interest in acquiring engine and transmission units of Daewoo Motors India soon after acquiring commercial vehicles operations of Daewoo Korea.
Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata took off to the skies in a Boeing F-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft as a co-pilot, his second such flight in two days.
With this, Tata has now become the oldest Indian to fly the American-made aircraft. Tata, who holds a pilot's licence, had said the thought of the F-16 flight "excites me very much."
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