2012 Tata Nano America Features

The 2012 Tata Nano America doesn't have a rear liftgate or opening glass to save on development costs. The rear seatbacks fold down to access a small trunk.

Plain or fancy, the Nano is a fairly conventional minicar design, though thoroughly and cleverly engineered to save weight and cost in every place possible. That's why there's only one windshield wiper and no glovebox, for example.

The dashboard is a simple one-piece plastic molding with scooped-out parcel shelves flanking a minimalist instrument and control pod. Despite appearances, the rear window is fixed and there's no liftgate, though one or both of these are said to be in the pipeline. For now, the rear seatbacks flop down for access to a small trunk.

The 2012 Tata Nano America should come only with manual rack-and-pinion steering; power assist isn't really needed with the engine in back and correspondingly less weight on the nose. Similarly, unassisted drum brakes were deemed sufficient for the low total weight of some 1,500 pounds. Wheels are petite 12-inchers, chosen to minimize space-robbing wheelhouse intrusion inside; they attach by just three lug nuts instead of the usual four or five. The suspension employs coil springs, front struts, and rear semi-trailing arms, but lacks antiroll bars, again for reasons of weight and cost. Tires are predictably econocar skinny, but slightly wider rear rubber helps compensate for the absent stabilizer bars, as well as the tail-wagging tendency associated with rear-engine cars.

On the other hand, the Nano's unitized steel body is welded to a sturdy steel under-frame and has an impact-absorbing front "crumple-zone" construction that Tata claims already meets European crash standards. Lending additional strength in side impacts is a cross-car tube that also anchors the front seats and seatbelts and even serves as a footrest for rear passengers.