A big rush for the small Nano

Their father,who runs a pharmacy shop in the unauthorised colony at Nangloi,says the only reason he could think of buying a car was because of the low price. “No one in our colony owns a car. Now many are thinking of buying one,” says Ravinder Prasad.

Jasbir Kaur,70,braved a crowded bus from Punjabi Bagh to the Tata Motors Showroom at Barakhamba Road,to book a brand new Nano for her grandson. Her 21-year-old grandson does not know of the “surprise” she is planning.

“We were thinking of buying a second-hand Santro earlier,but now I will get him a Nano,” she says,adding: “It feels good to be able to buy a car from my own savings at this age.”

Kaur and Prasad were among the several people who thronged the TATA motors dealership at Barakhamba Road to make a booking for their new car.

With an on-road price ranging from Rs 1.35 lakh for the basic model to Rs 1.86 lakh for the top-end model,the Nano is within the reach of a large two-wheeler driving populace. And the mileage claim of 23 kmpl has made people choose the Nano as the second family car.

For government official A K Sharma,it is also a car that will suit his plans to drive around in Delhi after retirement. Though he owns a Toyota Innova,he thinks the bigger car is not suitable for city driving. “Besides,” he says,“the big,fast cars are for children. I’m about to retire,I need a car that will suit an old man like me.”

The Barakhamba Road dealership sold 110 booking forms between 11 am and 4 pm on Thursday,bringing the total to 500 forms since April 2.

While the ‘people’s car’ seems to have captivated the imagination of a lot of people,some features are a cause of concern for consumers.

Vineet Aggarwal,who wanted the Nano for his wife,said the Spartan interiors made the car unattractive. The placing of the engine at the back also did not go down well with a few potential buyers.

Svetlana,a Russian married to an Indian businessman,said the engine at the back could be dangerous. “In Delhi traffic,it could be very dangerous if someone bumped the car from behind,” she said.

The consumers’ common grouse was that the company was not allowing test drives of the car. “I have booked a Nano but will not sell my old car till it actually gets delivered and I have a chance to test drive it. What if there is a problem?” said Ajmeri Gate resident Rajesh Nanda.

The long wait is also something that consumers are wary about. “We have been told that we’ll get the car only after a lucky draw in July. If our name does not come up in the draw,we will have to wait longer,” said Amit Raina,a resident of Chandni Chowk.