Tata to Nano? Journey of 'Rs 1 lakh' car from game-changer to struggling product

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The world first caught a glimpse of the Tata Nano in January 2008 at the Delhi Auto Expo. Launched with much fanfare as the '1 lakh car', its price tag was thought to be a game-changer and received global attention.

However, middle-class buyers felt short-changed over the years as subsequent iterations of the vehicle saw the price nearly double. Nearly a decade on, the picture looks rather bleak for Tata Nano. The demand for the mini car hit a new low clocking just 174 units in March, the lowest since its debut.

Nano has been a troubled product for the country’s fifth largest car maker Tata Motors since the past several years. The company made numerous attempts to revive demand but the loss-making project, which stands to get terminated, failed to muster positive growth.

Consistently falling numbers, scrappage of Nano-specific projects and lack of any official future commitments from Tata Motors suggests that the model could be on its way out.

Here is a look at the Nano's journey: