Nano diesel variant likely to have 750 cc engine

After working on petrol engine for Nano, the Tata’s small car, auto component maker Bosch is ready with its CRS 1.1 common rail system for Nano’s diesel variant.

Bosch is ready with the product. Now it depends on when Tata Motors will begin work on Nano’s diesel variant.

Sources close to the development said the diesel engine will be close to 750cc and production is likely to begin by the third or fourth quarter of the next financial year.

In 2009, around Rs 20,000 crore was invested in global R&D for a number of projects including the development of CRS for Tata Nano diesel.

However, Tata Motors spokesperson denied any such development, and said that the company has no specific plans.

The company maintained the stand held during the Nano launch last year that it will eventually look at alternate fuel options for Nano.

Nano being a peoples’ car is considered a good option for two-wheeler owners upgrading to a four-wheeler, and a diesel variant of the car would prove to be a right fit.

However, according to industry experts, since Nano has a rear engine, it would be an engineering challenge for Tata Motors to accommodate the diesel engine at the rear end.

“Though it is a desirable fuel option from the customer’s point of view, it also poses a host of challenges, and I’m sceptical about the debut of the diesel engine solely because of Nano’s rear engine format.”

Also, being a CRS 1.1 common rail system the cost will be quite high, the expert said, adding “the company will have to incur an incremental cost of at least Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000; similarly the customer will see a minimum increase of Rs 20,000. This would cause a dent on Nano’s position of being a low-cost engineered product.”

Meantime, Tata Motors commenced trial production of the first batch of Nano at the new mother plant its Sanand facility last December.

The company will start commercial production from March 2010. It is currently producing Nano from its Pantnagar facility in Uttarakhand.