The Tata Nano has finally hit the streets as the first customer got the keys to the cheapest car in the world. Ashok Raghunath Vichare took delivery of a lunar silver Nano LX, one of three cars handed over in person by Tata Motors Chairman Ratan Tata at a dealership in Mumbai. Deliveries have begun to dealerships around the country from Tata Motors’ Pantnagar factory in northern India, which can produce up to 50,000 Nanos every year.
The 59-year-old customs official from Mumbai was very happy to have got his hands on the car, as he was mobbed by cameras and press photographers. His family, who accompanied him to the showroom, said their first drive would be to a nearby Hindu temple to have the vehicle blessed. Ashish Balakrishnan who works in HDFC Bank in Mumbai took delivery of a sunshine yellow LX model, said he could not wait to joyride on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The third car, also a lunar silver LX, was handed over to Kores India Ltd, an office products-to-outsourcing firm.
