The Nano Twist will also be offered in a purple paint shade option for the first time and the EPS version will be approximately around Rs 15,000 more expensive than the equivalent non-power steering Nano (which is expected to be sold alongside the EPS version). The biggest grouse against the Tata Nano has been its heavy steering, the result of a flawed steering geometry that Tata hasn't quite got right on this 630kg, rear-wheel drive car.
Manoeuvring the small car through traffic and parking was a bit cumbersome and to counter this, Tata gave a larger steering diameter in the upgraded 2013 Nano, to make it easy on the triceps. But this was just a half measure.
Now, the Tata Nano Twist could overcome one of the car's major drawbacks.
The ZF electric power steering has taken about a year-and-a-half in development and Tata engineers have fine-tuned the calibration of the hatchback to give a good balance between low effort and road feel, according to company sources.
Since its launch in 2009, sales of the Tata Nano have been a fraction of what Tata Motors hoped for. Although Tata has upgraded the interiors and exteriors of the Nano in a bid to entice buyers, the stigma of the world's cheapest car has kept many buyers away.
The ZF-sourced electric power steering system on the Nano Twist marks the first mechanical upgrade for the Nano since its launch. This upgrade is a part of Tata Motors' new Horizonext strategy which seeks to improve existing products, sales and service to combat the recent slump in sales.
This article was Posted by:Kurian Akkara
Source: Autocar.
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