Tata Motors will be updating the Nano with the F-Tronic AMT gearbox and a functional boot-lid christened as the Nano Twist Active; two much needed changes on the scantily selling hatchback that were showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo held earlier this year. Now, our reader Obed Daruwala spotted the facelift Nano being tested in Dhankawadi, Pune along with the Punto facelift and the Indigo eCS test mules. The completely camouflaged test mule hides all the major changes on the design front of the Nano Twist Active that was showcased at the Expo.
Changes on the 2015 Tata Nano Twist Active include revised headlamps, new grille design with integrated fog lamps; while the front hood features a new lip finished in glossy black with the Tata logo lending some freshness and a premium appeal to the front fascia of the vehicle. The rear on the other hand gets reworked tail lights, a new bumper design and the functioning boot-lid. The new Twist Active model will also feature a very hot property currently in the automotive market, the new AMT gearbox.
The AMT gearbox will help make the Nano a far more appealing product and will also be the cheapest automatic in the country, undercutting the Maruti Celerio by a significant margin. Apart from the inclusion of the AMT gearbox, the Nano Twist Active is also expected to feature an all-new 3-cylinder engine (displacement around 800cc) that will be tuned to produce around 67 PS of power, when it goes on sale in 2015. Expect the Twist Active to be priced at a premium, compared to the standard models.
The other models on test were the Fiat Punto facelift that will go on sale later this year in the country. The Punto is expected to feature a significantly revised front and rear design, while the interiors will be in-sync with the Linea facelift that was launched last month in the country. The Indigo eCS on the other hand might just see a last update before the Zest compact sedan is launched. Tata could continue selling the Indigo eCS models in the semi-urban and rural cities in the country.
Tata’s major challenge is to make the Nano a far more vibrant and appealing product to the masses. Tata’s new marketing strategy also portrays the Nano as a product for the youth with compact looks. The interiors too have seen some major revisions and now get bright looking beige plastics and upholstery along with features such as EPAS power steering system (launched on the Nano Twist this year), Bluetooth, USB and AUX-in connectivity. Tata says, the company has been working on the Twist Active model after receiving significant feedback from its customers.
