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Tata Nano goes up in flames in Mumbai

The little wonder from Tata, called the Nano, which made the entire world sit up and take notice of India is now creating headlines across the world for all the wrong reasons. Seriously, the Tata Nano is "Frugal Engineering" at it's best and it has sent the right notes across the automotive industry, what with many other companies now trying to emulate Tata in making a similar-priced and similar-sized car. At this juncture, it's very unfortunate that a brand new Tata Nano, which was just delivered to the owner and was being driven home (by a company chauffeur as the owner did not know how to drive!) caught fire in the middle of the road in Mumbai. The owner should consider himself extremely lucky for not ending up toasted in the car thanks to a motorbike rider who alerted him and the driver by showing signs to look at the back of the car. Only then it dawned on them that the Nano's engine at the rear was on fire. Minutes after they stopped and got down from the car, the entire car was engulfed in flames as is visible from the picture.

Like all bad factors coming against a good thing, this incident and the previous one of a parked Nano catching fire in Ahmedabad will make doomsayers across the world to start their stupid comments about Tata, it's quality, it's cost-cutting and Indian manufacturing, etc. For all those people, I would just like to say one thing - even Toyota, considered as the God of Quality until very recently was not spared from problems. As a responsible company, I hope Tata comes out with a clear explanation of the incident and put all doubts to rest once and for all. I was telling this before and will continue to say this in future too - Hats off to Tata for coming up with the Nano !!!

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