The Tata Nano has been a mixed-bag–while it earned plenty of press back in 2009 when it debuted as the world’s least expensive new car, it hasn’t exactly been a sales success. The Indian Express reports that Tata sold just 74,527 units in Fiscal Year 2011, which is respectable but below original expectations. It doesn’t help that the Nano suffered some growing pains in the form of electrical/exhaust fires in 2009 and 2010. The problems have reportedly been fixed. To begin, the Tata Nano cannot be approved for U.S. sales in its current form, as it doesn’t have any airbags, offer any traction or stability control, or come equipped with two wing mirrors. It doesn’t help that the car has no power steering and only 37 hp from a 624-cc two-cylinder Bosch engine.
If any Nano can make it to the states, it’ll probably be a production car fashioned after the 2009 Tata Nano Europa concept, which uses a three-cylinder engine mated to an automatic transmission and adds electric power steering, ABS, stability control, and airbags. While the Europa was supposedly made with passing European emissions standards in mind (which means it should easily get certification here), we do wonder what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety would have to say about it. The final American Tata Nano would probably cost at or below $10,000, which would give Tata plenty of money to add safety and comfort features to the diminutive hatchback