Tata Nano attracts over 2.03 lakh bookings

The Tata Nano has drawn over 2.03 lakh fully paid bookings amounting to nearly Rs25bn, Tata Motors said in a statement on Monday. The Tata Nano web site recorded an unprecedented 30mn hits from the date of launch of the car to the closure of the booking period (April 25), nearly 1 million hits a day. About 14 lakh people walked in to Tata Motors’ Showrooms, Croma and Westside stores across the country to catch a glimpse of the car. A total of 6.10 lakh forms were purchased from the booking centres. Around 70% of the 2.03 lakh bookings received were financed, while 30% of the applicants booked in cash by paying fully. About 4,000 cash bookings were made online through www.tatanano.com. Among the three variants of the car, 20% bookings are for the Nano Standard, 30% for the Nano CX and the remaining 50% for the top-end Nano LX. As announced on March 23, the first 100,000 allottees from among the applicants will be chosen through a computerised random selection procedure, and the announcement will be made within 60 days of closure of the booking. Deliveries will start in July, and are expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2010. Tata Motors said it will also announce the allotment of those booking applicants who have expressed their interest in retaining their bookings with the company even if they do not form part of the first 1 lakh allottees. The retainees will earn an interest on their booking amount, effective from that date, the company said. The booking amounts of unsuccessful applicants who have not chosen to retain their booking amounts will be refunded at the same time.