INDIAN car company Tata is preparing for a full-scale European invasion from next year with its Nano city car.
There will also be a new Indica compact hatchback including even an electric version.
The cars will use the Tata name in preference to that of Rover, which the company now owns since its acquisition of Jaguar and land Rover.
Tata chairman Ratan Tata unveiled a so-called Europa version of the tiny Nano at this week's Geneva Motor Show, which will go on sale in India costing just 2,000 American dollars (less than £1,500) from next month.
The Nano Europa will be powered by a three-cylinder all-aluminium engine with a five-speed automatic transmission and electric power steering. This will address the complaint that the Nano is not as green as it could be.
Mr Tata said the petrol engine will achieve CO2 emissions of under 100g/km. The quality of the interior is better than that of the India-market Nano and the European versions will have added safety features to enable the car to comply with stricter European legislation, such as anti-lock brakes that are mandatory on all new cars now.
There will also be air bags and an electronic stability programme.
Also being displayed at Geneva is a concept compact saloon, the Tata Prima, which has been drawn by Italian design house Pininfarina and is expected to go into production within three years.
A third car, the battery-powered Indica Vista electric vehicle is a four-seater with a claimed range of up to 120 miles and acceleration to 60mph in under ten seconds. It is currently undergoing tests in Europe and uses super polymer lithium ion batteries that have superior energy density than conventional batteries.
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