1. What inspired Tata Motors to build the Nano? Why was there a need for an inexpensive car in India?
2. What innovative steps did Tata undertake to design the Nano in a way that would meet the $2,500 price tag? Do you think the low price automatically means poor quality? How did Tata Motors address the quality issue while developing its budget car?
3. What caused delay in Nano’s launch? What important features of the Indian economic environment were key factors that caused the problem? What does this story teach about the risks of doing business in India?
4. Would you agree that introduction of the Nano to the world auto market will be setting new trends in the auto industry, and possibly reshaping the industry? What did Tata Motors teach other automakers in terms of leadership and innovation?
5. Do you agree that there is a future for low budget cars like Nano in other markets besides India? Do you think Tata Motors is going in the right direction by trying to develop its low cost Nano models adapted to European and U.S. markets? How would you evaluate a likelihood of success of the Nano in the U.S. market? What should Tata Motors do to win American consumers?