Rumour : Leaked Specs of the Diesel Nano

A Team-BHPian, Dbaapps, shares the following insider information on the Tata Nano Diesel: 

• The Nano Diesel will come to the market in end 2012 or 2013 latest. The car is nearly production-ready.
• 800cc two cylinder diesel engine. Tata worked with the German firm FEV to develop this engine.
• Power: Approximately 40 BHP. 
• ARAI fuel consumption will be close to 40 kpl. Thus, expect about 25 - 30 kpl in real-world driving conditions. 
• Engine will first go to the Tata ACE CRDI in a detuned state (for commercial applications).
• The diesel Nano will be a proper 5-door Hatchback. 
• New front and Rear Bumper, to distinguish it from the Nano Petrol.
• Front disk brakes will be standard.
• 13 Inch wheels (over the Nano's current 12" wheel size).
• Improved insulation to control diesel clatter & vibrations.
• Suspension has been beefed up to sustain the higher kerb weight of around 750 /770 Kilos. 
• Engine can be worked upon by removing the rear bumper through a cradle.
• Work is going on to reduce the price of the Nano Diesel, so expect a spartan interior, though it will have a lockable glove box.
• Base model to be priced under Rs. 2 Lakh ex-showroom.

Additionally, a Nano was apparently caught filling up at a diesel pump (Source: IndianAutosBlog.com). Two cylinder diesel engines are notorious for the massive clatter they make; it will be interesting to see how Tata manages to address this issue. The Nano petrol never quite sold in the expected numbers, going as low as 500 monthly units to high levels of just over 10,000. A diesel engine could be the game-changer, as all of the other entry-level segment cars (800, Alto, Eon & Spark) are powered by petrol engines. 

Other Links:
Detailed Review of the Tata Nano