Fiat, Tatas to sell Nano jointly in Latin America

Tata Motors Ltd, India's largest vehicles maker, which delivered the Nano, the world's cheapest car, to its first customer last week, (See: Tata Motors to deliver first Nano on Friday) will be selling the car in Latin America in partnership with Turin, Italy-based Fiat SpA.

Speaking yesterday to the Turin-based newspaper, La Stampa, Ratan Tata, who is on the board of Fiat, said that the two companies would jointly sell the low-cost Nano in Latin America.

''We have various projects, to take the Nano to Latin America together, to share platforms for new cars, we have projects for Iveco (Fiat's commercial truck company) and also for us to sell Ferrari and Maserati," Tata said.

The Tata Motors-Fiat alliance will give Fiat an entry into the Indian truck market, the world's fourth largest.

The two companies are also studying various other  collaboration opportunities to enhance their existing projects such as the partnership to produce engines in India.

Tata and Fiat already have a joint venture in India and have together invested close to Rs4,000 crore at Ranjangaon in Maharashtra for a new car and engine plant. (See: Tata Motors, Fiat India joint venture to export Palio engines globally)

The Fiat engines made in the Ranjangaon plant power the Vista, the new version of Tata Motors' Indica, and may be used as the power packs on Fiat's Linea and Grande Punto, both of which were introduced into the Indian market this year.