• Wall Street Journal, Tuesday, March 24, 2009 11:15 AM

Executives at Tata Motors are expecting millions of orders for the new snub-nosed Nano, which goes on sale in July for 100,000 rupees (about $2,000). To deal with initial demand for the cheapest mass-produced car in the world, it says it will use a computer to randomly choose who in India gets the first 100,000 cars, Eric Bellman reports.

In the weeks ahead, Tata will send hundreds of the minicars for customers to view and test-drive in Indian showrooms. "We are at the gates of offering a new form of transport to the people of India," says Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata, "and later I hope to the other people of the world."

Tata says the company's engineers are developing a U.S. version of the Nano that must pass stricter safety requirements. It won't be ready for another two and a half years; a European version is expected in 2011.

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