The international media toasted the unveiling of the Nano with a mixture of adulation for Tata's achievement in producing the world's cheapest car and nagging concern over what it could mean for the environment and India's road congestion.

''Many were surprised by the Nano 's natty styling, confounding pre-launch predictions that a car at that price would be little more than 'a super-charged autorickshaw' or 'two motorcycles joined at the hip'," Peter Foster and Pallavi Malhotra wrote on London's Daily Telegraph website. The writers also highlighted protests from environmentalists on the car's likely impact on India's carbon footprint.

But most writers saw the revolutionary potential of the ultra-cheap car. Writing on the website of the Times , London, Ashling O'Connor said it was set to transform the concept of travel for the masses in India and in poorer parts of the world. "This is the People's Car, the world's cheapest car at a starting price of Rs 100,000 ($2,500) or the equivalent of a DVD player in a Lexus,'' he wrote.

Many writers saw the launch of Nano as part of India's growth story. In the Forbes website, Ruth David wrote, ''As Indians become wealthier, with the economy registering growth rates of around 9% for the third consecutive year now, Tata Motors is hoping its ambitious new launch will tap into the rising ranks of consumers.''

The Economist called the car ''a product of impatience and chutzpah''. An unsigned piece on its website said, ''Instead of waiting for the great swell of prosperity in India and elsewhere to create millions of customers for his company's products, Mr Tata has decided to wade out further than any one has gone before to bring a car to them.''