An adventurist takes Tata Nano to the base camp of Ladakh

Dr Varun Vagish, an adventurist and car enthusiast from West Bengal, tested a Tata Nano to its extreme by taking the hatchback to the Base Camp of Siachen Glacier in Ladakh, the highest battlefield on Earth.

Vagish started the journey from his home town in Asansol, covering over 7,000 km in 20 days. During this drive, he passed some of the most treacherous roads in the world including Khardong La, Chang La and Zozi La pass.

According to Mr. Varun Vagish, "Being a rear wheel drive car, Tata Nano was a mobile powerhouse while climbing the steep inclines of the highest mountain passes. Lowest turning radius also helped me to easily manoeuvre the vehicle on sharp curves. It just took 30 minutes to climb the last 16 kilometres stretch from North-Pulu to Khardung-la, World’s Highest Motorable Pass. In the plains, it was driven more than 800 kms in a day at few instances. During the whole journey, I felt immense respect for the whole team of Tata Motors who conceptualised and shaped this beautiful vehicle."

Earlier this year, Tata launched the Gen X Nano at Rs 1.99 lakh, with the automatic version a tad more expensive at Rs 2.69 lakh. A 624cc, two-cylinder engine powers the Nano, delivering 37.5 bhp and 51 Nm of torque.