NEW DELHI, INDIA - The Nano, dubbed "the world's cheapest car," went on display in showrooms across India Wednesday, drawing large crowds anxious to see and even sit inside a vehicle that could transform their lives.

Reservations for Tata Motors' small but sporty new vehicle, which costs just 100,000 rupees (US$2,000), will start on April 9.

"This is a good car for me," said office clerk Anil Kumar, 37, as he sat in the front of the four-door car at a Tata dealership in New Delhi.

"It means safety for my family," said Kumar, who now transports his wife and three children around town all on a motorcycle.

"I'm going to buy one," he said, as other potential owners jostled for a closer look at the silver, snub-nosed car which has a tiny two-cylinder, 33 horsepower engine.

Kumar is typical of the buyer that Tata Group chief Ratan Tata had in mind when he designed the Nano as an affordable way for Indians to replace their unsafe motorcycles with safer cars.

The Nano drew worldwide attention at a glitzy launch in Mumbai last week, and models for the European and US markets are in the pipeline.

But even Indians will struggle to get their hands on one in the near future, with demand red hot and production limited after Tata was forced to quit its main Nano factory due to a violent property dispute.

To cope with the huge interest and supply shortages, the first 100,000 owners are being selected by lottery. --AFP