What Can Tata's Nano Teach Detroit?

When Tata Motors (TTM) unveiled a prototype of its Nano microcar at the Mumbai Auto Show in January 2008, auto executives around the world were aflutter. Quickly, they hustled teams to India to document the planned $2,500 "people's car." And industry watchers and innovation experts soon reported on the engineering and supply-chain breakthroughs behind the car.

Some 14 months...