The European version of the world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, has inched closer

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to hitting the continent's roads, after having passed a series of stringent crash tests, a media report said today.

Initially, there were concerns that the rudimentary nature of the Nano, priced at about 1,400 pounds, might fall short of stringent European safety standards, but these have diminished following its impressive performance at the Motor Industry Research Association last week.

In the presence of an inspector from Britain's Vehicle Certification Authority, India's biggest car manufacturer Tata subjected a European-specification Nano to lateral and frontal impact tests and it successfully passed both of them, 'The Daily Telegraph' reported.

However, the model has still to be exposed to the full EuroNCAP crash-test regime. But, the car maker believes that it would eventually qualify for a four-star safety rating, the report said.

The Nano is currently sold only in India and is not likely to reach Britain before 2012. Like the original Nano, it will be made in India.

The European version displayed at Geneva motor show in March retains the Indian-market narrow, upright, four-door format, but it's longer, more powerful, safer and also better finished, it said.