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Debuting their first new cars in four years, Tata took the wraps off the Bolt and Zest subcompacts, which are designed specifically to sneak in under four meters in length, to get around vehicle taxation schemes.
While the Bolt hatchback is rather conventional looking, the severely truncated rear of the Zest sedan is evidence of Tata’s desire to strictly adhere to the sub-four meter rule. Tata is hoping that the new cars will lift slumping sales, which have been down nearly 40 percent recently. For more, check out our friends at Motorbeam.
7 Comments on “Tata Debuts Bolt, Zest Subcompacts...”
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I wonder if it is clean sheet design. The underpinnings seem to be carryover from the present Manza (whatever that means) and Vista models. Overall, a decent effort!
Well, your sales are likely to start to slump when you don’t have any new product in 4 years, in a developing market.
The interior looks good. Presumably JLR helped with that bit. But really why nit leg JLR design the whole thing.
JLR are too busy with their own cars. It’d make sense eventually, but at the moment JLR’s hiring spree for engineering capacity has barely kept up with new programs as it is.
Just the models that have made it into the media should give you an idea of the amount of work currently going on:
– freelander/lr2 replacement
– discovery/lr4 replacement
– mid-size RR bigger than evoque
– defender replacement
– evoque cabrio
– 3-series competitor for jaguar
– xf replacement
– xj replacement
– jag crossover
– hybrids starting with rr & rr sport
– evoque has to be replaced sometime too
– new engines (petrol & diesel from the new wolverhampton factory)
– new infotainment systems from the recently disclosed joint venture with intel etc
– huge research efforts and new centre at warwick uni
plus theres likely more that hasn’t been spotted or leaked…
also, new factories in brazil & china. Theres also the assembly in india of xf & freelander. as well as the potential deal with the saudi’s.
lets just say JLR are waaaaay too busy to offer much more than peripheral support to tata at the moment.
Looks better than the recent vomit, uh, efforts from Nissan and Mitsubishi.
One’s named after a bar of soap, and the other’s name is ‘inspired’ by a compact Chevy.
(Next model year from Tata: the 2015 Corbet sports car, Cabalier sedan, Noba mid-sized coupe and the all-new (cough) replacement for Nano, the Tata Chebette.
Is it just me or do the rear lights on the Zest look like the Mercedes A-Class’s?