Tata Motors to launch Bolt and Zest by July

Tata Motors’ new hatchback and sub 4-meter sedan, the Bolt and Zest were unveiled at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo in February this year and is expected to be launched by July 2014. The new cars will feature the newly developed 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engines, codenamed Revotron along with the ever popular 1.3-litre, Quadrajet engine. The Bolt and Zest will cost between Rs 5-7 lakhs.

Developed by Tata Motors to replace the aging Indica Vista platform, the Bolt hatchback looks like an evolution of the Tata Indica shape while staying true to certain design cues that we are used to seeing on the decade old platform. Gone though are the trademark vertically stacked taillights, replaced by a more conventional, stouter set. The Tata Bolt features edgy styling, especially in the headlight and grille department combined with a curvaceous body shape that Tata has been known to have in most of their cars. The Interior too is a large step up from the Vista platform while still using some cues from the previous generation.

The Tata Indigo CS was the first sub 4-meter sedan to ever be made in India and did exceedingly well. Now though, with the likes of the Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze and the newly launched Hyundai Xcent, Tata has had to step up its game with an all-new car, the Tata Zest. The Zest, apart from the competitors listed above, will also go up against the likes of the soon to be launched Ford Figo and Datsun Go based sub 4-meter sedan. The Zest will feature first in class features like LED daytime running lights and a highly feature rich infotainment system which will incorporate features like navigation, audio and video playback and air conditioning settings. 

Both the cars will feature the new 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol Revotron engine, which will produce 75PS of peak power and 145Nm of peak torque. The 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged diesel Quadrajet engine makes 75PS or 90PS of power and 190Nm of peak torque depending on the state of tune. Both the engines will be mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The Bolt and Zest will both be equipped with 14-inch wheels with the top of the line cars getting a 15-inch optional extra.

The Tata Bolt will be priced between Rs 5-6.5 lakh depending on engine options and level of equipment. The Tata Zest compact sedan should be priced between Rs 5.5-7 lakh making it an excellent value for money proposition compared to the likes of the Swift Dzire, Hyundai Xcent and the Honda Amaze. We expect the Bolt and Zest to be great sellers while simultaneously giving Tata Motors a well-deserved shot in the arm when it comes to its overall appeal to the highly critical Indian automotive buying audience.