Tata Zest, Bolt and facelifted Safari Storme to be launched in South Africa next year

Tata will launch their latest compact sedan Zest, the upcoming hatchback Bolt and facelifted Safari Storme in South Africa next year. The company will make the cars available there through Associated Motor Holdings (AMH), the exclusive importer and distributor of Tata cars in South Africa.

Currenty, the Zest is on sale in India and the Bolt will soon be introduced followed by its launch in South Africa next year. While the Zest will still compete with the Honda Amaze in that country, the company thinks the Bolt will face tough competition from the Ford Figo, Toyota Etios and the Volkswagen Polo Vivo that are currently sold there. The entry-level car for the South African market will still be the Tata Indica that is presently available there. It will also be updated according to the new safety rules in that country.

Manny de Canha, CEO of Associated Motor Holdings (AMH), said, "It is difficult to compete against budget rivals. We need to position our cars as the old (Toyota) Tazz. Next year will see new models arrive in the form of the Bolt and the sedan version, the Zest. The Safari SUV which has really battled to sell will also be replaced. The company will retain an entry level vehicle in the form of the current Indica, although it will need to be upgraded to meet 2015 safety legislation."

Tata Motors is planning to up its brand image in the South African market and to help them do this, they are betting on the new cars, the Zest and the Bolt. The Zest is enjoying a good demand in the Indian market since its launch a couple of months ago and the company will soon put the Bolt hatchback also on sale. Next year we will also see the updated iteration of the Safari Storme.

Source: Bdlive