Earlier this week, a prototype of Tata’s upcoming compact hatchback was spotted testing alongside the Tata Nano automatic. Rumoured to be christened ‘Kite’, the new hatchback will help Tata cover a wider range of audience by slotting in between the Bolt and the Nano. A new batch of spy shots of the car has now emerged, which were taken near the Pune-based manufacturer’s facility near Chakan.
Like the Tata Bolt, the Kite will be based on a revised version of the Indica’s XO platform and reports suggest that the project might spawn off more than one car. The front fascia and the contour of the bonnet make it look very similar to the Bolt. It will be powered by the new Revotron turbo petrol and MultiJet diesel engines and chances are that the transmission options will also include the new automated manual transmission.
The Kite is expected to go on sale in India sometime in the second half of 2015. It will be produced at the manufacturer’s Sanand facility in Gujarat. To keep the price competitive, Tata might share a few components with the Bolt.
Speculations suggest that the Zest might be launched next month while the Nano facelift with the automated manual transmission, later this year. Tata has been trying to change its perception in the Indian market as it is moving away from the ‘stigma’ of its yesteryears. The Project Falcon which led to the development of the Bolt and the Zest is a major step in this strategy as the manufacturer attempts to project itself as a more upmarket brand.
Click here to read our Tata Zest road test
