[damager21]

As per IAB report, Tata Kite will have Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador. This would be interesting way for Tata Motors to rebuild its brand and increase appeal among youth.

Source: IAB

[power ranger]

Originally Posted by padmakar.vikas

IMHO, both the Zest and Bolt are stop gap arrangements to keep reminding people that Tata is also there while the company continues to work on other cars, like the Kite family. the zest family is heavily re-worked vista family so the cost of development would not be very high hence even dismal sales are likely to keep things moving. And let us not forget that the Zest family has succeeded in at least putting Tata in the list of options when an average Joe plans to buy a car. It's all about keeping the brand alive. I do however expect much improved products from them over the next 3-5 years though.

well, even if this is the case, it would be interesting to see the positioning of the kite in terms of price. Given that this took very long to launch, with Kwid already entering the market, this could be another sales dud for reasons stated by many about people not interested in even walk into Tata showrooms. It is also a point to be noted that Tata launches never catch public attention. For example, even my cousin's son who is around 10 years old was screaming about Kwid looking at the news paper ad I guess. People come to know and were talking about Kwid as though Renault is going to give the car for free . Wonder how these companies are able to get the attention, when you actually walk into the showroom you realize with ac and power steering and power windows it is costing 4.5 Lakhs on road in Bangalore. Still, people like my cousin were of the view that Kwid is cheap !! Whereas Tata cars- people ask what is zest ? new model ? does nano have an amt ?. looks like just coming up with a 7" screen has done the trick for Kwid. I don't understand the mentality of Indian public. they don't buy on merit of driving comfort, safety or the ride quality but just because something has 7" display it garners attention . People should realize they are not buying home theatre here but a car which should have the fundamentals of an automobile first then comes the display !! But nevertheless, Tata's have failed both in marketing, after sales and most of all getting public attention for their cars. wonder how the company will revive !!

[Latheesh]

Originally Posted by damager21

As per IAB report, Tata Kite will have Lionel Messi as its brand ambassador. This would be interesting way for Tata Motors to rebuild its brand and increase appeal among youth.
IAB[/url]

If car is good they may be able to pull some loyal Maruti customers especially in Kerala

[GrammarNazi]

Originally Posted by damager21

As per IAB report, Lionel Messi...
Source: IAB

lol NOT true sir, quite sure of that! Crazy things these auto journos use as click-bait !

Originally Posted by Latheesh

If car is good they may be able to pull some loyal Maruti customers especially in Kerala

Getting units out there is key, for that, they need to match pricing of Kwid, even though the engine capacity is larger. IMO Simply because of the TATA badge.

Maybe it'll be worth it, since servicing these cars will continue to earn them revenue till a decently LONG time (atleast 1.5L kms or ~15 years).

Its a wait & watch.

[Steeroid]

The proposed tie-up with Peugeot-Citroen should help, but the French have their own past notoriety to contend with.

Some nice diesels from Peugeot-Citroen won't hurt anyone

[padmakar.vikas]

Hi Power ranger,

Quite a few things to look at here, Tata is an evolving car maker, if you leave the Mobile, Sierra and Estate aside, they have been making passenger cars for not even 20 years. Now, let's take a look at the competition, everyone else has been making cars for at least 50 years if not more. Plus they are global players whereas Tata is still primarily an Indian car maker. That is where your expertise comes from, experience and exposure. It will obviously take time for the Indian juggernaut to become a major player but it is moving in the right direction. Here is how, the acquisition of JLR gives them access to technology, intellectual property and a global market, not to mention RECOGNITION across the globe. Now we Indians are an emotional lot, we want to buy an Indian car but is there an 'Indian' car which we really want to buy, at this time, there is not. Remember the overwhelming response of people when Tata launched the Indica and the Nano. The frenzy faded away when the poor quality of those products was exposed, not to mention the after sales experience which can only be termed way below par, if not pathetic.
The current new launches will most definitely not turn the tide but what aim at doing is bring faith, in the minds of the ‘janta’ that Tata can make decent cars or good cars. I can tell you they are not delivering their best right now. Currently, they are just trying to win public opinion bit by bit. I am not saying that these are half hearted attempts but they have not gone all guns blazing either. The best has been saved for times when Tata would have people’s trust, their acceptance and everything else for them to give it their best.
As for Renault, the Kwid is a good product so far. A lot remains to be seen. Remember, the Kwid is mostly targeting the first time car buyer who is very skeptical giving his money to anyone except the one he trusts the most. That segment thrives the most in tier 2 and 3 cities and semi urban or rural areas. Renault is yet to reach there. Eventually, they may be there but they are a long way from there now. I do not see the Kwid posing any immediate threats to the segment leader. However it is all a calculated estimate at the moment, the real picture can very well differ. All said, the Kwid is, to say the least, a very worthy opponent to the Alto and Eon.

As far as we are concerned, let us say, ‘may the best car win!’.

[ksameer1234]

Originally Posted by power ranger

But nevertheless, Tata's have failed both in marketing, after sales and most of all getting public attention for their cars. wonder how the company will revive !!

I have been traveling right from the metropolitan cities to places (they don't qualify to be called towns) which are at least 100 kms from something as trivial as a movie theater (any movie theater).

You will be surprised to see the brand value of Tata in those small places. A month back I was in a very remote town of Jagdalpur and spotted more Zests and Bolts in a day than what I would have spotted ever.

In small towns, Indigo is a de facto standard for taxis. In tier 2, 3 and below cities, Zest is actually picking up in sales. And suddenly all the government vehicles for officers seem to transforming into white XM Zests.

I think Zest has actually established its value among the small town crowd and has provided a very viable option in the form of a compact sedan.

However I do admit that spotting a Zest in Mumbai / Delhi is as rare as spotting a Honda City in a small town.

People come to know and were talking about Kwid as though Renault is going to give the car for free

It is these small places where something like Kwid won't be spotted for at least next 5 years.

[Dr.Suraj]

Cmon tata - Launch it already !!!

Nano is facing stiffer competition from Kwid (in the public mindset - IMHO it doesn't hold weight).

Zest is a really good product. So is Bolt.
Zest seems to be picking up sales very slowly.
But yes, it seems to be re-affirming the brand.

Kite needs to jump in NOW !
Diwali time ! Not next year.

It's got to be all guns blazing. Not one sniper shot at a time.

It does look very promising. if ONLY they do not mess up the pricing (like Bolt or Aria). even as a 'introductory' pricing ploy - they should keep it ridiculously low for first 3 months atleast.
Only then will there be some volumes in the sales !

But again - all that is moot - if they cannot address their issues in service!
Everything, all the efforts and planning to build a good car - down the drain - because their service guys won't let the customer enjoy the car and live with a sweet taste for the next 3 / 4 / 5 years.

[RavenAvi]

Motor Octane reports, via an exclusive scoop, that the upcoming Tata Kite hatchback is coming with a diesel AMT option!

Tata will be sourcing the AMT unit from Magnetti Marelli, a Fiat group company and the Kite will be the first diesel car in its segment to feature an AMT.

Tata wants to cater to the urban diesel car buyers and the demand for AMTs is growing by the day. However, as of now AMT cars in the B & C segments are only found in petrol variants and hence Tata is introducing an AMT in its diesel version.

The Kite will be placed between the Indica eV2 and the Bolt. The AMT will be mated to a 1.05-litre diesel engine.

Motor Octane

[Fx14]

Originally Posted by RavenAvi

an exclusive scoop, that the upcoming Tata Kite hatchback is coming with a diesel AMT option!

More importantly, they need too ensure supply of sufficient number of AMT kits from MM to meet the demand.

Given to understand that the long waiting periods faced by prospective Nano AMT owners are due to limitations in receiving sufficient number of AMT kits from MM.

[RavenAvi]

The Tata Kite (either hatch or sedan version) will be making it's world debut to the media in the first week of December 2015, reports IAB.

Mass production of the car is scheduled to tee off from the same month onwards, which means Tata Motors is probably targetting a launch around New Year.

IAB understands that one of the Tata Kite variants (of sedan and hatchback) will be revealed to the Indian media in the first week December 2015. This falls in-line with reports stating that its mass production will commence in Sanand in the same month. Dealers are dispatched vehicles usually within weeks of production commencement.

IAB

[speedem0n]

Just received these Pictures on WhatsApp.

[sachinayak]

Originally Posted by speedem0n

Just received these Pictures on WhatsApp.

This came up earlier on this forum and it is a photoshop job. This is a Renault Captur mini-SUV and not the Tata Kite. Also, Kite is the internal name for this vehicle and not the official name.

[chilli]

Does anyone have any knowledge if the ground clearance of Kite/Glade will be 165mm like the Zest Diesel XTA or 180mm like the Nano GenX XTA?

[moralfibre]

Received some snippets of the Kite via Whatsapp: