[bigben]

Looks like a foldable key!! Good job!

Pic courtesy- Indiaautosblog.com

[rdhawan15]

We have seen 2 new compact sedan products being unveiled over the past 2 days - Tata's Zest and Hyundai's Xcent. Both bring a lot of freshness to the otherwise drab market dominated by Dzire and the thin-skinned Amaze.

One of these new launches will have an early mover advantage and it appears that Hyundai is ready for launching the Xcent in March 2014. There has not been a word about the likely date and launch of Tata Zest. Will Tata cede ground to Hyundai by being slow to the task?

It would make sense if Tata comes out with the pricing and a booking schedule to ensure that it does not allow Hyundai to run away with 'prospect or potential sales' that are on the lookout for an alternative to Dzire or Amaze.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by bigben

I was looking at the interior snaps and noticed this button on the dash.
Wow! Sports mode? I wonder what changes this little button will bring about.

From the video & some reports, these cars will have two modes, performance & economy. When we do NOT have the details of these, I guess this could change the driving dynamics a lot I believe.

Originally Posted by BusyBoyKK

An interesting design and in the right direction. Neat and refreshing interiors.

I think, blackening the C pillar till the upper line of window would have completed its design (picture 1) than leaving it like as it is now (picture 2).

Wow! Something which I was thinking about too. Luckily, this is going to be a very minor aftermarket job worth couple of 100s.

[pratyush6]

I am not sure but am I the only one who does not seem to like the look of the Bolt. There is a clear Tata design about it from the front and the back, except the grill. I mean if you removed the name, I would still be able to guess this is a Tata product, as it looks so similar to Indica.
The interiors on the other hand are a welcome change and look good. The specifications are good as well. Hope this turns things around for Tata Motors.

[1967'stang]

Can't Believe Tata pulled this off. I know there are a few cues of Vista/Manza still there and it has a slightly weird rear look IMO. But the interior quality seems to be up there with the Germans. I like the Volvo S60 style steering wheel padding. Overall, A massive improvement of the last gen of Tatas

[san2]

great and refreshing products from Tata motors,
at last they seem to have realized their potential and the results in the form of Zest and Bolt are a pleasant surprise.
In fact being a tata fan I was geared up for the usual tata bashing, but the response has been really good
all credit goes to Karl,

[k_ajay]

Originally Posted by BusyBoyKK

An interesting design and in the right direction. Neat and refreshing interiors.

I think, blackening the C pillar till the upper line of window would have completed its design (picture 1) than leaving it like as it is now (picture 2).

You know, that's a simple solution but a lovely idea. It doesn't obviously change the entire rear vehicle appearance by doing that, considerably, but it definitely looks a tad bit more desirable. Along with that roof spoiler, makes it look like a slooping roof. Nifty li'l idea..

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

From the video & some reports, these cars will have two modes, performance & economy. When we do NOT have the details of these, I guess this could change the driving dynamics a lot I believe.

Yes, that would be a feature enthusiasts and mileage seekers might enjoy, alike. I'd at least like to put the economy mode while use in City and switch to sporty when out on the highway (at least with the 90bhp diesel Zest). Is that sporty feature development something that Narain K was involved with? I hope so.

Details probably during AutoExpo or when vehicle is officially launched for sale, perhaps?

Originally Posted by san2

In fact being a tata fan I was geared up for the usual tata bashing, but the response has been really good
all credit goes to Karl,

This is where I feel Tata has, as of the unveiling, succeeded. They need to first win back existing/ex customer's imagination and desire before venturing out for new prospects. I own a well built Fabia and in the market for a vehicle between 12-20 lakhs but Tata has succeeded in making me, at least for the present moment, consider the Zest. I'm not trying to be snotty here, but trying to emphasise how Tata's new products have won my attention even with a higher budget (and from the many posts above, I see how it has grabbed the attention and good will/intention of owners of many diverse cars).

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Ownership costs and experience I guess. I spend More on maintaining my 7 year old indica than most honda sedans which cost twice the price. Things keep failing left and right. If you're buying for just 3 years, then you'll have to worry only about the hit on resale, but the longevity of tata's products is still unproven. If you go look at the Indica vista problems thread, you'll see people worrying about power loss, check engine light, any number of problems. The same engine is used by any number of cars in india. You don't see swift owners (despite there being a lot more of them), or heck, even punto owners posting so many queries despite all three cars sharing the same engine. I like this car. I liked even the vista, but tata cars seem to age less than gracefully. Something that is a concern if you plan to keep the car for more than 2-3 years. When you buy an amaze or an etios, Yes it's bland, but at least you know you will not have to spend a bomb maintaining it. There are cars like skoda and VW for which maintenance costing a bomb is okay, because it comes with the premium image. A 'VFM' car that is expensive to own - now that's a problem.

Agreed with all points, but I would take your points as a comparison of Japanese cars v/s TATA cars and not specific about Amaze v/s Zest.

1. With Zest- there is always a possibility of the car ageing faster than expected. A calculated risk, if I may call it. However with Amaze there is the surety of it feeling aged/ cheap right out of the showroom.

2. True that Zest might be a VFM car with higher maintenance costs once it is aged. However, Amaze is a cheap car with high purchase costs when it is bought. At 9L OTR Trivandrum, it's just 2L cheaper than Vento TSi. I prefer scenario one where atleast there is a hope of a silver lining somewhere.

3. If Jazz launch is anywhere as good as the new City- I would go for the Honda, for all the positives you have mentioned. That is, if I am in the market for an automatic compact car, which I am. But with the Amaze, no- I'd prefer the TATA (Again, assuming quality is as good as seen in pictures).

[Pashin]

Tata Motors seem to have cooked up all the right ingredients to make these cars a huge success. The Vista and Manza were decent products but not inspiring at all. Tata has filled this gap perfectly with the Zest & Bolt. The interiors are atleast twice as better than what we have seen on any Indian car till now, the exteriors a vast improvement over the Vista & Manza.

As a ex-Tata user (Safari, Indica turbo, Vista mjd) the last thing I want to experience in these cars is rock hard clutch within 6 months of ownership, inadequate braking, tacky power windows, electricals and locks etc. Although they are cheap to maintain, long term reliability is still a sore point among Tata cars and I pray that they have sorted out such issues.

The only way the company can now screw these two mind blowing products is by pricing them in the premium category. I still believe the Aria was one product that could have dented Innova sales if priced correctly. Instead Tata chose to load it with features and price it way beyond expectations. Their marketing also seems to have gone for a toss. They marketed the estate/sierra/indica/sumo in a much better way 15-20 years back than they do now.

As an Indian & a Tata fan I am very excited to see these cars & hope they are a resounding success.

[vinjosep]

Impressive comeback TML!

Looking at the comments pouring in, its quite obvious that TML has managed to strike the right chord w.r.t the design & features. I'm sure that this will be followed up by brilliant pricing and Ads to match.

Considering that the cost of ownership of the current gen of automobiles from TML is very low compared to Maruti and the likes, the chances of the new twins selling in decent numbers (if not very good) does look imminent.

If the ride is plush, then I will be in the line to book the zest for sure.

[HammerHead]

I can't believe what I saw!!
All I expected was a Face lifted Vista & CS version of the same. I'm impressed for sure

IMO rear of BOLT could have been better.

Look at these official videos.
Did anyone noticed dual tip exhaust on BOLT? I think its for the Revotron 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine variant.

Tata Bolt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB4RqFDHEYM

Tata Zest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSw2ZMzdmOY

[safari_lover]

Hormazd Sorabjee of AutocarIndia has this to tweet

Scoop! Tata Motors to launch performance brand called TTR. Unveil of TTR Bolt at Expo. Can Tata make an Usain Bolt out of it?!

Looks like there's no stopping for Tata Motors this year

[damager21]

The websites for Bolt and Zest are live

http://www.tatamotorsbolt.com


http://www.tatamotorszest.com

[W.A.G.7]

Cool looking cars. I personally liked the Zest sedan. I feel Tata motors is taking a step in the right direction. If they sort out the niggles, they can still have more market share. Let's wait and watch how the cars turn out; especially with the new revotron engine.

[theredliner]

Originally Posted by safari_lover

Hormazd Sorabjee of AutocarIndia has this to tweet
Looks like there's no stopping for Tata Motors this year

Can we expect a higher tuned 1.2 Revotron and 90PS diesel on that?
Or even better 1.5 Revotron?