A Venetian red-coloured Bolt and a Signature Buzz blue-coloured Zest – the first one a hatchback and the other a compact sedan – drove down an improvised ramp to psychedelic lighting and loud music at Hotel Imperial in Delhi’s Janpath, shortly before noon on Monday.

With these two cars, Tata Motors signalled its intent to regain the lost space in the country’s passenger car market. It will launch these cars in the second-half of this year. The Bolt and Zest will be produced at the Pune plant and will not replace the Indigo or Indica range of cars. “They will complement the two and fill up gaps in our portfolio,” said Ranjit Yadav, President-Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, addressing a press conference.

The two cars, though built on an existing platform on which the company makes cars like the Indica Vista and Indigo Manza, are completely new, said Tim Leverton, President and Head – Advanced and Product Engineering. Also, with the recently introduced 1.2-litre Revotron series of petrol engines, Tata Motors hopes to substantially increase its share in the petrol engine segment.

The Bolt will compete with the likes of Swift from Maruti Suzuki and the Zest with the likes of Honda Amaze and Swift Dzire. Both the cars come in a new design, in a significant departure from Tata Motors’ design philosophy. They sport a distinctive new grill and have advanced features. The Zest will also have automated manual transmission and advanced infotainment system. The Zest, according to the company, is all about being vivacious and energetic, while the Bolt represents an attitude of winning and staying ahead. The new design philosophy is about comfort, driving experience and performance.

Tata Motors will look to launch these two cars in the global market next year. Race-driver Narain Karthikeyan, who steered the Bolt down the ramp, was all praise for the driving and handling characteristics of the two cars. The steering was extremely responsive and the ABS (anti-lock braking system) would be of enormous help “just in case the driver gets into a Narain Karthikeyan mode”. To repeated questions on safety standards in the new cars, especially in the context of a study by a global agency that found a number of Indian small cars not meeting safety standards, Leverton said the new cars met existing safety regulations and the company would work with the industry body on evolving new safety norms.

Remembering Karl Slym

Tata Motors’ press conference began as expected on a sombre note – remembering its Managing Director Karl Slym who fell to death in a Bangkok hotel on January 26. After observing a minute’s silence, as Slym’s portrait was displayed on the large-screen, a recorded voice recalled his role in transforming Tata Motors. The Horizonext strategy, part of which were the two cars launched today, was crafted by him.

Slym, as the company recalled, was a leader, mentor, friend, colleague and more. “Anyone who met him, even for a short time, carried away indelible memories of a man with a big heart, a sense of style and wit that could charm anyone. Karl was a leader and an inspiration to us all.”

The tribute said in the 15 months he was at Tata Motors, he brought with him a powerhouse of energy and passion, injecting a sense of urgency and immediacy into everything.

He set high benchmarks and encouraged everyone to global expansion. The Horizonext strategy that he drove had the customer at the heart. “The last few weeks were electrified with great momentum and energy as we all geared up for the new launches and the Auto Expo ’14. And then he left.” The biggest tribute to Slym, the company said, was to stay true to his vision and drive full-throttle to all that had been planned – from great launches to a future with limitless horizons.

As we stand here today, let’s renew our promise to him; to come together and make Tata Motors – ‘a podium finisher’ in the automobile industry.

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