Tata Motors has announced its decision
to change the name of its latest car, Zica, to another name yet to be
made public owing to the similarity with the deadly virus, Zika.
The announcement, which is coming a few
days to the launch of the small car, is already creating image problem
for the new vehicle, according to a report on Tuesday by livemint.com.
And this is expected to cost the Indian firm a lot of money.
“A name change means that the company
will have to re-spin the wheel — get fresh certifications from
Automotive Research Association of India (the government body, which
tests and gives a stamp of approval on a new model before it hits the
roads), rebuild the brand and delay the launch. It already had burnt
substantial cash in creating the new brand and the new model — the first
all new model, developed ground up after several years,” it stated.
Tata Motors signed the reigning world
best footballer, Lionel Messi, as its global brand ambassador in
November last year, according to a Business Standard report. It was
followed by a massive digital and outdoor media blitz around the brand
and Zica.
An anonymous reviewer, in a Yahoo Autos’
report, says, “In all seriousness, Tata Motors’ renaming its new Zica
is a smart and considerate move. Will it be enough to prevent Clarkson,
Hammond and May making fun of it on their upcoming Amazon Prime Show?
Probably not.
The new car has the size of the Hyundai i10 and it sits between the cheaper Nano and bigger Bolt.
An online auto journal, Top Gear, in a review, says the vehicle is based on an all-new platform on which the designers have put together a smart-looking car.
It says, “The Zica is a fresh design
with an unmistakable face. The large swept back headlamps and oversize
mesh-type grille gives it a distinct front face.”
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