Tata Motors not to phase out Indica

Scotching rumours that the Tata Zica would replace the Indica after launch, Tata Motors said both cars would be sold in the market.

While Tata Motors said it would focus mainly on the taxi segment with the Indica, it also aimed to attract young buyers and people who are in the market for an affordably priced hatchback.

''With the Zica, we want to connect with the youth and that's why we have also roped in Lionel Messi as our brand ambassador,'' Girish Wagh, senior VP, programme planning and management (passenger cars), Tata Motors, told Financial Express. The company has signed a two-year contract with Messi.

Scheduled for launch in January 2016, the Zica would be positioned between the Bolt and the Nano. It will take on Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Hyundai Grand i10. Although there was no official word about its pricing yet, it was expected to come in the range of Rs3.5 lakh to Rs5 lakh, very close to the Indica.

The Zica is the third all-new product under the company's Horizonext umbrella; after Zest and the Bolt.

''We have a strategy for the Bolt. Some buyers did think that the Bolt has some resemblance with the previous design (Indica), so going ahead we will work on the product accordingly,'' said Wagh.

Tata Motors plans to go all out to meet the challenges of the market with several initiatives, including enhancing to its product portfolio, tripling its sales network, improving manufacturing processes, and its brand image.

Tata Motors is also cutting costs at all levels in the organisation and, at the same time, working on improving manufacturing quality as also workplace efficiency at multiple levels.

"We are looking at customer satisfaction and that also includes sales network expansion. Other initiatives include reduction in costs, improving product quality, enhancing brand image and filling the gaps in the product portfolio," PTI quoted Tata Motors' president for passenger vehicle business Mayank Pareek as saying.

The company which earlier launched its compact sedan Zest to make a comeback of sorts, will seek to add to its entry-level portfolio with the launch of an all-new model Zica in January, 2016.