Apart from the upcoming Pelican (2016), the secretive Nano based budget hatchback that’s brewing inside the gates of Tata Motors’ facilities, the all-new, upcoming Kite hatchback is arguably touted to be one of the biggest launches for the company in recent times.
Excuse the birdy nomenclature, but that’s how Tata Motors chooses to code-name its upcoming products post JLR acquisition.
Even with acres of camouflage on, the Kite shows more contemporary styling than the painfully boring Manza/Vista.
A Kite prototype, late in its development stages was caught up close, prowling in and around Pune, giving a sneak peak into some of the styling specifics. For example, the nose will feature some of the most bulging and flared head lamps ever known to Tata Motors, as well as an aggressive grille and air dam littered with honey-comb patterned elements.
The sides are believed to be rather conservatively penned, with a hint of the new Ford Figo (Ka).
The rear will bid goodbye to Tata’s familiar Christmas tree styled tail lamps (good riddance!) and sport a wider, funkier set this time.
Up close: Semi circular defogger pattern on the rear screen.
The Kite will reportedly be powered by both Petrol and Diesel engines, where both the motors could be turbocharged. The 1.05 liter-3 cylinder turbo diesel motor (64.1bhp of power and 14.27kgm of torque) featured on the Tata Manza Hybrid shown at the 2012 Indian Auto Expo is likely to make its way into the Kite hatchback and compact sedan cars, apart from the the 1.2 liter REVOTRON turbo petrol motor from the Bolt/Zest.
Expected launch date(s): The Kite, according to sources, will come sometime during April-May 2015, with aggressive pricing undercutting the Bolt’s.
It will be produced at Tata Motors’ Sanand facility in Gujarat. This plant was set up exclusively for the Nano, but it has been lying dormant in the wake of sluggish demand. Tata Motors hopes to utilise the production capacity to its hilt with the Kite hatchback. Initial estimates suggest about 1.5 lakh units of the Kite being rolled out per year.