The Tata Indica has been around in the Indian market for almost two decades now and has served the company well spawning a range of derivations such as the Indigo, Indigo CS, Marina, etc. but it has lost it’s appeal along the years and has been relegated to usage by mostly taxi operators. From the spy shots and information from other sources Tata looks set to replace the ageing workhorse with a brand new vehicle called the Tata Kite or codenamed XO which we reported on earlier as well.
The Kite hatchback will sit below the upcoming Bolt hatchback and will take styling cues from the Zest and Bolt as well as the Nexon SUV concept showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo. Interiors will also be all new and will be designed to maximise interior space which is still the Indica’s strong suit.
The Tata Kite will be powered by tan all new 1.05 litre 3 cylinder engine commom rail diesel engine producing 67 bhp and 14.27 kgm of torque. This engine, showcased way back at the 2012 Auto Expo, will be mated to a 5 speed manual transmission and an optional AMT. Along with the diesel a 1.2 litre petrol will also be offered and CNG and LPG variants are expected as well.
The Indica replacement is still some time away from launch but development is on in full swing with rumours of a Tata Kite based notchback also doing rounds. The car will go up against the Hyundia i10 and Maruti Celerio when it is launched with an estimated target price around of around Rs. 3.5 lakh . More information about the Tata Kite will be revealed with time.
