CarToq Exclusive: Tata Zest (Falcon 5) Manza based compact sedan spied

Snapshot: We’re just days away from the official unveil of the Tata Zest (code-named the Falcon 5), a compact sedan based on the Manza. CarToq has laid its hands on the latest spyshot of the upcoming car. The Zest/Falcon 5 will be showcased to the world on the 3rd of February 2014, in concept form. The actual launch of the car will happen by the end of this year. The Zest’s direct competition will include the Maruti Swift Dzire and the Honda Brio Amaze compact sedans.

From the spyshot, it is possible to discern that the Tata Zest will have one of the better integrated boots among compact sedans sold in India, a feature will make it a well rounded product – design wise – than say the Maruti Dzire or the Tata Indigo eCS.

The Zest (Falcon 5) will show the direction in which Tata Motors’ new design philosophy is headed. Also, the car in the spyshot shows off a new alloy wheel design, apart from the sharper wraparound tail lamps. Click here for CarToq’s exclusive render of the Tata Zest compact sedan’s rear

The car will be sold with petrol and turbo diesel engine options with manual gearboxes serving as standard fare. The petrol engine of the Manza-based Zest will be the newly unveiled 1.2 liter Revotron turbo petrol motor that outputs 84 Bhp-140 Nm.

Tata Motors’ very first turbo petrol engine is aimed at good driveability and fuel efficiency. A more powerful version of this engine will be showcased at the upcoming Indian Auto Expo 2014. The other engine of the Zest will be the 1.3 liter Fiat Multijet turbo diesel motor. The diesel motor is likely to be offered in 90 Bhp-200 Nm state of tune. 

The Zest compact sedan will be joined by the Bolt (Code-named the Falcon 4) hatchback on the 3rd of February. Both cars will be based on the X1 platform, an age old base that underpins the likes of the Indica, Vista, Indigo and Manza range of passenger cars sold by Tata Motors.

Although the platform isn’t new, Tata Motors’ claims of tightening quality levels dramatically and improving driving pleasure could stop the sales fall that the car maker has been witnessing for the past couple of years. With Karl Slym’s untimely demise further complicating matters, Tata Motors will need all the inspiration and leadership that it can muster.