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Zika Outbreak Slams Brakes On Tata Zica

Zika Outbreak Slams Brakes On Tata Zica
Tata motors

The outbreak of the deadly Zika virus in the Americas has had an unexpected impact on an Indian carmaker.

Tata Motors, which was expected to launch its new hatchback Zica on 4 Februry, has announced that it is going to change the name of the car, which will be promoted by soccer legend Lionel Messi. The company said they were changing the name to empathize with the hardships caused by the Zika virus.

The vehicle will be launched at the Auto Expo in Delhi this week and will carry the Zica label, but a new badge will be put on the car before it rolls out at dealerships.

The Times of India reported that the company has asked dealers to defer bookings.

The name Zica was derived from 'Zippy Car'.

“We have the cars ready at dealerships and would have started the display and bookings from Wednesday. However the company has instructed us to defer this,” dealer sources revealed to Times of India.

The company has started working on a new name for the car.

The company has not cited a new date for its launch, and a spokesperson told TOI that it could take a few weeks or maybe even over a month. “We need to figure out a name which would work with the consumers, check the availability of a trademark, seek clearance from the certification agency, and finally make the change on the cars that are already with dealers. This process will take time."

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.