Stung by the Zika virus, Tata Motors' hatchback is now 'Tiago'

The automobile manufacturer had earlier named its new hatchback model 'Zica' at the Auto Expo 2016. The car should be in the market by end-March

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Mumbai | February 24, 2016

Tata Motors has renamed its newly launched hatchback 'Zica', apparently to ward off the spell of the deadly Zika virus. The 'Zica' model will now be known as 'Tiago'. The announcement came late on Monday evening and began trending soon after on Twitter.

The decision to change the name was influenced by the fact that the source of a deadly disease had a similar name –Zika. The name 'Zica' was meant as an acronym for 'Zippy Car'. Tata Motors has described the change of name as a “right and responsible action” in the light of the hardships caused by the outbreak of the virus in many countries.

The hatchback was launched at the Auto Expo in New Delhi earlier this month. 'Tiago' targets young car buyers. The regulatory registrations and market launch of the new model is likely by March end.

The new name 'Tiago' was selected through a crowd-sourcing activity, Fantastico Name Hunt. The winner of the crowd-sourcing campaign was Libi Thomas (Facebook handle - Thomas Not the Train).

Passenger Vehicles Business Unit President at Tata Motors, Mayank Pareek, expressed his appreciation for the worldwide response to the Fantastico Name Hunt campaign. “We are proud to announce the new name 'Tiago' for our next new hatchback. We have begun working towards launching this stylish car and are determined to place it in the market addressing all relevant needs of the target audience,” he said.

Within three days of the #Fantastico Name Hunt, 48 million enthusiasts engaged with the brand on social media platforms. More than 37,000 car enthusiasts submitted their suggestions through social and mobile channels. Tiago became the chosen name from the final three entries that were opened up for audience voting. The three final entries were Tiago, Civet and Adore.

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