The Tata Bolt is one of the heavily loaded hatchbacks with several segment first features that are not available in vehicles a segment above.
Having gone back to the drawing board due to falling sales, Tata Motors has outdone itself this time round with the new Zest as well as the upcoming Bolt models. A very important product for the company in the month to come, the Bolt has been long awaited in the market especially after the Zest came through with a positive response from the masses. Now, with the launch scheduled in early 2015, Tata has pulled out all the details on the new Bolt premium hatcback that is set to take on the likes of the Maruti Swift, Hyundai Grand i10, Volkswagen Polo, Fiat Punto Evo in the segment.
Design & Dimensions – The 2015 Tata Bolt measures 3825 mm in length, 1695 mm in width and 1562 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2470 mm, while the unladen ground clearance is measured at a healthy 165 mm. Sharing its aesthetics with the Zest, the premium hatchback has been designed at Tata Motors’ Design Studios in Pune, Coventry (UK) and Turin (Italy). In addition, the car gets 210-litres of boot capacity, while the fuel tank can hold up to 44-litres on either of the petrol and diesel versions. The Bolt rides on 15-inch alloy wheels wrapped around 175/65/R15 tubeless tyres.
Engines – Starting with the petrol, the 2015 Tata Bolt uses the homegrown 1.2-litre 4-cylinder, turbocharged Revotron petrol engine that debuted on the Zest and has been tuned to produce 90 PS of power at 5000 RPM and 140 Nm of torque between 1500-4000 RPM, paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. Also available on the Zest, the new Bolt gets the different driving modes named as Eco, City and Sport.
The Bolt is also offered with a diesel heart that uses the 1.3-litre 4-cylinder, turbo-intercooled QuadraJet motor under the hood producing 75 PS of power at 4000 RPM and 190 Nm of torque between 1750-3000 RPM, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Unlike the Zest though, the Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) has been given a miss on the Bolt but could be launched later in the timeline.
Suspension & Braking – Keeping the ride sorted and niggle free are the McPherson struts with anti-roll bar, coil spring and lower wishbone at the front, while the rear gets semi-independent torsional beams with coil spring and shock absorber suspension set-up. Stopping power comes from front discs and rear drum brakes offered as standard across all variants. While the Bolt shares its underpinnings with the Zest, Tata Motors has ensured to give the hatchback a sporty feel with a stiffer suspension set-up. The Bolt has also been tuned to offer better driving dynamics to keep the driver happy.
Features – With a host of segment firsts, the Bolt will surely make even the top-selling vehicles in the segment look sparsely equipped. The hatchback comes loaded with projector headlamps with follow me lights, ORVM integrated LED turn indicators, fog lamps at the front and rear, MID screen, gear shift indicator, seatbelt reminder as well as ePAS multi-function steering wheel with active return function among others. In terms of creature comforts, the Bolt gets a new touchscreen infotainment system from Harman with 8 speakers and Andriod phone based navigation; advanced Bluetooth and USB connectivity as well as smart voice recognition, smartphone integration and video playback.
Safety – The top-end variants of the Bolt come with several safety aids and drive assist systems including 3-point seatbelts, dual front airbags, advance ABS from Bosch, EBD, Cornering Stability Control (CSC) as standard.
