Tata Motors In India Decides To Rename New Hatchback Called Zica

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“Zica” seemed like such a nice name for a new zippy hatchback from India’s Tata Motors. It’s a cute name that isn’t (as far as we know) secretly a swear word in any of the countries where it would be marketed, and is an abbreviation for “zippy car.” Then the World Health Organization declared the mosquito-borne virus to be a global health emergency, and it may have been then that the company realized that this problem would not be going away.

The vehicle debuted today at a car show in New Delhi, but doesn’t yet have its new name. “Empathizing with the hardships being caused by the recent ‘Zika’ virus outbreak across many countries,” the company announced, “Tata Motors, as a socially responsible company, has decided to rebrand the car.”

That’s very kind of them, but a virus that can cause severe birth defects when pregnant women are infected also isn’t really something that you want the public to connect with your car.

Zica Car Will Be Renamed, Tata Motors of India Says [New York Times]

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist