Indian automaker Tata Motors has rebranded its latest hatchback after its original name Zica attracted controversy for being similar to the mosquito-born Zika virus. The model has now been renamed Tiago.
The name was selected after an international crowdsourcing campaign which invited people to send names for the car. The final name was chosen after a social media poll in which participants were asked to choose between Tiago, Civet and Adore. Tiago received the highest votes among the three entries.
Tata Motors is one of India's largest automobile companies, and owns the iconic British brands Jaguar and Land Rover. It had chosen the name Zica, an abbreviation of zippy car, before the outbreak of the virus in the Americas. The small car was already being promoted in an advertising campaign starring Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi.
While Tata showcased the car under its old name during the Indian Auto Expo 2016 earlier this month, it had said that it would change the name before its market launch. The company said that the decision to rename the car was "the right and responsible action following the hardships caused by the virus outbreak across many countries." It now plans to launch the car by March-end.