CARVERSAL

Tata has been firing on all cylinders over the past few years, ramping up production, launching new cars in their new Impact and forever design language and generating a USP around safety for their cars. However, the most ambitious project of the company is still yet to come, which will truly push the envelope forward for the Indian automotive sector, which is the launch of the Tata Sierra SUV in the coming years.

 

History

Until 1988, Tata was known throughout India and some European countries for its affordable commercial vehicles. Still, Tata changed this image in 1988 by launching its Telcoline pickup truck, which had a 2.0l diesel engine on offer; this light pickup truck did not do much to increase the brand’s overall sales but gave birth to brand’s most Iconic SUV, The Sierra.

The Sierra was based on the Telcoline’s wheelbase and platform with some differences to make it a real Sports Utility Vehicle for the Masses. It had the same looks as the Telcoline at the front, but the side is where the real fun happens; it had a 2 door format look from the side, but at its back is a long single piece of curved glass covering almost half the length of the car, and offering an almost glass only feel, and to make the SUV more appealing, Tata Offered some features which Indian had never heard of before like a turbocharged diesel engine producing over 90 hp, power steering to make it easier to drive in cities, rear AC for a better luxurious experience and A sound system, yeah all of this back in the early 1990s when most India’s did not even have a cell phone.

 

The SUV was also priced accordingly to its features at ₹ 5 Lakhs, which made it almost as pricy as a Toyota Fortuner in today’s Inflation adjusted currency value. Because of this high price, the Sierra never managed to pull a big number in India. Initially, the car sold well; over 1000 units were sold within the first year, but then the sales number started to decline as other carmakers offered much cheaper vehicles for the masses.

 

Tata kept selling this SUV in the Indian markets over the next 11 years with subtle changes every other year, but the car never managed to attract the masses. Tata launched their Safari in 1998, which was much more advanced and almost clashed with Sierra in its segment, so Tata Finally discontinued this SUV in 2003.

 

Legacy Continues

Even though the Sierra never managed to pull great numbers and was overall a failure in the Indian market, it managed to create a big brand for itself due to the features it offered 30 years ago and the aspirational value it had among the enthusiasts.

And to capitalize on this great brand which carries a high aspiration among Indian buyers, Tata is again christening their most premium SUV as the Tata Sierra, set to launch by 2025.

The concept of the New Age Tata Sierra was first shown at the 2020 Auto Expo and immediately caught the eyes of every car enthusiast with its unique looks and features.

The car came with a totally unique design with dual part lights like seen on other cars of Tata designed during that time, like the Harrier; on the side, the SUV comes in a 2-door format, and the rear glasses have the same long and curved look like that seen in the Sierra from 1992 but this time the glass curves over the roof, and gives a whole sky full experience in the car but the coolest part is that on the ride side, the vehicle only gets a single driver door but on the left side its gets 2 doors, 1 for the co-driver and one electronically sliding door to enter in the rear seats and to open this door you just have to swipe over the black part which really makes it a game changer.

On the inside, the SUV gets a super airy look, with the whole floor covered in wood, giving it a yacht deck feel; the dashboard gets some trees on it (I don’t know why). It has 2 seats at the front, a sofa-like seat at the rear, and glass on the roof at the rear.

 

Updated Version

Then at the 2023 Auto Expo, the brand again displayed almost the production-ready design of the Sierra and confirmed its launch by 2025. This time, Tata confirmed that the SUV would launch not only as an EV Only SUV but with Tata’s New Turbo Petrol engine also, and the new concept gets the new Tata design language with a single long LED bar in the front with wider lights placed lower below it.

 

On the side, the new Sierra concept gets more of a production-like design but still gets the 3 door design, and at the back, the new SUV gets a full flat look to give homage to the old Sierra.

 

The New Sierra will get a 1.5l turbo petrol engine producing 170 hp, which Tata has officially confirmed at the 2023 expo and will get a fully electric version with better electric tech and will get and should get AWD as standard ( please don’t launch a 2wd sierra ).

 

The SUV is expected to launch by 2025, priced at ₹ 25 Lakhs (minimum), and can go upwards of ₹ 40 Lakhs, making it the most expensive Indian car ever made.