12 Forgotten Tata Cars And SUVs: Safari Petrol To Spacio 3.0
Tata is currently one of the leading car manufacturers in India. Things were not easy for Tata from the start, and just like many brands, it took Tata some time to figure out the trick to come up with products that people found appealing. Some of their products were ahead of their time, while others didn’t work due to bad marketing. Tata’s journey into the automobile world started with heavy vehicles, and they later moved to passenger vehicles. Here we have a list of 12 such Tata models that are now gone and forgotten:
Tata Sierra
This was technically the first made-in-India compact SUV. The 3-door design, boxy exteriors, and large glass panel for rear passengers were something we had not seen before. It was an SUV that was way ahead of its time, and as a result, the Sierra failed to achieve commercial success.
Tata Estate
This was another model from Tata that Indian customers were never ready for. It was a station wagon, and for some reason, this body style has never done well in our market. The Tata Estate was based on the Tata X2 platform and was powered by a 1.9 L Peugeot XD88 diesel I4 engine. It had visual resemblances to the Mercedes W124 Wagon.
Tata Mobile
Based on the same platform as the Estate, Tata launched the Tata Mobile, a lifestyle pick-up truck. Once again, the lifestyle pick-up culture was never—and still isn’t—a huge thing in India. People here look at cars as a status symbol, and a pickup truck like this doesn’t paint a good image.
Tata Safari Petrol
The Tata Safari is an iconic SUV, and it was so popular that Tata decided to revive the name when they launched the 7-seater version of the Harrier in the market. The original Safari was known for its diesel engine, but only a few know that Tata even offered a petrol engine with the SUV.
The SUV used a 2.0-litre NA petrol engine that generated 135 PS. The engine was extremely thirsty, and diesel was cheaper and more fuel-efficient.
Safari 3.0 Dicor
Many remember the 2.2 Dicor engine offered with the original Safari. However, Tata also had a 3.0 Dicor engine on offer. This engine was borrowed from a Tata 407 truck and was in the market for a short span. It was not very refined when compared to competition like the Mahindra Scorpio.
Tata Magna
Before the Indigo, Tata had plans to launch a premium sedan in the market. The project was called "Midica." It was showcased in 2000 and was expected to rival the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata. The Midica or Magna was built on the 207’s platform. It never made it to production, as it didn’t make financial sense for Tata Motors.
Tata Hexa
The predecessor of the Hexa was actually launched as a 7-seater crossover in the market, but the styling of the Aria reminded many of the Indica Vista and Zest. The interior of the SUV was also not too premium. It was offered as a premium product, and the market was not ready to spend over 15 lakhs on a Tata.
The Aria was offered in both 4x4 and 4x2 versions. It was powered by a 2.2-litre Varicor engine that generated 147 bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque.
Indigo Marina
Once again, Tata tried their luck with a station wagon. They launched the station wagon version of their popular sedan, the Indigo, as the Indigo Marina. It was extremely spacious, offering a large boot and comfortable interiors. However, we were—and still are—not ready to accept this body style, and sadly, the Marina had to be discontinued.
Indigo XL
The extended wheelbase version of the Indigo sedan was launched in the market with the aim of offering more space to rear seat passengers. On paper, it offered more legroom than a Honda Accord. It didn’t attract many buyers from the private segment and was mostly seen as cabs. The image of Tata was not something people associated with premiumness.
Tata Indigo Manza
The updated version of the Indigo sedan was launched in 2010. It was offered with more features than before and came with a 1.3-litre turbocharged diesel engine from Fiat. The utilitarian image of Tata Motors was the villain here too.
Tata Spacio 3.0
The Tata Sumo Spacio was actually a stripped-down version of the regular Sumo. It came with a canvas roof and an open design, making it look almost like a doorless version. It was designed as a people carrier for rural areas.
Tata Bolt
The Bolt was introduced in the market with hopes of reviving the hatchback segment for Tata. It offered upmarket exterior looks and interiors. Despite this, the Bolt struggled to shed the Indica’s image, which had become synonymous with fleet and taxi services.