India’s Best Restored Tata Sierra: This Is It [Video]

Tata Motors, currently India’s leading car manufacturer, wasn’t always in the passenger vehicle segment. Initially, the company focused on producing light and heavy commercial vehicles, including pickups. It wasn’t until the late 1990s that Tata decided to enter the passenger vehicle market, introducing models like the Tata Sierra, one of India’s first SUVs…

Although it now has a dedicated fanbase, the Sierra didn’t perform well when it was originally on sale here, leading to the eventual discontinuation of the nameplate. Finding a well-maintained Tata Sierra today is rare, as most have either been scrapped or heavily modified.

A Pristine Example on Video

In a video shared by Talking Cars on YouTube, the presenters showcase one of the cleanest Tata Sierra models left on the road. The video covers the history of the Sierra, the condition of the featured car, and a test drive. Like other vehicles from Tata during that time, the Sierra was built on the Tata 206 chassis (later renamed the 207) or Tata Telcoline’s platform, along with models like the Tata Estate and Tata Sumo.

First-Generation Model and Its Rarity

The Sierra in the video is a first-generation model featuring a non-turbo diesel engine. A turbo version was introduced later, but finding non-turbo versions today is incredibly difficult, as many have been scrapped or altered. The car’s owner has maintained its originality, preserving features like the front fascia, which was shared across the Telcoline, Estate, and Sierra models, with clear design differentiations between these. The Sierra stood out for its large rear seat windows, a key design element.

Unique 3-Door Design

One of the reasons for Sierra’s poor market performance was its unusual 3-door SUV design, which didn’t appeal to many buyers at the time. However, this design, combined with premium features like air conditioning, rear AC vents, power steering, power windows, and tilt-adjustable power steering, made it a luxury SUV for its era. These features were uncommon in cars sold during the 90s, further setting the Sierra apart from its competition.

Engine and Performance

The Tata Sierra non-turbo version came with a 2.0-liter diesel engine that produced 67 Bhp and 117 Nm of torque. The video presenters were impressed with the spacious interior and comfortable ride quality. The softer suspension provided a smooth ride, while the heavy steering helped keep the vehicle stable. For a car over 15 years old, the Sierra performed well, with good noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) levels for a 1997 model.

The turbo version, which came later, used the same 2.0-liter diesel engine but turbocharged to produce 89 Bhp and 186 Nm of torque, offering better performance. The Sierra featured in the video is undoubtedly one of the cleanest and most well-kept examples of this iconic SUV, keeping its legacy alive.

Although it didn’t achieve commercial success, the Sierra is fondly remembered by car enthusiasts today for its unique design and premium features. This particular model, showcased in the video, offers a rare glimpse into such pieces of automotive art deserve to be preserved.

Sierra Is Making A Return!

Tata Motors is gearing up to resurrect the legendary Sierra nameplate in the near future. It will have both EV and ICE forms. The ICE form will sit on the ATLAS platform, which was introduced through the Curvv coupe SUV. The Sierra EV on the other hand, will likely be underpinned by Tata’s new-age Acti.ev platform.

The ICE version is likely to get a 1.6-litre turbo petrol and diesel engines. The EV will have an all-electric powertrain that likely draws its juice from a 60 kWh battery pack. Expected range is 500-550 km. The Sierra.EV will get an all-wheel drive layout, in keeping with the overall reputation, ethos and strength of the brand.