Mahindra Legend to Tata Prima: 10 Indian cars you may have NEVER heard of

The Indian car market over the years has offered a host of options for different types of car buyers across the nation. While some models became so popular, they are considered to be legends, many faded into obscurity. In his post, we take a look at 10 of these cars that you may have never heard of before.

Quantum Ocal

The Quantam Ocal was 2+2 British convertible that was the most successful car from the marque.However, in India, barely anyone knows it exists. This convertible came to India in 1997 and was being sold through a single dealership in Mumbai. The Ocal had some rather pretty looks and was touted as fun to drive car. In a bid to get customers, it was apparently said that if 9 potential owners were willing to part with their cash for this British car, the booking fee for the 10th would be waived off. No one apparently ever responded and not a single car was sold.

Mahindra Legend

The Mahindra Legend is a rather rare SUV from the Indian manufacturer that was based on the 1953 Willys Jeep MD-M38A1 used by US forces during the Korean War in the early 50s. The Legend featured a body from the MM540.550 and sported large decals with its own name on the hood. The Legend was powered by the same 2,523 cc DI diesel engine that went to power the Bolero Camper and also sported non-power assisted steering, 16-inch wheels and up to 4 roof mounted aux lamps. The Legend retailed for a price tag of Rs 6 lakh and is a rather tough vehicle to find on Indian roads today.

Tata Zing

The Tata Nano is the most affordable car currently on sale in India. However, much before Ratan Tata pulled the covers off the Nano, Tata was working on a microcar concept called the Zing. Work on the Zing started after the success of the Indica and the concept car was released in 2000. Tata Motors even conducted a feasibility study for the launch of the Zing but respondents didn’t seem to warm up to the idea of the Zing and the company pulled the plug on the micro car. Quite a few years after the demise of the Zing, the Nano was born.

Tata Aria Coupe & Roadster

The Tata Aria coupe concept unlike the MPV that finally bore the name, was a sports car that Tata Motors was rather pushing to bring to the market. Tata Motors showed off the Aria concept at the car at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show and Ratan Tata was quoted as saying that the company was looking for a location to build the vehicle.

Tata even showcased a roadster version of the same. However, neither the the Aria Coupe nor the roadster made into production and the name was recycled to be used by the large MPV.

Hindustan Mini Ambassador

Yes, even the iconic Ambassador tried to cash in on the sub-4-metre sedan trend once. Hindustan Motors contemplated bringing a compact version of the iconic Amby to the market to boost sales of the dated netas favourite. Unfortunately, Hindustan Motors pulled the plug on this project as it was getting close to actually launching the sub-4-metre Amby sedan.

Rajah Kazwa

The Raja Kazwa was an MPV from Kerala-based car company Rajah Motors. The Kazwa MPV was homologated for the Indian market way before the Toyota Qualis ran away with the segment. Rajah Motors tied up with Hindustan Motors to build the Kazwa MPV and it even featured the same 2.0-litre diesel engine as the iconic Ambassador. Unfortunately, the fact that the Kazwa’s design was heavily inspired by the Renault Espace meant that the Kazwa was no-go a the companies feared a lawsuit by Renault over the design.

Tata Pr1ma

The Tata Pr1ma was a concept sedan designed by renowned car designer Pininfarina for the Indian carmaker and was showcased at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The Tata Pr1ma concept was based on the Indigo platform and looked production ready but unfortunately never made it to the market. The low popularity of D-Segment sedans at that time, however, ensured that Tata Motors axed the project without a second thought.

Daewoo Matiz facelift

The Daewoo Matiz was a rather likeable small car from the South Korean manufacturer that was loved for its cute looks, comfortable cabin and peppy engine. Not many know that Daewoo was working on the facelifted version of the Matiz for India and the company even imported a facelifted car for testing purposes. The facelifted Matiz sported a 1.04-litre engine, updated external styling and slightly upgraded interior and even offered airbags and ABS as options at a time when safety was not a bother. Unfortunately, Daewoo went bankrupt and we never got to see the facelifted Matiz.

Tata Magna

The Magna was another large sedan project from Tata Motors that we never got to see despite the carmaker’s rather big plans for it. Tata put the Safari’s 120 Bhp 2.0-litre engine under the bonnet. The larger 3.0-litre 135 Bhp diesel engine from the same SUV was also expected to arrive with the sedan. The Magna was a rear-wheel-drive sedan that was supposed to take on the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata, but it was shelved by Tata Motors.

Kinetic micro car

Kinetic was one of the largest scooter manufacturers in India quite a few years ago. Kinetic started working with French carmaker Aixam on a microcar for entry-level car buyers. The Kinetic micro car had a 500 cc engine and was testing when the project was axed. It is said that the micro car had a top speed of 65 km/h and returned a mileage of 25 km/l.