TIMELESS cars that we want back on the road: Tata Sierra to Maruti Zen Carbon

The Indian car market is full of various vehicles that can fit the needs of most kinds of buyers. However, in the long automotive history of India, there have been many vehicles that left a lasting impression on the market and most of them could not get forgotten by the enthusiasts. If these vehicles ever return to the market, they will make a portion of the market very happy while the mass-segment car buyers may not worry much about them. Here are a few vehicles that we really want back to the Indian market in some form or other.

Mitsubishi Lancer

Mitsubishi offered a few great cars in the Indian market in the past. One of them was the time the Lancer, which became most successful of all. The Lancer offered a simple, straightforward design and was targetted at the enthusiasts. Mitsubishi offered three engine options in the market. There were 1.5-litre petrol, 1.8-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel. The Lancer still enjoys a major fan following in India and there are many well-maintained examples of the car on the Indian roads.

Maruti Zen Steel and Carbon

A two-door Maruti Suzuki hatchback is something most of us cannot even imagine. Back in the time, Maruti Suzuki launched the limited edition 2-door version of the Zen named as Carbon and Steel. It was a four-seater hatchback and offered the same engine too but the new body form attracted a lot of enthusiasts. The peppy engine of the Zen made the whole package even better.

San Storm

Buying any convertible in India needs a lot of capital. San Storm saw the potential and launched a convertible in 1998, which became the first affordable convertible in the Indian market. The San Storm came with a fibreglass body, which made it exceptionally lightweight and the 1.2-litre petrol engine generating 60 Bhp made the car feel peppy. However, due to the harsh weather situation in India, the San Storm never became popular in India.

Tata Sierra

Tata launched quite a few vehicles much ahead of its time and the Sierra can be easily added to that list. It was launched in the early 90s when the Indian automotive industry was in its early stages. The two-door Sierra was appreciated by everyone but it never made to the top of the sales chart because the market thought it is not very practical. Now that the Indian market has become SUV-frenzy, the return of the Sierra can really set things in the right direction.

Hindustan Ambassador

The Hindustan Ambassador is one of the most iconic cars in India. The enormous space that the Ambassador offer and the classy, timeless design makes it a living legend. The Ambassador was derived from the Morris Oxford Series III and was on sale in the Indian market for a long time. There are many resto-modified Ambassador sedans in the Indian market which can inspire a modern-day Hindustan Ambassador if it ever returns to the market.

Hindustan Contessa

The Hindustan Contessa came to India as the first muscle-car inspired sedan. It is based on the Vauxhall Victor but it is not a muscle car with raw power. The Hindustan Contessa is loved for its looks more than anything and there is not a single vehicle in the market today that can match the Contessa in terms of looks. There are many modified examples of the Contessa in the Indian market and many of them mimic the legendary Ford Mustang.

Ford Fiesta 1.6 S

Ford makes a lot of driver-focused vehicles and the Fiesta 1.6 S was one such vehicle by the brand in the Indian market. It came with a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine and a re-tuned suspension that offered exemplary handling. However, the Fiesta S could not sell in large numbers back in the day and was discontinued from the market.

Mahindra Classic 4X4

Mahindra Classic was launched in the Indian market quite sometime back and it was one of its kind SUV. It came with open-top and offered a leaf-type suspension that made it a capable off-roader. The Classic 4X4 is known as the spiritual predecessor of the modern-day Mahindra Thar but there is nothing that can match the machoness and open-type motoring of the Classic.