Tata Sierra. Naam toh suna hoga. On Tuesday afternoon, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles division (TMPV, renamed after the recent hive off and stock market listing) brought back another nineties icon (like Shah Rukh’s unforgettable line), India’s first ever sports vehicle, the Tata Sierra, but in an all-new 2025 avatar.
“When the Sierra arrived in 1991. It was unlike anything India had ever seen,” reminisced Shailesh Chandra, MD & CEO of TMPV. “It was designed to be different. It introduced features unheard of till then, line power steering, power windows, air conditioning, features that would only become standard later on,” he said, adding, “But more than the features, it was a philosophy behind it that set it apart. It was created with a belief that India should not settle for others.”
Folklore has it that it was Ratan Rata who had the dream of making a sports utility vehicle (SUV) for India, apparently having been inspired by the Ford Bronco he had seen while in the US.
In that sense, Sierra predated what Tata Motors itself later billed as India’s first ‘Made in India’ car—the Tata Indica. While there were design and other technical contributions from abroad, the Sierra made heads turn (and heads hold high) for its Indian credentials: Indians had never seen a vehicle in that form factor, or features, before. And soon Sierra went on to be exported to the US, no less ( though renamed Tata Sport or Tata Telcosport depending on the region).
But was it ahead of its time? Sierra was launched in the year of liberalisation, when western-style consumption was still an aspiration, and Indian roads considered Maruti Esteem and Gypsy the epitome of street chic. Its premiumness did make a mark, though many during those times felt it was out of reach. By the early 2000s, Tatas stopped production and began focusing on their mass market small car models.
Two decades down the line, Tata officials believe it is time for Sierra to make a comeback—there are features galore, and a plethora of unique ones, too, ranging from the largest sunroof in any Indian car, 5-star safety features, a living room-like design concept and more.
Martin Uhlarik, chief design officer, said, “When we started to do (this) new car…this is not a retro design; translate the design and ideas of the original for a new generation (while old timers will recognise the original idea of Sierra going into it). It’s all in the details.”
Interestingly, Sierra makes a comeback when SUVs are all the rage in the Indian passenger car market, hitting close to half of all cars sold. Tata, which made its mark recently by dislodging Hyundai from the No. 2 spot in Indian car sales with a strong focus on electric models, obviously feels it is time to capitalise on its SUV legacy now.
With all its premium features, Tata’s most killer strategy would indeed be the price point: an introductory price of Rs 11.49 lakh, at which it starts booking from December 16.
