Beautifully Restored Tata Sierra From Kerala: Check It Out [Video]
The Tata Sierra may not have been a commercial success for the manufacturer, but it currently enjoys a cult following. It is, however, difficult to spot a clean example. A recent YouTube video show a tastefully restored Sierra that’s was up for sale in Kerala at just Rs. 3.25 lakh.
The channel ‘ Motor Artist’ shows the vehicle finished in a dual-tone colourway of (a shade of) Green and White. The vehicle has been well-restored and well-maintained. It has been built into something that can go off-roading and has a butch road presence. It gets an off-road spec front bumper. It gets aftermarket flared wheel arches at both the front and rear. These elevate the character and appeal of the SUV.
The bonnet, as the host claims, has been kept true to the original and so is the front grille. The front fender gets a ‘ Tata Sierra’ badge finished in Red. The headlamp design could remind you of the Mercedes Benz W124/123. This was a character shared with the Estate and Telco mobile as well.
The rear bumper is also custom-made. There are also wide alloy wheels and chunky tyres as well. The roof and pillars are finished in White, a striking contrast with the rest of the bodywork.
The owner and garage that did the work have tried their best to keep the interior true to the OG. The original steering wheel, instrument cluster, and several other components have been retained. This is not one of those ugly resto-mods that stuff funky parts into classic vehicles. The seats and door pads have Tan upholstery.
The key highlights of the original Tata Sierra were the huge glass house for the rear occupants and the fancy three-door design. It sure looked attractive, but had its own set of disadvantages. The large glass area made the cabin heat up fast and the AC thus had to do all the heavy lifting. The vehicle used to come with power windows, which the host says, are present on the restored example as well. Like the OG, the tumbling lever for the co-driver seat still sits on its right-hand side.
The video also shows the immense room that the rear seats offer. The leg room, knee room, and headroom are in plenty for four. The rear now gets tiny handrests as well. The vehicle also gets a major audio upgrade. It gets a 2 speaker+ 1 woofer audio by JBL, and an aftermarket music system. The original Sierra had faced criticism for its uneven audio distribution and slightly compromised experience.
The OG instrument cluster has been restored and retained, adding a lot of value to the build at large. It gets a speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, odometer and a handful of warning lamps and indicators. The switchgear on the SUV seems to do justice to the original. Overall the quality of restoration is commendable.
The OG Sierra was one of the first passenger vehicles to be built on the Tata_X2 platform with side members and crossbars. The architecture, also used in the Telcoline, had a predominant commercial vehicle character to it. The engine too was borrowed from the Telcoline.
The Sierra drew its juice from a naturally aspirated, 2.0-litre 483 DL diesel engine that produced 63 hp. Later in time, a turbocharged diesel in-line 4 (483 DLTC) engine was also introduced. It is unclear which of these sits under the hood of the Sierra that we’re talking about. This vehicle, as the video says, is for sale. So if you’re planning to buy one, you could probably consider this.