Tata Sierra: New Patent Image Shows 5 Clear Changes On Production Version
Tata Motors will launch the all-new Sierra in India this year. The SUV will have both EV and ICE (petrol/diesel) forms to it. The EV was revealed earlier while the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) version debuted at the Bharat Mobility Expo this year. The show car gathered much public interest and the internet soon went vocal about how good it looked. Now, the homegrown carmaker seems to have filed a design patent for the production-spec and the leaked images suggest a handful of design changes on the production car, compared to the one shown at the Expo.
Production-Spec Tata Sierra ICE: All Things Unchanged
The design at large, will remain identical to that of the vehicle shown at Bharat Mobility Expo. The finer details, however, will be different in the production version.
The front fascia will have a high-set bonnet and split headlamps like what we saw on the show car. There will be an LED light bar running along the width of the nose, while the actual headlamps will sit on the front bumper. The expo-car also had vertical strake-like detailing and 'Sierra' written on the front grille panel. The patent image shows these to have been retained. The front bumper will have a large central air intake and a faux bull bar-like element.
Changes Expected On Production-Spec Sierra ICE
The profile is where you would notice the biggest change. The near-production prototype shown at the Expo had a unique kink near the B-pillar. It added more character to the design and made the large glass-house look more beautiful. The leaked patent shows this to have been removed! The production-spec could also ditch the roof rails seen on the show car.
Going by the patent pictures alone, the roofline seems to have distant resemblances to that of the Range Rover. This is further accentuated by the window design.
Sometimes when you look at this design, the subconscious tends to draw connections with the Tata Sumo. If only it had a genuine resurrection, a modern Sumo could look something like this as well! Again, these are mere assumptions/impressions based on leaked patent image. Actual visual impressions could vary slightly.
The alloy wheel design has been toned down to something more real and practical. This move was somewhat expected, as the previous star-like design felt too radical to make it to production on a vehicle of this class.
Another notable change is the visual prominence of the body cladding and C-pillar. The production spec will have a more prominent body cladding that packs a distinct, masculine character, and a C-pillar that's thicker than what we saw on the Auto Expo concept.
Tata Sierra ICE: More Details
The ICE version of the new Sierra will have both petrol and diesel engine options. The diesel engine will be the same that powers the Harrier and Safari- Stellantis-sourced 2.0L, 4-cylinder, turbocharged diesel, capable of producing 170 hp and 350 Nm.
Tata Motors is yet to give out details of the petrol engine. We expect it to be a 1.5-litre turbocharged unit that will likely produce 170 hp and 280 Nm. The torque output here is notably lower than that of the diesel. Also, this is the same Hyperion engine that powers select variants of the Curvv.
Details of the cabin and equipment array are unknown at the moment. From what we saw at the Expo, the Sierra could feature a 'nearly full-width' triple screen cluster inside. It will also have a slew of other technology/ features as well.
When launched, the Sierra (petrol/diesel) will compete with the likes of the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Maruti Grand Vitara. In Tata's lineup, it will sit below the Harrier.