The passing away of stalwart Ratan Tata is indeed sad news. Born to Naval Tata and having studied at Harvard, the former chairman of Tata Group and Tata Sons was a visionary, and this has been reflected in many ways, including the cars made by the Tata Group. While this marks the end of an era, let’s take a look at some of the cars made by Tata Motors over the years that redefined the Indian auto Industry.
Tata Estate
When few knew what a station wagon was, Tata introduced the Tata Estate back in 1992. Based on the Tata Telcoline pickup truck, the Estate had many features that were far ahead of its time, such as a tachometer and power windows. The Tata Estate’s design was based on a Mercedes-Benz station wagon design and was powered by a Peugeot-sourced 1.9-litre diesel engine.
Tata Sierra
The Tata Sierra needs no introduction at all, especially in the off-road community. The vehicle was undoubtedly way ahead of its time and still looks so today. Launched in 1991, the Tata Sierra was also based on the Tata Telcoline pickup and was sold as an RWD or 4WD, with self-locking rear differentials and manual locking front hubs. The Sierra’s three-door design stood out and powering the SUV was a 2.0-litre diesel engine that made 63bhp.
Tata Indica
Again a car that needs no introduction. The Indica was the first hatchback to get a diesel engine and was one of India’s first indigenously developed passenger cars. Launched in 1998, the Indica saw many versions and the platform still underpins modern Tata vehicles. Within a week of its unveiling, Tata received over 11,000 orders for the Indica and it quickly became a best-seller in the segment. The Indica saw various versions over the years until production ended in 2018, making way for the Tata Bolt and the current Tiago.
Tata Manza
The Indica platform gave birth to the Indigo, which in turn brought the Manza in 2009. Based on the Tata X1 platform, the Manza was marketed as a luxury sedan, featuring SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, a dash-integrated audio system, automatic climate control, leather upholstery, diamond-cut alloy-wheels, and a 500-litre trunk. The Manza also saw a luxury version called the Elan, which featured Italian leather upholstery and reverse parking sensors. Like most Tata cars of the era, it was ahead of its time and production ended in 2016.
Tata Nano
The Nano was an ambitious project aimed to allow every Indian own a car. Launched in 2008 and in production till 2018, the project was killed after it failed to meet the company’s expectations and stringent safety norms. Regardless of how sales performed, Tata proved that something of this scale can be done. While the Nano is no more, it has been one of Ratan Tata’s personal projects that he cherished.
Tata Safari
While the Safari name badge is worn by a modern SUV, its routes go back to a hardcore off-roader with good highway manners of the time and some of the best TV commercials ever. Launched in 1998, the Safari was also exported to other countries and over the years, it saw many versions, including a 135 PS petrol unit. The diesel range saw the engine grow from a 2.1-litre unit to a 3.0-litre mill, before the SUV production ended in 2019, making way for the Harrier and the new-gen Safari.
Tata Nexon
One of the modern Tata cars that has its routes back to the Indica is the Nexon, but the version of the Nexon that made a mark is the electric version. With the auto industry transitioning towards EVs, Tata pounced on the opportunity and came up with the Nexon EV, which is currently the best-selling electric passenger vehicle in India.
