Tata Motor may have been the manufacturer that was one of the last to take the wraps of their products on Day 1 of the Auto Expo 2023 IN Delhi, but the Indian manufacturer packed quite a punch (pun not intended) when it came to the products that they had on display. Tata Motors unveiled a total of 12 passenger vehicles, in addition to its comprehensive lineup of commercial vehicles. These included some hotly-awaited products – namely the Tata Sierra EV and the all-wheel Harrier EV, in addition to the futuristic Tata Avinya Concept and an ICE-powered version of the Concept Curvv.
The Tata Sierra was a much-loved icon in Indian automotive that was Gone But Not Forgotten, but the Sierra, which was the first Indian SUV, likely to make a comeback, albeit in electric form. The Sierra EV was the showstopper for Tata Motors at Pragati Maidan this year, and after the first concept was teased three years ago at the then Auto Expo, the Sierra EV was showcased with the intent of production. In terms of the powertrain, the motor and battery specs have not been confirmed, but it is likely that the Sierra EV might get a dual-motor setup and AWD, in addition to the current FWD setup. We can confirm that the Sierra EV gets 20-inch alloy wheels and flush-fit door handles, but unlike the 90s icon, the Sierra now gets four doors as opposed to the two-door Sierra of the past. In terms of the styling, it does get elements such as the roof with its glass elements inspired by the older Sierra but it is still a futuristic looking SUV that is bound to appeal to a wide audience!
Also at the Tata Motors stall at the Auto Expo was Harrier EV, which addressed one of the biggest criticisms that fanboys held against the SUV (and by extension the Safari as well) – the lack of a all-wheel-drive. The Harrier EV however dismisses those concerns, with a twin-motor setup that allows it to send power to all four wheels. In terms of the styling, the side profile is identical to the regular Harrier but it does get a revised front end with the blanked-out grille and a light bar joining the headlamps. The tail lamps are new as well and the design has received a slight update as opposed to the ICE-powered SUV.
We’re no strangers to the Avinya concept introduced last year, based on Tata’s third-generation platform which has been developed specifically for EVs, and the concept is a futuristic rendition of what Tata’s EVs could like, erm, in the future. We did a detailed feature on the Tata Avinya last year and it promises to be a car that redefines how we look at car exteriors and interiors in general, with its shooting brake-like design and suicide doors, and Tata Motors plan to bring the Avinya into production by 2025.
Like the Avinya, the Concept Curvv is also an SUV we’re familiar with, and it is now closer to production reality. The Curvv was first showcased as an EV and has been styled very attractively, with its SUV-coupe design reminding you of the Lamborghini Urus from certain angles. Tata Motors has always brought most of its concepts into production, and save for the toning down of a few elements, this will very likely look like the SUV you see in production.
The Curvv will likely debut Tata’s new turbo-petrol direct injection engines as well, introduced at the Auto Expo. The TGDI engines are available in 1.2-litre and 1.5-litre capacities, and it is likely that the latter will be offered with the Curvv. The TGDI engines will also be offered in the rest of Tata’s model lineup
Tata introduced the CNG versions of the Punch and the Altroz as well, with their twin-cylinder technology that aims to offer superior performance without losing on the boot space that is traditionally compromised thanks to the cylinder of a CNG vehicle.
While we do not know what the Altroz Racer is exactly, we expect it to be a sticker job with a few additional features to appeal to enthusiasts. Tata is also expected to introduce a sportier version of the Tiago EV to appeal to electric car enthusiasts, the Tiago EV Blitz.