Tata Sierra, Estate & Sumo in India’s 1995 Republic Day Parade: Blast from the past [Video]

The Tata Sierra was one of the first SUVs made in India and sold in the country. It was a highly unique SUV that was ahead of its time, featuring three doors and a large glass area for rear passengers. The Sierra was based on Tata’s popular Tatamobile pickup truck, but offered features that were revolutionary at the time, including power windows, air conditioning, power steering, and more. The Tata Sierra was one of the first SUVs made in India and sold in the country. It was a highly unique SUV that was ahead of its time, featuring three doors and a large glass area for rear passengers. The Sierra was based on Tata’s popular Tata-mobile pickup truck, but offered features that were revolutionary at the time, including power windows, air conditioning, power steering, and more. Here we have a video where Tata Sierra, Estate and Sumo being used in Prime Minister’s Convoy in 1995 Republic day parade.

The video was uploaded by Bichu N.S on his YouTube channel as a tribute to Tata Motors. It is a trimmed version of the 1995 Republic Day Parade telecasted on Doordarshan. The video showcases a convoy of Maruti Gypsy and Hindustan Ambassador sedans passing through Rajpath. The Maruti Gypsy was initially used by security forces, while politicians and other government delegates used the Hindustan Ambassador. It was only after the discontinuation of the Hindustan Ambassador that politicians and officials started using vehicles from other brands. After a few convoys had passed through Rajpath, a convoy consisting of the Tata Sumo, Tata Sierra, and Hindustan Ambassador entered the Rajpath.

Also read: Tata Sierra SUV Concept”s production-spec version rendered

The Tata Sierra was specially used by the then-Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. The convoy slowly moved towards Amar Jawan Jyoti, with Special Protection Group (SPG) officers seen on the Tata Sumo. The SPG officers take care of the Prime Minister and their immediate family anywhere in the world. The entire convoy moved towards Amar Jawan Jyoti, but suddenly both Ambassadors went in different directions, while the Tata Sumo, on which SPG commandos were standing, provided cover for the Prime Minister’s Tata Sierra. As soon as the PM’s Sierra stopped, an SPG commando opened the rear door, came out, and inspected the surroundings before opening the door.

The former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao can be seen coming out from the back seat of the Sierra. As mentioned earlier, the Sierra was not a practical SUV, and the PM had to exit from the co-passenger side door since it is a three-door SUV. The Tata Sierra was powered by a Peugeot-sourced, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine that generated 63 Bhp. In 1997, Tata added a turbocharger, and the power figures increased to 90 Bhp. It was available with a 5-speed manual gearbox only.

At this year’s Auto Expo, Tata Motors revealed a much more advanced version of the Sierra concept. The first concept showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo grabbed a lot of attention and proved how much people miss the Sierra. The manufacturer is currently working on a production version of the same, and it is expected to be launched as an electric vehicle. Tata Motors, which is currently the leading EV manufacturer in the country, has a couple of other models in the pipeline.

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