KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Rumours suggest Tata is working on a naturally-aspirated petrol engine.
- This engine is likely to be a reworked version of the 1.5-litre, direct-injection turbo-petrol unit that is yet to come.
- The Sierra is likely going to be among those cars with said engine to counter the Hyundai Creta as a threat.
The Tata Sierra continues to have a lot of buzz around it, and this time the rumour mill says that the car maker might just surprise us with another new engine under the hood of its hugely-anticipated SUV, which is set to make its debut later this year.
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Tata Sierra To Get A New 1.5-litre Nat-Asp Petrol; Details
The upcoming Sierra is slated to come with the 1.5-litre, direct-injection turbo-petrol powertrain, along with the familiar 1.5-litre diesel option. However, there are reports suggesting Tata Motors is developing a naturally-aspirated petrol engine as well.
This naturally-aspirated petrol engine is likely to be derived from the upcoming direct-injection petrol engine, with a focus on having a more fuel-efficient alternative to the turbo powertrains it will have on offer. This makes sense, considering how thirsty turbo-petrol engines tend to be, especially when driven enthusiastically, or even in general with an automatic transmission.
The new naturally-aspirated petrol engine should also likely help Tata achieve more sales, as the variants with said engine will likely be priced more competitively. If you look in the case of the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta, one of the reasons that they have been so successful is due to the option of a naturally-aspirated petrol engine. The entry-level variants with a non-turbo engine are usually the ones that bring in more sales. An entry-level Sierra with a non-turbo petrol engine should finally help Tata counter the Hyundai Creta after all.
The combustion-powered Sierra will likely share the new ATLAS platform with the Curvv. This platform accomodate all-wheel drive or 4x4 capabilities, and the Sierra could possibly be the first ICE car from Tata in recent times with some off-road capabilities. The interiors of the car are also going to feature a 12.3-inch tri-screen setup.
Verdict
The petrol engine has never been a strong point for Tata, but it looks to change that with the upcoming new 1.5-litre powertrains. The Sierra will be the first car to receive these, and we can expect the powertrain options to trickle down to certain other Tata cars as well.
