The launch of the Tata Sierra was nothing short of spectacular, featuring an exciting revelation: the development of all-wheel drive systems for both its internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicle (EV) variants. Tata Motors had showed a slide where it confirms this and also hints at 7-seater variant of the Sierra.
Key to enabling all-wheel drive is ARGOS, Tata’s new platform designed specifically for the Sierra. According to the brand, ARGOS—which stands for All-terrain Ready, Omni-Energy and Geometry Scalable Architecture—is a forward-looking platform that can accommodate various body styles, vehicle lengths, and a range of powertrains including petrol, diesel, CNG, and hybrid. While the platform is predominantly front-wheel drive, it also allows for configurations that support all-wheel drive.
The Sierra EV will be available next year in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive formats at launch. The ICE-powered all-wheel drive model will make a return to a niche segment, marking the first ICE 4×4 introduction since the Hexa was discontinued in 2020.
Earlier this year, Tata Motors re-entered the 4×4 market with the launch of the Harrier EV; however, an ICE 4×4 is currently not in the lineup. It’s worth noting that the diesel-fueled versions of the Harrier and Safari were unable to incorporate AWD without substantial reengineering, which was deemed financially unfeasible based on projected sales figures for those models.
Interestingly, the all-wheel drive variant of the Harrier EV has accounted for 35 percent of the electric SUV’s total sales, surpassing Tata’s original forecasts.
The Sierra will hit the market with front-wheel drive configurations, offering three engine choices: a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol with direct injection, and a 1.5-litre turbo-diesel. Details regarding which engine and gearbox combinations will be equipped with AWD are yet to be revealed.
