Category: Maxxd News

oi-Dennis Abraham James

Updated: Monday, January 23, 2023, 22:18 [IST]

Tata
Motors
revealed
the
updated
Sierra
Concept
at
Auto
Expo
2023.
In
this
first
look
review
of
the
Tata
Sierra
Concept,
we
take
a
look
at
the
design
&
features
of
the
updated
SUV
concept
revealed
at
Auto
Expo
2023.

The
Tata
Sierra
Concept
showcased
at
Auto
Expo
is
a
more
production-ready
version
of
the
Sierra
EV
concept
showcased
at
the
previous
edition
of
the
auto
show
in
2020.

Tata
Sierra
Concept
Design
&
Features
–
Nearly
Ready
For
Production

The
Tata
Sierra
Concept
showcased
at
Auto
Expo
looks
ready
to
hit
the
streets
with
the
new
version
of
the
SUV
now
sporting
a
more
regular
design
set
with
5
doors
and
what
appear
to
be
a
rather
snazzy
set
of
wheels.

At
the
front,
the
Sierra
Concept
from
Auto
Expo
2023
sports
a
lightbar
that
stretches
across
the
width
of
the
front
end
of
the
SUV.
Underneath
the
lightbar
sits
the
Tata
badge
on
a
closed-off
grille.

The
front
bumper
sports
triangular
cutouts
on
each
side
which
are
connected
together.
On
the
upper
section
of
these
cutouts
are
what
appear
to
be
more
lights
which
suggest
that
the
production
car
could
sport
a
more
conventional
split
headlamp
setup.
The
front
skid
plate
features
triangular
extensions
which
play
host
to
rectangular
fog
lamps.

The
sides
of
the
new
Sierra
Concept
sport
squared-off
wheelarches
which
play
host
to
a
set
of
rather
nice-looking
alloys
which
do
look
like
they
could
enter
production.

The
side
profile
of
the
concept
still
looks
like
a
neo-retro
version
of
the
OG
Sierra
but
with
two
doors
on
each
side.
The
thick
B
pillar
looks
brilliant
and
as
does
the
wraparound
glass
area.

At
the
rear,
the
Sierra
sports
a
sculpted
rear
wing
integrated
with
the
roof
and
a
sleek
lightbar
style
fullwidth
taillight
with
the
Sierra
name
embedded
into
it.
Underneath
the
lightbar
sits
the
Tata
badge
and
below
that
can
be
seen
a
properly
large
rear
bash
plate
setup
that
looks
to
be
able
to
handle
the
toughest
of
hits.

Step
inside
the
Sierra
Concept’s
cabin
and
you
get
a
better
picture
of
how
production-ready
the
SUV
is.
The
layered
dashboard
has
a
mix
of
different
materials
and
features
two
large
widescreen
displays
for
the
infotainment
and
the
instrumentation.

Sitting
ahead
of
the
driver’s
display
is
a
chunky
flat-bottomed
steering
wheel
with
capacitive
and
scrollable
controls.
Lower
down
on
the
dashboard
you
can
find
controls
for
the
climate
control
setup
which
also
looks
to
be
a
touchscreen
unit.

The
seats
of
the
Tata
Sierra
Concept
are
large
and
look
to
be
rather
comfortable.
The
concept
vehicle
showcased
at
Auto
Expo
2023
was
a
four-seater
with
the
rear
seats
featuring
some
rather
crazy
large
headrests.
A
version
of
the
Sierra
SUV
with
this
kind
of
layout
is
expected
to
make
it
into
production
but
the
vehicle
is
expected
to
be
mainly
offered
as
a
five-seater
when
it
arrives
next
year.

Tata
Sierra
Powertrain
Options

The
Tat
Sierra
shown
off
at
Auto
Expo
2023
was
an
EV.
However,
the
Sierra
is
expected
to
arrive
in
both
EV
&
ICE
guises
next
year.
The
EV
version,
which
will
be
the
flagship
model
based
on
Tata’s
Gen
2
EV
setup
is
expected
to
offer
a
range
of
around
500km
on
a
single
charge.

The
ICE
version
of
the
Sierra
will
sport
the
new
1.5-litre
turbocharged
petrol
engine
that
Tata
Motors
recently
greenlit
and
then
showcased
alongside
a
new
1.2-litre
turbo
petrol
engine
at
Auto
Expo
2023.
The
1.5-litre
engine
is
rated
at
167.6bhp
and
280Nm
and
is
expected
to
be
offered
with
both
manual
and
automatic
transmission
options.

Thoughts
About
The
Tata
Sierra
Concept
From
Auto
Expo
2023

The
Tata
Sierra
Concept
showcased
at
Auto
Expo
2023
gave
us
a
good
look
into
the
next
flagship
vehicle
from
Tata
Motors.
Even
in
this
near-production-ready
guise,
the
Sierra
looks
to
be
a
more
sophisticated
and
luxurious
SUV
than
the
Safari
and
we
expect
it
to
be
another
winner
for
Tata
Motors
when
it
arrives
sometime
next
year.

Source

oi-Dennis Abraham James

Updated: Saturday, January 21, 2023, 12:25 [IST]

When
Citroen
entered
India
with
the
C5
Aircross,
the
French
carmaker
brought
its
quirky
sense
of
style
and
focus
on
comfort
to
our
roads.

Last
year,
it
brought
that
French
styling
and
comfort-focused
ride
to
the
masses
with
the
C3
crossover
hatchback.
At
the
time
of
the
C3’s
launch,
the
French
carmaker
told
the
world
that
the
new
hatch
would
soon
spawn
an
all-electric
version
of
itself.

Well
fast
forward
a
few
months
and
Citroen
has
made
good
on
its
promise.
The
French
carmaker
has
turned
up
with
an
all-electric
version
of
its
hatchback
for
the
Indian
market,
dubbed
simply
as
the
Citroen
eC3.

So
is
the
Citroen
eC3
all
that
it
has
been
hyped
up
to
be?
Does
the
French
Citroen
eC3
have
what
it
takes
to
challenge
Tata
in
this
electric
punchup
for
the
hearts
of
the
masses?
We
drove
the
all-new
Citroen
eC3
in
Chennai
to
find
out…

Citroen
eC3
Design
&
Features
–
More
Of
The
Same
Please
With
Teeny
Bit
More
Contrast

If
you
put
the
new
Citroen
eC3
next
to
its
dino-burning
sibling
(the
one
without
the
e
in
the
name)
you’d
be
hard-pressed
to
find
out
what
has
changed.

While
some
may
call
this
sleeping
on
the
job,
the
French
carmaker
has
decided
that
the
C3’s
design
didn’t
need
to
be
messed
around
with
for
the
transformation
into
its
all-electric
city
runner.

At
the
front,
the
twin
chevrons
of
the
Citroen
badge
are
connected
to
the
split
headlamp
setup
with
the
upper
bars
meeting
up
with
the
DRLs
while
the
lower
arms
end
in
more
DRLs
that
sit
next
to
the
actual
headlamps.

Lower
down
on
the
front
bumper
on
the
black
plastic-clad
section
of
the
bumper,
we
find
the
fog
lamps
which
on
the
eC3
feature
a
new
colour
for
the
surrounds
in
the
form
of
Polar
White.

Polar
White
is
the
colour
of
choice
for
the
new
eC3
with
for
its
new
dual-tone
themes.
The
three
new
dual-tone
colour
options
for
the
eC3
sport
a
Polar
White
roof
with
the
rest
of
the
body
finished
in
either
Zesty
Orange,
Platinum
Grey
or
Steel
Grey.
In
fact,
the
Polar
white
surrounds
and
roof
along
with
all
the
custom
bits
that
were
already
seen
on
the
regular
C3
mean
that
the
new
electric
hatch
is
offered
up
in
13
exterior
colour
combinations,
3
packs,
and
47
customisations.

The
polar
white
Vibe
pack
surrounds
can
be
found
on
the
doors
as
well
close
to
which
we
find
our
other
bits
that
help
you
in
your
quest
to
find
which
C3
is
electric.
The
easiest
of
these
is
the
small ‘e’ badge
on
both
front
doors.

The
other
EV-only
design
highlight
is
found
in
the
door
for
the
charging
port
which
is
located
above
the
front
wheel
arch
on
the
right.
Citroen
has
retained
the
C3’s
fuel
filler
cap
but
that
section
is
sealed
off.
The
reason
that
wasn’t
retrofitted
for
the
charging
port
has
to
do
with
both
the
extra
wiring
needed
and
the
heat
generated
by
the
same.

The
rear
section
of
the
eC3
is
virtually
identical
to
its
ICe
sibling
with
only
the
contrast
surrounds
on
the
lower
bumper
and
the
roof
in
the
dual-tone
cars
and
the
eC3
badging
at
the
rear
letting
the
world
know
that
you’re
in
an
EV.
Well,
that
and
your
green
plates.

Step
inside
the
cabin
of
the
eC3
and
its
deja
vu
all
over
again.
Well,
that
is
until
you
start
wondering
where
the
gear
lever
disappeared.
Instead
of
a
regular
shifter,
Citroen
has
put
in
a
toggle
switch
to
help
you
get
the
eC3
into
drive.
Also
seen
next
to
this
lever
is
the
button
to
switch
the
eC3
into
Eco
mode.

However,
don’t
let
the
lack
of
changes
lull
you
into
thinking
the
eC3
is
boring.
The
cabin
is
as
spacious
as
ever
and
the
dash
can
be
finished
off
in
an
eye-searing
shade
of
orange
provided
you
choose
the ‘right’
Vibe
pack
for
the
interior.
We
rather
prefer
the
soothing
Anodized
Grey.

At
the
centre
of
the
dash
sits
the
eC3’s
10.25-inch
infotainment
touchscreen
that
connects
with
Android
Auto
and
Apple
CarPlay
wirelessly.
That
display
is
also
what
connects
up
with
the
MyCitroen
Connect
app
that
adds
35
connected
car
features
and
also
helps
the
eC3
find
vitally
important
chargers
on
your
route
along
with
the
charge
status
of
the
battery
on
the
go.
Other
features
include
geofencing,
the
ability
to
locate
your
car
in
just
one
tap
and
SOS
alerts
if
someone
else
tries
to
access
your
car
illegally
among
many
others.

The
seats
are
as
comfortable
as
ever
on
the
eC3.
However,
those
at
the
rear
will
find
themselves
in
a
slightly
more
thigh-up
position
as
the
addition
of
the
battery
pack
means
that
the
floor
is
around
70mm
higher
on
the
EV.

However,
one
thing
the
added
battery
pack
hasn’t
messed
up
is
the
boot
space.
You
still
get
the
same
315-litre
boot
space
and
the
full-sized
spare
has
been
retained
as
well
on
the
EV.

Citroen
eC3
Electric
Powertrain
–
No
More
Dino
Burning

The
biggest
change
in
the
Citroen
eC3
of
course
comes
under
the
bonnet
and
the
hatchback’s
floor.
The
dino
burner
of
the
C3
makes
for
a
BEV
powertrain
in
the
eC3.

Underneath
the
floor
of
the
eC3
sits
an
air-cooled
(hence
the
open
ventage
at
the
front)
29.2kwh
lithium-ion
battery
pack
that
delivers
a
range
of
320km
on
a
single
charge
as
per
the
MIDC
test
cycle.

The
eC3
supports
the
CCS2
fast
charging
standard.
So
when
plugged
into
a
DC
fast
charger,
the
eC3
will
charge
up
its
lithium-ion
pack
from
10
to
80
per
cent
in
just
57
minutes.
Charging
with
the
3.3kW
on-board
charger
plugged
into
a
15A
socket
at
home
takes
10
and
a
half
hours.

The
addition
of
the
battery
pack
means
a
nearly
280kg
increase
in
the
weight
of
the
electric
hatch
when
compared
to
its
iCE
sibling
–
the
eC3
is
1,316kg
at
its
heaviest.
The
ground
clearance
has
also
dropped
by
10mm
to
170mm.

The
battery
pack
powers
a
single
electric
motor
mounted
on
the
front
axle
of
the
eC3.
The
motor
is
rated
at
56.2bhp
and
143Nm
of
peak
torque.

Citroen
is
offering
substantial
warranties
on
the
eC3.
The
entire
car
gets
the
standard
3-year/
125,000km
dosage.
The
motor
is
under
warranty
for
5
years/
100,000km
while
the
battery
pack
gets
7
years/
140,000km
warranty.

Citroen
eC3
Driving
Impressions
–
Casting
A
Silent
Spell

The
first
thing
you
notice
(after
that
tiny
gear
toggle)
when
you
get
going
in
the
eC3
is
the
silence
the
electric
drivetrain
provides.
The
overall
NVH
levels
are
better
than
the
ICE
C3.

While
the
eC3
may
be
the
least
powerful
of
the
C3
lineup,
the
143Nm
of
peak
torque
is
available
right
from
the
start.
However,
there
is
no
punch-in-the-guts
acceleration
on
offer
as
the
eC3
prefers
to
get
off
the
blocks
smoothly
with
the
electric
hatch
building
up
speed
gradually
till
it
tops
out
at
107km/h.
We
really
do
think
that
the
Citroen
eC3
has
a
bit
more
to
offer
in
terms
of
top
speed
but
this
was
quite
likely
sacrificed
on
the
alter
of
range.

There
are
two
modes
on
offer
–
Eco
and
Standard.
However,
the
difference
between
the
two
isn’t
really
that
much
and
you’ll
find
yourself
in
Standard
in
almost
every
circumstance
except
if
you
want
to
engage
in
hypermiling.

As
we
found
ourselves
on
the
smooth
tarmac
of
the
Wabco
test
track
in
Chennai,
we
couldn’t
really
find
any
potholes
to
test
out
the
changes
if
any
that
Citroen
has
made
to
the
C3’s
smooth
suspension
setup
to
deal
with
the
extra
weight
of
the
electric
battery
pack
in
the
EV.

However,
that
extra
weight
of
the
battery
pack
and
the
low
centre
of
gravity
of
the
eC3
means
that
the
hatch
remains
planted
when
you
push
it
through
the
corners.
However,
a
little
bit
of
body
roll
is
still
noticeable
so
don’t
try
to
push
your
luck
on
the
streets.

Getting
the
eC3
to
stop
are
discs
at
the
front
and
drums
at
the
rear
that
are
aided
by
the
regenerative
braking
of
the
eC3.
While
the
regen
braking
does
slow
the
eC3
down
by
quite
a
bit,
it
was
still
not
enough
to
convince
Citroen
to
add
one
pedal
driving
to
the
hatch.
The
brake
pedal
is
a
bit
of
a
bugbear,
as
the
travel
is
a
bit
too
long
for
our
tastes
and
getting
used
to
the
lack
of
initial
bite
is
something
that
takes
time
to
get
used
to.

Thoughts
About
The
Citroen
eC3
–
A
Quirky
French
EV
for
the
Masses

The
Citroen
eC3
retains
all
the
good
qualities
of
its
ICE
sibling
and
adds
the
peace,
quiet
and
green
creds
of
an
EV
powertrain
to
the
hatch.
We
still
need
a
bit
more
time
with
the
eC3
to
test
out
its
range,
but
we
do
feel
that
Citroen
could
have
a
genuine
rival
for
the
Tata
Tiago
EV
on
its
hands,
provided
it
gets
the
pricing
right.

Source

oi-Dennis Abraham James

Updated: Wednesday, December 21, 2022, 14:06 [IST]

Chinese
electric
vehicle
manufacturer
Build
Your
Dreams
(BYD)
is
not
a
firm
that
many
people
in
India
are
familiar
with.
After
all
the
firm’s
only
offering
to
date
has
been
the
e6
electric
MPV
has
been
on
sale
to
the
general
public
for
just
a
few
months
now.

However,
BYD
isn’t
one
to
wait
around
and
the
Atto
3
is
the
firm’s
new
offering
for
the
Indian
market.
Like
the
e6,
the
Atto
3
is
powered
by
the
firm’s
revolutionary
Blade
battery
pack
that
offers
up
massive
range.
So
is
the
BYD
Atto
3
what
electric
dreams
are
made
of?
We
drove
the
BYD
Atto
3
in
Chennai
to
find
out…

BYD
Atto
3
Exterior
Design
–
Dragon-faced
Dreamer

The
BYD
Atto
3
follows
the
EV
firm’s
Dragon
Face
3.0
family
design
and
when
you
look
at
this
crossover
from
the
front
it
does
seem
to
look
a
bit
like
the
mythical
flame-spouting
reptile.

The
Atto
3’s
triangular
crystal
LED
combination
headlamps
feature
blue
highlights
and
are
connected
by
a
thick
bar
of
chrome
that
has
the
words ‘BYD’ embossed
into
it.
The
front
end
also
features
what
appear
to
be
air
intakes
on
either
side
of
the
front
bumper
that
add
to
the
sporty
look
of
the
electric
crossover.

The
sides
of
the
BYD
Atto
3
feature
some
distinct
design
characteristics
including
the
18-inch
aero
alloy
wheels
that
immediately
draw
attention
to
themselves
and
the
scale-like
elements
on
the
C-pillar
that
once
again
show
off
the
draconic
design
language
of
the
Atto
3.
Other
highlights
include
the
sculpted
side
including
the
thick
character
line
that
stretches
across
the
doors
of
the
electric
crossover
SUV
and
end
up
at
the
taillights
along
with
the
shiny
roof
rails
and
the
bulbous
wheelarches.

The
rear
section
of
the
BYD
Atto
3
is
dominated
by
the
sleek
lightbar
style
LED
taillights
above
which
sits
the
manufacturer’s
name
in
a
stylish
font
finished
off
in
chrome.
Also
seen
at
the
rear
is
the
integrated
roof
spoiler
which
hosts
the
third
brake
light
and
the
reversing
light
that
sits
low
on
the
rear
bumper.

BYD
Atto
3
Interior
&
Features
–
Design
Gone
Wild

The
interior
of
the
BYD
Atto
3
is
what
happens
when
you
allow
the
designers
to
let
loose
while
shutting
the
paper
pushers
into
a
dark
closet.
The
interior
of
the
BYD
Atto
3
is
the
place
to
be
thanks
to
its
quirky
design
features
that
make
every
time
you
get
into
its
cabin
a
special
occasion.

Properly
look
inside
the
BYD
Atto
3’s
cabin
and
you’ll
find
design
features
that
are
as
outlandish
as
they
get.
These
include
the
multilayered
dash
with
the
lower
section
that
looks
to
be
made
of
some
sort
of
foam
material.

Other
crazy
design
details
include
the
dumbbell-style
vents
for
the
air
conditioning
system,
the
aircraft
controller-like
gear
lever,
the
grip-style
door
handle
and
the
absolutely
nuts
bass
guitar
strings
on
the
lower
section
of
the
door
that
help
keep
whatever
you’ve
shoved
into
the
door
pockets
from
falling
out.

The
seats
are
well-proportioned
and
plush
and
the
massive
panoramic
sunroof
adds
to
the
airy
and
spacious
feel
of
the
cabin.
The
rear
seats
though
don’t
offer
much
under-thigh
support
which
is
a
quirk
of
many
born
electric
cars
due
to
the
batteries
stuffed
under
the
floor
and
the
sloping
roofline
reduces
the
headspace
on
offer
for
taller
people.

However,
the
biggest
highlight
of
the
cabin
is
the
large
12.8-inch
infotainment
display.
The
infotainment
display
rotates
from
landscape
to
portrait
mode
at
the
press
of
a
button
which
is
a
cool
party
trick
and
it
supports
Apple
CarPlay
and
Android
Auto
(only
wired).
The
driver’s
display
is
another
pain
point
due
to
its
tiny
size
which
makes
you
sometimes
squint
and
search
for
the
relevant
data.

The
BYD
Atto
3
also
comes
packed
with
a
host
of
other
features
like
a
wireless
charger
for
your
phone,
an
NFC
card
key
and
an
automatic
tailgate
which
features
an
opening
height
memory
function.
The
BYD
also
comes
packed
with
a
safety
kit
including
7
airbags,
a
360-degree
camera,
ABS,
ESC,
traction
control,
and
hill
descent
control.
The
electric
Atto
3
SUV
also
gets
a
host
of
ADAS
features
like
automatic
emergency
braking,
adaptive
cruise
control,
blind
spot
monitoring,
lane-keep
assist
and
front
and
rear
collision
warning.

BYD
Atto
3
Performance
&
Driving
Impressions
–
Almost
A
Blade
Revolution

The
BYD
Atto
3
is
powered
by
the
firm’s
revolutionary ‘Blade’ Lithium
Ferro
Phosphate
(LFP)
battery
pack
that
allows
the
cells
to
be
packed
more
densely
and
does
away
with
traditional
cooling
solutions
to
help
save
space.
The
Blade
battery
pack
has
also
undergone
a
host
of
safety
tests
including
the
bonkers
nail
penetration
test.

In
the
Atto
3,
the
Blade
battery
pack
has
a
capacity
of
60.48kWh
which
delivers
an
ARAI-certified
range
of
521
kilometres
on
a
single
charge.
We
will
require
more
time
with
the
Atto
3
to
find
out
just
how
close
it
gets
to
that
figure
but
in
our
minimal
time
with
the
electric
SUV,
we
found
it
was
quite
frugal
with
the
watts.

Charging
up
that
battery
pack
is
quite
quick
especially
when
connected
to
an
80kW
DC
fast
charger
which
recharges
the
LFP
setup
from
0
to
80
per
cent
in
just
50
minutes.

The
BYD
Atto
3’s
Blade
battery
pack
feeds
a
single
electric
motor
that
drives
the
front
wheels.
The
Atto
3’s
electric
motor
develops
a
peak
output
of
201.1bhp
(150kW)
and
310Nm
of
torque.
This
allows
the
BYD
Atto
3
to
sprint
from
0-100km/h
in
7.3
seconds
which
is
quite
brisk
for
a
vehicle
of
its
size
(1,825kg).

The
BYD
Atto
3
is
quite
a
decent-sized
vehicle
measuring
4,455mm
long,
1,865mm
wide
and
1,615mm
tall.
The
wheelbase
of
the
BYD
Atto
3
is
2,720mm
long
and
the
ground
clearance
on
offer
is
175mm.

On
the
road,
the
BYD
Atto
3
is
a
smooth
operator
with
the
linear
delivery
from
the
electric
motor
allowing
for
a
very
predictable
increase
in
speeds.
There
are
three
driving
modes
on
offer
–
Eco,
Normal
and
Sport
–
though
the
difference
between
them
is
not
very
noticeable.

Also
on
offer
are
two
Regen
modes,
though
once
again
there
isn’t
much
of
a
noticeable
difference.
The
Atto
3
also
does
not
get
a
one-pedal
driving
feature
which
is
seen
on
most
other
EVs.

The
suspension
setup
of
the
Atto
3
deals
with
bumps
and
ruts
and
potholes
with
ease.
Big
potholes
and
big
speeds
don’t
gel
well
and
this
remains
the
case
with
the
Atto
3
where
some
thuds
can
be
felt
from
the
lunar
landscape
that
is
many
of
our
roads.

Word
of
advice,
the
Atto
3
is
best
experienced
in
a
relaxed
manner
so
avoid
those
big
ruts
at
high
speeds.
And
while
the
Atto
3
is
not
set
up
for
the
corners
it
will
take
them
quite
nicely
at
decent
speeds.
Any
quicker
and
the
vagaries
of
the
steering
and
the
body
roll
start
to
act
up.

Braking
on
the
Atto
3
is
done
with
the
help
of
disc
brakes
on
all
four
wheels.
However,
the
spongy
feel
of
the
brake
pedal
doesn’t
really
inspire
confidence
when
you
drop
the
anchors.

The
NVH
levels
inside
the
cabin
of
the
Atto
3
are
quite
top-notch
and
the
EV
does
its
best
to
keep
the
noisy
world
outside
from
permeating
inside.
However,
at
low
and
medium
speeds,
a
slight
whining
sound
can
be
heard
inside
the
Atto
3’s
cabin.
Build
quality
is
also
brilliant
on
the
Atto
3
with
everything
both
inside
and
out
feeling
solid
and
well-made.

Thoughts
About
The
BYD
Atto
3
–
A
Draconic
Dreamer

The
BYD
Atto
3
more
than
lives
up
to
its
maker’s
name
with
its
very
unique
design
(both
inside
and
out)
and
a
large
battery
pack
that
promises
to
keep
range
anxiety
out
of
the
picture.

The
lack
of
both
charging
and
dealers/service
centres
is
something
that
may
concern
buyers
but
those
who
dare
step
inside
the
Atto
3
will
experience
something
that
is
so
way
out
there
that
it
promises
to
keep
you
coming
back
for
another
go.

Source