Transport Minister Drives New Tata Sierra: Shares Feedback, Plans To Buy One [Video]
Indian politician and Kerala’s Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar is an avid auto enthusiast. He recently took a test drive of the new Tata Sierra and shared his feedback on camera. The video has now surfaced online. Impressed, he has decided to buy one, which he clearly mentions in the video.
This video was shared on the official Instagram page of KVR Tata, a dealership in Palakkad. As it opens, we see the minister saying that he drove the new Tata Sierra and is quite impressed by what it promises. He then says that he used to own the original Sierra back in the day.
For the uninformed, Ganesh Kumar is also an actor and has been part of many successful Malayalam movies. His Sierra had a Grey paint and number plates that read ‘KL1 D1’. The minister is from Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital. He says that he has driven it extensively and adds that it was quite a special feeling to own one back then.
Being the former owner of the original SUV, the news of the nameplate’s return reportedly got him excited. The video was filmed post-test drive. He seems to be excited about the experience, especially the long line of features that the carmaker is offering on the new Sierra.
On video, he says that there is no room for comparison between the new and old Sierra. The Minister says that he loved the product and its long list of ‘latest technologies’. He then says that he will buy one, in the signature ‘Andaman Adventure’ (Yellow) colour.
The video also reveals that Ganesh Kumar drove the petrol-engined Sierra. This is likely to be the 1.5L direct injection turbocharged petrol (TGDi) Hyperion engine. It is capable of producing 158 hp and 255 Nm. It is claimed to do the 0-100 kph sprint in under 10 seconds and even clocked a top speed of 222 kph during a test run at NATRAX. The production version, however, has its top speed limited to 190 kph. It comes paired with just a six-speed automatic transmission. Ganesh Kumar says that ‘Tata’s new petrol engine is quite impressive’.
He then talks about the equipment array. Tata Motors has packed the new Sierra with comfort and convenience features and tech. It comes with the likes of three screens (two 12.3-inch touchscreens and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster), a 12-speaker JBL Black audio system with Dolby Atmos, wireless charger, wireless CarPlay And Android Auto, panoramic sunroof, level 2+ ADAS, dual-zone climate control, ventilated seats, and everything a buyer in this segment would think of. The top-end variant even has a bunch of segment-firsts on offer. The list has impressed him.
The Minister then talks about the ADAS suite. It has 22 ADAS functions. Ganesh Kumar says that Tata has done a wonderful job by introducing these on a mass-market product like Sierra and sealing its safety levels and crashworthiness. Apparently, he loved the lane correction-related features. He also compliments the braking efficiency of the vehicle and the pace at which it sheds speed.
Towards the end of the video, we also see the Minister commenting on the Sierra’s prices. Tata has undoubtedly aced the pricing game with this product. Sitting in the Rs 11.49 lakh to Rs. 21.29 lakh bracket, this mid-size SUV packs immense value. The Minister even finds the prices of the range-topping variants to be ‘unbelievable’.