Tata Motors pulls the plug on Indica, Indigo eCS

Nearly 20 years on from its market launch, Tata Motors has finally pulled the plug on the Indica - and on its compact sedan derivative, the Indigo eCS.

Confirming the decision to discontinue the two cars, a Tata Motors spokesperson said, "With the changing market dynamics and the evolution of Tata Motors' design language towards impactful design, we have decided to phase out the Indica and the Indigo eCS."

But while Tata Motors has ended production of the Indica and Indigo eCS, it will still provide aftersales support to existing owners. "We will continue to serve our extended family of Indica and Indigo customers by providing them with the necessary service support," the Tata spokesperson added.

The Indica was unveiled at the 1998 Auto Expo amid much fanfare - and it took one and all by surprise. Styled by Italian design house I.DE.A, the Indica was the India's first truly indigenous car,  Additionally, it promised great value - when it was launched in the month of December that year, it undercut the-then king of the Indian car market, the venerable Maruti 800, by a margin of Rs 30,000.

While the original Indica was plagued by teething issues, the V2 model update – introduced in 2001 - sorted them all out and ensured the Indica enjoyed a solid run on the sales charts for several years.

The Indigo eCS was India's first compact sedan. Tata beat other carmakers to rolling out a sedan that was just under four metres in length, had a 380-litre boot and enjoyed excise benefits that were otherwise only offered on hatchbacks.

Both cars received their last major update in 2013 - as part of Tata's Horizonext program, the Indica and Indigo eCS received new paint options and graphic designs, improved suspension, and a reworked gearbox. Towards the end of their lifecycle, a majority of Indica and Indigo eCS sales were in the taxi market, and were available only with the 1.4-litre common-rail diesel engine.