Tata Cars is entering another significant phase in its design evolution. With the Sierra marking the beginning of a new generation of products, the company is now extending that thinking across facelifts and upcoming models. At the centre of this transformation is Martin Ulharik, Tata Motors’ Global Head of Design, who believes the challenge isn’t simply creating a recognisable family look, but giving every Tata its own character. Ahead of the launch of the new Tata Aeris, we spoke to Ulharik about designing a new identity around an existing silhouette, balancing family resemblance with individuality, and how much freedom designers really have when working on a facelift. He also shared the design philosophy that will shape the next generation of Tata cars.
SN: The Aeris looks considerably different from the Tigor despite being based on the same car. What was the biggest design challenge in giving it a completely new identity?
MU: When we started this project, we felt there was space for a traditional compact sedan, but we wanted it to look and feel like a class bigger, both inside and out.
A lot of work went into the proportions to give it a bigger, more mature and grown-up appearance. We wanted it to remain classic but execute that idea in a very modern way. It’s an old recipe, but done in a contemporary manner.
Inside, the focus was on making it aspirational through technology, materials and comfort. This customer looks at overall comfort, both in the front and rear.
SN: Tata’s design language is evolving rapidly. How do you ensure that a more affordable model gets the same design DNA?
MU: It’s no different from any other programme. All our designers across our three global studios follow the same design DNA and standards. It doesn’t matter what price point or vehicle typology we’re working on—the quality of design, creativity and execution has to remain the same.
SN: Tata’s recent cars share certain design cues. How do you create a recognisable family resemblance without making every car look the same?
MU: That’s a big challenge. You don’t want all the cars to look the same. When you see the front of each car, it should have its own character and identity.
At the same time, you should be able to tell that it’s a Tata design vehicle, and not just because of the logo. Making them look like they’re from the same family while ensuring they’re all individuals is the key challenge for the design department.
SN: How much freedom does a facelift actually give a designer? What can you rethink that people might not immediately notice?
MU: If you’re evolving an existing product, you’re obviously more constrained. But the role of the design department is to be unconstrained.
We’re largely agnostic to cost and investment when we start. We’re a mirror of what the customer wants and what the market is expecting. We propose what we believe is right, and then the business works with engineering, product, marketing and leadership to decide the priorities—what we’re willing to compromise on and where we’re willing to invest.
The first proposal from design has to represent what’s expected without worrying about the investment at that stage. If you start with constraints, you’ll always end up with a compromised product.
SN: Tata’s design language seems to be entering a new phase. What’s the one principle you want people to associate with the next generation of Tata cars?
MU: This new generation of design at Tata Motors started with the Sierra. It was the first all-new product we’d done in a long time.
Whether it’s facelifts, improvements or all-new products that you’ll see over the next couple of years, they all have to follow a simple rule: they have to be modern and emotionally exciting.
I want people to get excited when they see our vehicles. That’s the key aspiration we’re trying to achieve with our design.