The Tata Magna was a prototype “D-Segment” sedan project intended to compete with cars like the Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata.

Prototypes were made, but the car never entered mass production for commercial sale due to various factors, possibly including an unrefined build quality in its prototype form.

The 1998 concept version utilized the 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine found in the Tata Safari at the time. There were also plans for a 2.1-litre, 140 bhp petrol engine for the production model.

Plans included using the 2.2 DICOR engine from the Tata Safari, with potential consideration for a 3.0L version.

It was a complete indigenous effort built on the platform of the Tata 207 pickup truck.

The car was intended to be produced from the same assembly line used for the Safari and Sierra models, which would have minimized extensive investment for the company.

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Tata group chairman Ratan Tata had said that the launch of the Magna was an year to 18 months away at the Auto Expo in the capital in January this year (i.e. latest by mid-2001). However, Dube said that the Magna would be commercially launched only around mid-2002. Magna would be positioned in the premium car segment.