Today, Tata Motors made a big announcement regarding the iconic Safari SUV. The legendary SUV is making a comeback in the Indian market in the form of 7-seater Tata Gravitas on January 26, 2021.
First showcased at the Auto Expo 2020, the production -spec model will be sold in the domestic market with the 'Safari' moniker. As we already know, It will be a 7-seater avatar of Harrier in all aspects like features and engine options while underpinning the Land Rover’s OMEGARC platform.
The return of Tata Safari in the Indian market was indicated in the recent video teaser released as a tribute to the iconic SUV. The Safari SUV was in production from 1998 to 2019 before getting discontinued in India.
It is finally making a comeback and will be arriving at the showrooms later this month. Tata Safari will compete against the likes of MG Hector Plus and the upcoming next-generation Mahindra XUV500 in the Indian market. Expect the price in the bracket of Rs 15 lakh- Rs 22 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
Tata Safari will come with the Impact 2.0 design language like all the new Tata cars in the recent times.
The frontal design is identical to the Harrier except for the revamped bumper.
On the other hand, the rear is more boxy and upright in appearance with the wheelbase expanded to include the third row of seats. Also, split headlamps will house LED DRLS while the rear will be coming with redesigned bumper and a new set of LED taillamps. Moving on to the interior, expect a plethora of new features.
Shailesh Chandra – President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit (PVBU), Tata Motors spoke on the announcement. He said, “In its new avatar, the Safari will appeal to the socially active, fun-loving customers who seek out unique experiences and adventure. Its design, performance, versatility, features, and long-lasting build quality, reinforce the SUV lifestyle to provide unending pleasure. We are confident that the launch of Safari will once again re-energise the market, amplifying its cult status.”
New Tata Safari will be powered by a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine which will belt out 168bhp of maximum power output and 350Nm of highest torque performance.
The transmission duties will be taken care of by a six-speed manual and six-speed torque converter automatic unit.
As of now, there is no all-wheel-drive version in the pipeline but it is possible in the near future due to the OMEGARC platform's modular nature. Tata Motors could introduce an electric powertrain in the near future.
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