Tata Motors hasn’t stopped testing the Safari Storme yet as the company looks to sort out all issues before launch. The much awaited Safari upgrade has been a long time coming and Tata Motors will finally launch the vehicle in September. First unveiled at the 2012 Auto Expo, the Tata Safari Storme is a massive leap for the Safari in most aspects. The company has given the vehicle a much better platform (X2), which has been taken from the Aria crossover. This new platform is lighter and will give the Safari much better dynamics than its predecessor.
The Tata Safari Storme on test was snapped by Aqib Jamadar in Satara. There were around 8 such cars being tested on the NH4 highway. Some of these cars are not the top variants and feature regular wheels instead of alloy wheels. Tata Motors might be working to ensure the Safari Storme is trouble free as the company has to now battle with Renault’s Duster, which is priced in the same bracket. The company missed the opportunity of making hay while the sun shone, as the Safari Storme could have been brought to the market at a time when the Duster wasn’t launched and bookings of the Mahindra XUV500 were closed.
The Tata Safari Storme is powered by the same 2.2-litre DICOR diesel engine which does duty in the regular Safari and the Aria. This engine produces 140 PS of power and 320 Nm of torque. The new Safari gets minor tweaks to the exteriors and interiors but the changes to the chassis along with stiffer suspension will bring huge applaud from prospective Safari buyers. It remains to be seen how Tata Motors prices the Safari Storme, which if priced correctly, has the ability to take the market by Storme.
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Sunil July 30, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Well its a high-time for Tata to launch this. I feel they have already lost so many customers who wanted to buy Safari but couldn’t. Reason is simple no body knows when its going to launch :(
Faisal Khan July 31, 2012 at 12:27 am
Sunil, by this Diwali for sure.
Manohar July 30, 2012 at 6:35 pm
They should seriously re-think and re-design the dash. Simple changes I suggest are provide vertical air vents. This would free space for a Touch Screen Multi Media unit.
Bring down the AC controls a little down. Remove the centrally mounted clock as the screen would suffice the need for one. Also, integrate the rever camera with the screen on the dash, just as in the Fortuner.
Steering mounted audio controls: Even the Manza has it why not in Safari. Provide a dead Pedal.
Some DRL’s with the head lamp ( a lamp or 2 just as in VW Jetta) would not hurt. And pricing is the Key.
Faisal Khan July 31, 2012 at 12:30 am
Manohar, I don’t think they will do all that but I hope they listen to you and make such small yet significant changes.
S Pani July 30, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Even without changing the air vents, I think the dash can be made to work.
In my view, there is enough space on the central console, to have a dual din music player, something like the Aria’s. Also, the music system should be kept on top, and the AC controls on the bottom, rather than the present system of AC controls on top.
Another simple suggestion, which can be easily implemented is to have a small 3-4 inch screen like on the Aria. The screen can be incorporated in place of the storage tray above the central console. The screen need not be available in the lower end models. The screen and the music system can be shared with the Aria, which will help with the costs as well. Of course steering mounted buttons is a must, at least on the models above 10L.
With this many changes and if they can maintain even as good plastic quality as on the Aria, the Storme interiors would in my view be better than those of even the XUV. And considering how the Duster’s interiors have turned out, the Safari may even be better that the Duster too.
The exteriors in my view are pretty good, though not exactly great. The only thing about the exteriors that really disappoints me is the front grille design. Other than that I prefer the rather simple and more elegantly aggressive looks of the Storme, to the crazily overdone looks of the XUV. And with the high shoulder line, and high front end, the Storme will probably have more road presence than the XUV, and will make the Duster look puny.
With regards to pricing, the Storme should be price no higher than the Safari is at present. That is the VX or VXp of the Storme must be about 1 lakh less than the XUV and 1 lakh more than the Duster RXZopt 110ps. Anything higher than that will prove discouraging for the buyers.
Faisal Khan July 31, 2012 at 12:31 am
S Pani, nice suggestions. However the screens are going to add to pricing and Tata definitely doesn’t want the Storme to canabalize the sales of the Aria (which is already not selling!).
S Pani July 31, 2012 at 7:09 am
I dont think the screens or any such features will cannibalize the sales of Aria at all. The Aria and Safari are pretty different kind of beasts, and will appeal to different kind of buyers.
Also, I really dont see why Tata should have a problem if the Aria buyer moves to buy a Storme, which I seriously doubt will happen. It’s still a sale. Also, the Storme will remain considerably lower priced than the Aria. At the end of the day nobody buys the Aria just for its equipment level.
S Pani July 31, 2012 at 10:47 am
Just to add something more.
As it is the Aria will only sell to a very exclusive client base, and the numbers are not likely to reach beyond a few hundred units a month. Thus you might as well bring in a Storme, with enough goodies to start challenging the likes of the XUV, Scorpio and Duster, even if it means taking away a few of the customers of the Aria.
The only way the Aria is going to start selling in considerable numbers in India is if they seriously slash prices by close to 1-1.5lakh rupees. If Tata cant do that, the Aria will only have a future in terms of exports. I am sure people in South Africa, Middle East, parts of ASEAN countries, and even some European nations will actually like the Aria. Tata should launch both the Storme and the Aria abroad as well.
Faisal Khan August 5, 2012 at 10:28 pm
S Pani, Tata will start launching the Aria and Storme in South Africa and Europe, however, it will have to face the XUV there as well.
Sunil July 31, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Any idea about pricing?
Faisal Khan August 5, 2012 at 10:30 pm
Sunil, Rs 9-11 lakhs.