Back in the 1990s, when small cars still ruled the roads and utility vehicles were either just considered a people mover in India’s heartlands or for the few rugged adventure lovers, Tata Motors launched the Safari, which gave Indians a taste of a premium lifestyle SUV. Over the years, the Safari garnered a cult following, but in the wake of strong competition from global companies, sales faded away. Now, Tata Motors is resurrecting the brand with an all new Safari SUV at prices starting Rs 14.69 lakh ex-showroom Delhi.
The Safari tops the “new forever” range of cars and SUVs that Tata Motors launched through 2020. This along with the new Nexon and Nexon EV launched last year, the Harrier launched earlier and the upcoming sub-compact SUV codenamed Hornbill, is expected to drive Tata Motors’ sales in 2021.
Be it the Safari or the Indica or the Nano, Tata Motors has given us iconic car brands, but it was also criticised for not updating its products frequently enough. Tata’s response has been the all “new forever” portfolio of cars from the Tiago hatchback to this range topping Safari, which it hopes will remain ahead of the curve.
What’s new forever? New technology, superior driving and safety features and regular updates of products to keep them fresh and relevant, along with attractive services is what customers can expect from Tata Motors, Guenter Butschek, the MD and CEO of the company says.
SUVs are seeing robust demand in India; according to data from Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), while car and van sales declined 1 per cent and 6 per cent respectively in January, UV sales accelerated 37 per cent. Tata Motors, which has already seen strong demand for the Nexon compact SUV, wants to cash in on this trend.
“The new Safari is an impressive endorsement of our stated intent of enhancing presence in the faster growing market segments. Its exceptional build quality and premium finish, power and performance augment the brand’s iconic legacy and amplify the key traits of the ‘new forever’ range – safety, style, drivability and best-in-class features,” said Butschek.
The Safari is powered by a two litre-turbocharged kryotech diesel engine and has a 2,741mm wheelbase. It comes in a six or seven-seater option and features include an 8.8 inch infotainment system, panoramic sunroof and connected car tech, among other things. It also gets multiple safety features, including all disc brakes, electronic parking brake, six airbags in the top trim and advanced electronic stability programme with 14 functionalities.
The new Safari is based on the omega architecture derived from the Land Rover’s D8 platform.
also read
- Tata Motors total domestic sales rise to 90,822 units in March
- Tata Motors to set up Rs 9,000 crore, maiden plant in Tamil Nadu; inks pact with govt
- Tata Motors to hike commercial vehicle prices by up to 2 per cent from April
- Moody's affirms Tata Motors' Ba3 corporate family rating, maintains positive outlook
It also gets an adventure trim, with features, including 18-inch, black-tinted charcoal grey machined alloys, piano black finish on grill and earthy brown interiors, among other things, which will set you back by Rs 21.45 lakh ex-showroom.
But, it does miss out on an all-wheel drive. Shailesh Chandra, president of the PV business unit at Tata Motors, pointed that a critical mass was lacking for four-wheel drives. However, the Safari still gets a terrain response system and so is still capable of off-roading, he added.
So far, the new portfolio of vehicles launched by Tata Motors, led by the Nexon compact SUV and the Altroz premium hatchback have found many takers.
“Passenger vehicle revenue (in December quarter) increased 79 per cent year-on-year to Rs 5,000 crore, driven by 83 per cent increase in volume,” noted analysts at JM Financial Institutional Securities. In the April-December period, Tata Motors market share in the PV industry has also increased to 7.8 per cent from 4.8 per cent in FY20, the analysts added.
The Safari will compete with the likes of MG Hector and Mahindra's XUV500, which is also due to launch in a new avatar this year. Tata Motors hopes the new Safari will accelerate the momentum gained by the company’s consistently growing SUV sales.
Emkay Global Financial Services expects Tata Motors’ PV volumes to grow at a 22 per cent compounded rate over financial years 2021 to 2023.
