All-new Tata Safari SUV production commences ahead of 26th January 2021 launch

Tata Motors has begun producing the all-new Safari SUV at its Pimpri manufacturing facility, off Pune. The all-new Tata Safari will be launched on the 26th of January, 2021, as the automaker’s new flagship offering. Sitting above the Harrier in terms of pricing, the all-new Safari will be the most expensive Tata car sold in the Indian market. The all-new Safari made its debut as the H7X concept, and a more finished version of the concept was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show with the Buzzard name plate. The third name change came sometime last year, when Tata Motors christened the SUV as the Gravitas, and finally the automaker has decided to bring back the Safari name plate. Lo and behold, the Gravitas has become the all-new Safari, nearly a year after Tata Motors stopped producing the Tata Safari Storme SUV when the transition to BS6 emission norms happened.

Image courtesy Gaadify

The all-new Safari will use the same platform as the Harrier. The platform on which the all-new Safari is based on is called OmegaARC, and this platform is derived from the Land Rover D8 platform. Tata Motors has indigenized this platform to cut costs and customize it for Indian car buyers. The all-new Safari will be very different from the SUV that last bore the Safari name plate.

For instance, the all-new Safari uses a monocoque body while every previous generation of the Safari has used a body-on-ladder chassis. While the previous generation Safari was sold with rear wheel drive and four wheel drive layout, all-new Safari will be front wheel driven. While previous generations of the Safari were never offered with an automatic gearbox option, the all-new Safari will get a 6 speed torque converter automatic gearbox option.

Also read: Mahindra Scorpio vs Tata Safari in a classic drag race (Video)

Coming to what the all-new Safari actually is, it is the Tata Harrier’s 6 seat version, replete with a new top hat. The new top hat makes the cabin of the SUV airier by boosting headroom. This design also makes the all-new Safari’s silhouette resemble that of the older generation Safaris. The all-new Safari shares its mechanical bits with the Harrier, and is expected to share most of its features with the latter.

The new SUV will be powered by a 2 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged diesel engine with 170 Bhp-350 Nm on tap. This engine will drive the front wheels of the SUV, and will be paired with 6 speed manual and torque converter automatic gearbox options. Leather clad seats, rear AC vents, a touchscreen infotainment interface with navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, six airbags, ABS+EBD, traction control, hill hold, hill descent control, multiple drive modes, cornering ABS, self cleaning brake discs, cruise control, automatic headlamps and wipers, panoramic sunroof and automatic climate control will be key features offered on the all-new Safari. The all-new Safari is expected to be priced about Rs. 1 lakh more than the Harrier, whose prices start from Rs. 13.84 lakh. The all-new Safari will rival the 6 seat and 7 seat MG Hector and the upcoming, all-new Mahindra XUV500. In price terms, the all-new Safari will rival the Jeep Compass, Kia Seltos and the new Hyundai Creta.

Also read: All-new 2021 Mahindra XUV500: What it”ll look like