Rare video of Ratan Tata launching the Tata Safari & Indica at Auto Expo 1998

The Tata Motors market share has increased in the past few years. They have now become a serious contender in the Indian automobile industry. The manufacturer reported sales of 1,14,784 units in Q1 of FY22. When compared with Q1 FY21 the sales figures were 24,978 units. This is a significant increase over last year sales. Tata Motors has worked really hard to come to this spot. At Auto Expo 1998, Ratan Tata launched the Indica hatchback and the Safari SUV in the Indian market. Both the vehicles were a hit in the Indian market and everybody still remembers them. Here, is a rare video of Ratan Tata launching the iconic vehicles at the Auto Expo 1998.

In the video, Ratan Tata is giving a speech about the launch of the vehicles. The rear profile of an Indica is shown which is finished in blue. We can also see a white Safari that is standing on the rocks. This was done to emphasise the off-roading abilities of the Safari. A similar thing was repeated at Auto Expo 2020 when Tata Hexa Safari Edition was showcased on some rocks. There is also a Safari finished in red that is revolving on the stage.

Also read: All New Tata Safari: Can a tall adult comfortably sleep in it? (Video)

The first generation of Safari was powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine sourced from Peugeot. The engine was capable of producing 90 bhp of max power and 190 Nm of peak torque. It was mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox with a 4×4 drivetrain.

The Safari had a brute road presence. It was one of the largest SUVs present at that time. No other vehicle could compete with the Safari in terms of road presence. Then there were the iconic advertisements and the iconic music of the advertisements that used to play in Safari advertisements which can still make some people feel nostalgic. They are still considered to be one of the best advertisements ever made. The Safari was priced at Rs. 8.25 lakhs ex-showroom when it was first launched in the Indian market.

The Safari was in its third iteration and was known as Safari Storme when it was discontinued back in December 2019 because of the upcoming BS6 emission norms. Tata reintroduced the Safari in 2021 with an all-new look. This time Safari is based on a monocoque chassis and is offered only as a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

Tata Indica

Tata Motors got 1,15,000 bookings of Indica in just 2 weeks of launch. Indica was the best selling car in its segment in just 2 years after it was introduced. It was launched on December 30th, 1998 for a starting price of just Rs. 2.59 lakhs ex-showroom. The DLX which was the top-end variant was priced at Rs. 3.9 lakhs ex-showroom.

The Indica was offered with a 1.4-litre petrol engine and a 1.4-litre diesel engine. The petrol engine produced 60 bhp of max power and a peak torque output of 104 Nm whereas the diesel engine produced 53.5 bhp of max power and a peak torque output of 85 Nm. Both the engines were mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox.

The Indica was the first vehicle in its segment to come with a parcel tray, central locking with a remote, digital clock in the centre of the dashboard, rear wiper, tachometer, four power windows etc.

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