Upcoming Tata Safari imagined as an off-road SUV

Tata Motors recently announced that the upcoming 7 seater SUV from the brand will be named Safari in the market. Tata has already started the production and images of it from the production line have also been leaked online. Tata is all set to launch the SUV in the market on January 26. It is based on the Harrier SUV that was launched in the market couple of years ago. The upcoming Safari will compete with SUVs like Hector Plus and Mahindra XUV500 in the market. The all-new Safari (earlier known as Gravitas) was already showcased at the Auto Expo last year and based on those images here we have a render that imagine Safari as an off-road SUV.

The render has been uploaded by Indian Auto on their website. Tata Safari is actually modified in a way that it looks off-road ready. All the chrome elements on the Safari has been blacked out or replaced. Starting with the front grille, Safari gets mesh type grille instead of tri-arrow grille with chrome garnish. The dual function LED DRLs and projector headlamps on the bumper have been retained. The bumper has been slightly redesigned to give it an off-road SUV look. The noticeable change here is the silver coloured skid plate that is bigger than the one seen on the regular version.

Moving to the side profile, the main modification here is the blacked out off-road rims and chunky looking tyres. There is a foot board installed for easy access and exit to and from the vehicle. The door handles, ORVMs and roof rails are all painted in black. A cargo box is also placed on the roof for enhancing the look. A long LED bar is also installed on the roof for better visibility at night. Another noticeable change here is the red calipers. All four wheels get disc brakes with red calipers in them.

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

Overall, render of the off-road spec version of Safari looks good. The Safari as mentioned above, is based on Harrier and was known as Buzzard and Gravitas earlier. Both SUVs use the same platform but, Safari is slightly longer and taller than Harrier. It will be 63 mm longer and 80 mm taller to be precise. This is done in order to accommodate the third row of seats in the SUV. It is not known whether the wheelbase of Safari will be longer than Harrier or not.

In terms of exterior design, Safari looks like Harrier from the front but, the rear has been redesigned to give it a distinct identity. On the inside, Tata Safari is expected to offer features like touchscreen infotainment screen, leather wrapped seats, electrically adjustable seats, panoramic sunroof, auto-dimming IRVMs, automatic climate control, rear AC vents, JBL speaker system, drive modes and so on. The upcoming Safari will be powered by the same engine as Harrier.

It will get the 2.0 litre turbocharged diesel engine that generates 170 Ps and 350 Nm of torque. The engine might be available with both manual and automatic gearbox options. Unlike the older iconic SUV, new gen Safari is not available with 4×4 option. In future Tata might make some some changes to include a 4WD system in the SUV.

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