The production-spec Tata Gravitas will be sold as the Safari in India. The iconic Tata Safari nameplate will be making a comeback in India as Tata's new flagship SUV. The model that was showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo was only codenamed as the Gravitas. In fact, it was first called the Buzzard when it was showcased at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. Tata Motors have been playing around with the name for quite some time but Tata says that this upcoming 7-seater SUV was always conceived as the Tata Safari.
The Tata Safari is an iconic nameplate in
India, one that has been around since 1998. It glamourized the lifestyle
segment for about two decades before being discontinued in 2020 as we adopted
the BS6 norms. Tata Motors have now revealed that this upcoming 7-seat SUV was
always conceptualized as the next-generation Safari. The only reason why they
did not name the Harrier as the Safari is because it was not a 7-seater. The
Safari always had to be a genuine 7-seater and Tata say that the upcoming SUV
will not have an apologetic third row of seats. In fact, there are several
elements in the design that nod to the original.
Just like the original, the new Tata
Safari has a strong face, a high bonnet, the stepped roof, the rear
three-quarter glass and stadium seating. The new Tata Safari sure looks very
similar to the Harrier but it looks quite distinct from the rear to set it
apart from its 5-seater sibling. They could also be offering different colors
to further set it apart. Tata have also added 63mm to the Harrier’s length and
80mm to the height to make way for a decent third row. Just like the Harrier,
the Safari too will be based on the Land Rover-derived Omega architecture.
But here's the thing. While the original
Safari was a proper 4x4, the new Safari will be front-wheel driven, at least
initially. And that has already put down a lot of fans of the original Safari
nameplate. Tata Motors have however assured that the Land Rover
Discovery-derived D8 platform can be adapted to incorporate a four-wheel-drive
system. Tata have said that based on customer feedback and research, they could
actually explore the possibility of a 4x4 Safari sometime in the future. The
platform also allows for electrification and some sort of electric propulsion
too could be on the cards.
The Tata Safari will be powered by the
Harrier's Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine that produces 168
bhp and 350 Nm of peak torque. The engine will come mated to a 6-speed manual
or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The new Safari will arrive in
showrooms in January itself, and bookings for it will also commence later this
month. It will come at a decent premium over the Harrier which is priced
between INR 13.84-20.30 lakh and will rival the likes of the MG Hector Plus and
upcoming next-gen Mahindra XUV500. We surely are excited to see the Tata Safari
nameplate make a comeback, and in what style!
