Tata Safari to make a Comeback?

The Tata Safari has been one of the most legendary cars for the Indian market. With the Sierra showcased as a brand new EV model in the Auto Expo 2020, there are also speculations about the Tata Safari being brought back. We recently spoke to the marketing head about the Tata Safari and also about other Tata cars that are to come. Find out what was revealed below.

Why was the Safari so Popular?

It was launched in 1998 and was the first premium SUV in the market. It was made on the X1 platform which is also seen on the Sumo and Sierra. It got the same 2.0-litre diesel engine as seen on others, but it now got a turbo. This helped it to develop 98 bhp. The great thing was that on the inside it was very spacious along with a very good seating height and a good view of the road. This made it a very comfortable car to drive.

There were also many features on the car. The reason why it was loved because from a sedan dominated market it was one of the only premium SUVs available at the time. Later it was also introduced with a four by four option to make it more appealing for others. This helped the car getting very good sales. It was also launched with a petrol model but this was not very successful and was mainly used for exports.

Tata Safari Evolution

In 2005, the Safari got a new 3.0-litre Dicor engine from a Tata truck. It now produced 115 bhp and also became an enthusiasts car along with design changes From this engine the Safari started establishing itself as a performance car. Soon it got a completely new 2.2-litre engine in 2007 which produced 140 bhp. This became the most powerful engine in its segment as well. This helped Safari to continue with its dominance in our market. This also got a lot of creature comforts on it.

However, due to stiff competition in our market, it could not do as well. It also got a Safari Storme which got a Varicor engine, which again got an upgrade. It came with the same great build quality, better insulation, and as good interior space as before, but it did not get the required features of the era. It did not get timely updates on the features and other SUVs started eating up into its sales.

Also read: Tata Hexa Safari Edition – Launch Date?

Tata Safari Launch?

While there are no clear indications given about the product returning to our market. We feel that Safari will definitely come back to the Indian market. The car in itself has become a brand for the company and it would be a very strong product to be brought back to the market. It has lasted for 21 years in the Indian market. But there are already many products such as Gravitas, HBX and also other EV cars that are in the line up of Tata. Therefore this car is not expected to come into our market any time soon.