While most people have been saying that there’s a Tata Safari facelift around the corner, we have good reason to believe that the Safari which will roll out of Tata Motors early next year, will be the second product to be based on Tata’s all-new X2 platform. The first product on the X2 platform is the recently launched Tata Aria (read road test) and we strongly believe that the Safari will be based on this significantly more advanced platform rather than just a facelift. For starters the X2 platform has several structural advantages right from the strong hydro-formed chassis sections and the more refined powertrain package which consists of the 2.2 Litre DiCOR engine with the dual-mass flywheel and the upgraded G76-Mark II gearbox.
With such extensive testing having been done for the X2 platform development in the Aria, the upcoming Safari will no doubt have significantly better ride and handling than the outgoing one. This also means that the Safari will come with four wheel disc brakes and all the electronic safety kit (ABS, EBD and ESP) when it is launched. Staying true to it’s off-road worthy nature; the new Safari will sport a selectable 4x4 mode which will give it better off-road prowess than the Aria currently has with its full-time All Wheel Drive. We also think that the new Safari will have a significantly more Land Rover like styling for the exterior. Perhaps the most significant difference, thanks to the new X2 platform is the fact that the spare tyre now sits underneath the vehicle like the Aria and not hinged to the rear tail-gate.
We hear there’s extensive high quality rugged body-side cladding on the Safari and the side still retains a very ‘Safari’ profile with the front and the rear receiving most of the styling attention. The front, we believe is a little more squared off as is the rear, and this will no doubt make the Safari look a lot more rugged and SUV-ish than it already is. The interiors are fresh and will follow a general theme as found in the Aria – which means that we’ll see simple clean interior lines as well as a more functional and better built interior. We’re quite looking forward to the new Safari soon and no doubt this will really be a better Safari to drive and own than ever before. Watch this space!
(Note: Images are artist's impressions of the new Safari)
