The Hindu Business Line : Tata Motors launches new version of Safari

LEADING vehicle manufacturer, Tata Motors Ltd, today launched a new version of its Safari premium utility vehicle with a more powerful petrol engine to counter growing competition from new foreign brands.

The `Safari Exi Petrol' would be sold for Rs 9.35 lakh for the two-wheel drive and Rs 10.22 lakh for the four-wheel drive option, the Vice-President (Passenger Cars) of Tata Motors, Mr Rajiv Dube, said at a news conference here.

According to the company, the vehicle's new 2.1 litre petrol engine, which delivers 135 bhp of power, would help it compete with new foreign entrants, whose engines deliver power ranging from 120 to 150 bhp.

The company is hoping that the new model would achieve incremental sales of 5-10 per cent over the current Safari sales. Tata sold 1,400 units of the Safari between April-August 2003. The Safari sales grew by 18.5 per cent last fiscal and is growing by 18 per cent this year, Mr Dube said.

The new petrol engine would also find demand in the foreign markets as well. "The vehicle would be sold in the international markets as well. There is a large market for petrol utility vehicles abroad", Mr Dube said. The company is studying potential markets in China, Middle East, and Latin America for the Safari and other vehicles in its portfolio.

Tata today also relaunched the Safari in the UK through a tie-up with a new distributor Phoenix Venture Holdings, which owns MG Rover. The vehicle has been homologated for local conditions.

Meanwhile, speaking about future initiatives, Mr Dube said that the new range of utility vehicles that it is developing would be based on the similar family of engines. The development of the CRDi engine is also in the pipeline for which the company could tie up with firms such as MICO or Lucas.

Work on the much-publicised proposed small car, touted to be India's first sub-Rs 1 lakh car, is also on track. Mr Dube said that the preliminary work for the vehicle is on, and the vehicle could be launched in the next 3-5 years.

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