Tata Safari Storme has been facing stiff competition from the likes of the Mahindra Scorpio and Renault Duster AWD in response to which they are gearing up to launch the facelifted version of the Safari Storme soon. Spy shots have emerged suggesting that Tata is taking reestablishing the SUV a step further by launching an Automatic version of the Safari Storme. This automatic version is, reportedly, a 6-speed unit sourced from General Motors and will also be used in upcoming SUVs such as the Hexa. Until the launch of the automatic version, the Tata Safari Storme will continue to use a 5-speed manual transmission.
Price & Launch
The Tata Safari Storme Automatic could be launched by the end of this year at an approximate price bump of around INR 1-1.5 lakhs over the standard manual version.
Technical Details
Not much is known about the Tata Safari Storme automatic as of now. According to reports, the automatic version will churn out 400Nm torque as opposed to the current manual version’s 320Nm. Although test mules carrying ‘VariCOR 400’ badges have been spotted in the past according to some sources, Tata’s standard 5-speed manual is not capable of handling that much torque indicating that these test mules were of the automatic version rather than the manual.
Like the facelifted Tata Safari Storme, the automatic version will also get updated interiors with the short diameter steering wheel and a redesigned centre console. The Tata Safari Storme automatic should be available in the lower in EX trim as indicated by the badging on the test mule. The exteriors get minor updates to the grille. The facelifted Safari Storme is priced between INR 10.41-14.34 lakhs (ex-showroom, New Delhi). It is powered by a 2.2 litre, 4-cylinder diesel motor 150 PS power and 320 Nm torque.
When launched the Tata Safari Storme will be the only automatic SUV in its class as the Mahindra Scorpio and XUV500 do not come with an automatic transmission just yet. This might work in Tata’s favour as they have a lot of catching up to do with the competition. The Safari Storme did not find much favour with the Indian public mainly due to its resemblance to the older Safari. Although this issue still remains with facelifted version, the addition and of new equipment and an automatic transmission should help the capable SUV in regaining some of its lost market share.
