Tata has reportedly stopped the production of the Safari Storme due to low sales volumes and upcoming emission norms
Originally launched in 1998, the mid-sized SUV Safari has received numerous updates and was last sold with the ‘Storme’ moniker. Tata had earlier confirmed that the Safari Storme would no longer be on sale post the BS6 deadline of April 1, 2020, since upgrading its engine to meet the emission standards does not justify its numbers on the sales charts.
Tata dealerships have stopped accepting orders for the mighty SUV, and are clearing the remaining stock. A few dealerships have also stopped offering test drives for the car. The Tata SUV came equipped with a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine with two different states of tune.
The lower tune was rated at 148 hp of power and 320 Nm of torque and could be had with a 5-speed manual gearbox, while the same engine on the top-end VX and VX 4×4 variant produced 154 hp of max power and 400 Nm peak torque, and came with a 6-speed manual transmission.
In December 2016, Tata Motors provided over 3,000 Safari Stormes to the Indian Army as its official vehicle, replacing the Maruti Gypsy. Before being chosen, the Safari Storme had to go through a series of rigorous tests on snow, high-terrain as well as marshy lands.
The launch of the new Harrier, as well as its upcoming seven-seat iteration, Gravitas will replace the ageing Safari Storme and seven-seat Hexa in Tata’s lineup. The Hexa also uses the same Varicor 400 engine as the Safari Storme.
Tata retailed the Safari Storme at a starting price of Rs 11.09 lakh, which went up to Rs 16.43 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom), a price point at which a range of new compact as well as mid-size SUVs are available in the Indian market in the past couple of years.
However, the homegrown body-on-frame SUV will continue to have its own special place in the enthusiasts’ hearts and some of their garages as well.