[blackfire_9]

I personally did not like anything about this new Safari & that's including the interiors, except the twin exhausts.

There was a certain charm, a certain character to Safari that I personally felt, was missing in this new design.

If I had the moolah, I would have bought the Safari right now.

[himavanth_m]

Originally Posted by GunMo

if this the result of all their "research & development" these years, then god save TML. I sincerely hope this is just stop gap while they are polishing their REAL Merlin.

May be the best Safari still, if they are only competing within their brands. Time they look around and start moving forward - not backward!

This is the Merlin everyone was talking about. Just going by the looks, it does not seem that TATA has done a lot of research and development. But remember this is based on an all new platfrom. The interior fit and finish of this vehicle is also miles ahead. So this safari will be much better to drive than the old one. If TATA manages to give us a niggle free vehicle, then I think that TATA has done a great job on this vehicle.

As far as research and development of TATA goes, I think they have made great progress this year. Just have a look at TATA @ Auto expo thread.
THey have developed a
1. 3 cylinder dicor engine
2. hybrid diesel engine
3. 6 speed manual and 6 speed automatic gearboxes for the Aria and Safari.
This looks like they are making great strides.

[GunMo]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

... But remember this is based on an all new platfrom.
... So this safari will be much better to drive than the old one.

Exactly my point - only internal comparison with another Tata!

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

As far as research and development of TATA goes, I think they have made great progress this year. Just have a look at TATA @ Auto expo thread.
THey have developed a
1. 3 cylinder dicor engine
2. hybrid diesel engine
3. 6 speed manual and 6 speed automatic gearboxes for the Aria and Safari.
This looks like they are making great strides.

All due respect to Tata's R&D, they surely are one house that we Indians can be proud of in many areas including those referred above. But where is Merlin in this list?

If X2 was developed for Aria, then all they've done is lift and shift. I don't see any thing on Storme worth calling R&D done under project Merlin!

OT: Thanks for the Tata@AutoExpo link, Tata surely has improved in other departments - I liked the Manza concept! :

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

As far as research and development of TATA goes, I think they have made great progress this year. Just have a look at TATA @ Auto expo thread.
THey have developed a
1. 3 cylinder dicor engine
2. hybrid diesel engine
3. 6 speed manual and 6 speed automatic gearboxes for the Aria and Safari.
This looks like they are making great strides.

I am a huge fan of home grown auto companies have bought and own their product and most likely to buy in the future also.

Progress in R&D means nothing if final product testing is done on the customer. All looks good in the showroom and the expo but what matters is the real world.
Whatever Tata or Mahindra and the rest of the Indian bandwagon companies might have developed, if they cannot provide a niggle free vehicle to the customer then all that R&D means nothing.
Let them first produce and sell trouble free products and you will watch the Indian customer applaud their efforts buy buying their products.

I read somewhere today a statement from Anand Mahindra - trust is more important than the size of the company - that is so true. So they have to first earn the Indian customers trust.

On another note, good to see a broad spectrum of products in the TML stable.

GTO thanks for sharing.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

As far as research and development of TATA goes, I think they have made great progress this year. Just have a look at TATA @ Auto expo thread.
THey have developed a
1. 3 cylinder dicor engine
2. hybrid diesel engine
3. 6 speed manual and 6 speed automatic gearboxes for the Aria and Safari.
This looks like they are making great strides.

With the kind of resources that TATA has, they could have definitely done better IMHO. But I see MAhindra (even with limited resources comparatively) to be ahead of TATA currently -

1) Mahindra has a 2 cyl diesel CRDi engine in the Maximmo
2) Mahindra had launched the country's first diesel hybrid (Scorpio Hybrid) long back
3) Again, Mahindra has introduced the 6 speed gearbox in the XUV before TATA.

[ajay0612]

Originally Posted by blackfire_9

There was a certain charm, a certain character to Safari that I personally felt, was missing in this new design.

If I had the moolah, I would have bought the Safari right now.

Reduction in turning radius by a meter itself is good enough reason to go for Safari Storme. Interiors upgrades are bonus.

[blackfire_9]

Thanks for pointing that out, did not know that until just about a couple of minutes ago when I read it on a pop-up on some other website.

However, I would still prefer the existing Safari purely because my reasons of buying a Safari are its character. I do not know if the niggles or issues have been sorted out, but if they are still there then the existing one is a better bet for me personally, any given day.

Originally Posted by ajay0612

Reduction in turning radius by a meter itself is good enough reason to go for Safari Storme. Interiors upgrades are bonus.

[ajay0612]

Originally Posted by blackfire_9

However, I would still prefer the existing Safari purely because my reasons of buying a Safari are its character. I do not know if the niggles or issues have been sorted out, but if they are still there then the existing one is a better bet for me personally, any given day.

It is OK. However anyone visiting hilly areas and facing mandatory hairpin bends will appreciate that reduction in turning radius far more than anything else :-). I suggest you to decide after a test drive of both.

[inder_s1]

Safari Strome in Black with current Safari foglamps.

[kaviprem]

Lets leave the Storme as designed by the TML.
Come on guys, lets give TML some time to get this product out ON THE ROAD and let the ROAD TEST give us the rest.

Prem.

[pk_del]

Greetings,

I see lot of TATA bashing without any reason. Let us play on the even field, let us decide how good this Safari Sorme is after a proper test drive by GTO. Let the current owners of Safari drive the Storme and give their honest opinion.

I spoke to TATA dealer today and he mentioned that the "Safari Storme" bookings could start any time in February 3rd week. Dealers are going for training in Feb 1st - 2nd week. He mentioned that the price will be very competitive.

If you are competing with some one then definitely you will not sit idle, you need to launch your product and keep the customers interested in your company. TATA has lost lot of customers by the onslaught of XUV and absurd pricing of Aria.
They had to get the customers interested again, and I think they have learnt from their mistake and are now taking baby steps by gauging the mood of the market.

I would definitely reserve my judgement until test driving the Safari and Safari Storme back to back.

-PK

PS: Many People follow Team-BHP forums very religiously (even though they are not members) and they make their buying decisions based on our comments. I feel we need to be little conservative in giving any negative judgement of a newly launched product without a proper test drive.

Just my humble thoughts.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by kaviprem

...... Come on guys, lets give TML some time to get this product out ON THE ROAD and let the ROAD TEST give us the rest.

Prem.

Prem, did you mean roadtest by prospective owners after they buy it or.....??

[tsk1979]

Old wine in new bottle seldom tastes different. I do not think that overall driving experience will be different. However, the interiors are indeed much better. If this quality exercise has gone to critical components, then we should see much better experience for the new owners.

[needforspeed88]

Game has moved on and TATA have been found standing still. Buying Storme would be more of an emotional decision from an ardent previous owner/TATA fan. Tata blew a great chance they had with the Aria, due to a ludicrous pricing strategy. I feel TATA will struggle to price the Storme significantly under the XUV especially when you keep in mind, the latter is a more modern monocoque platform with a plethora of features. Now if its hand's weren't full enough and you have the well rounded Scorpio making the fight a one sided loosing battle for Storme. Should i get emotional/hopeful and say Storme will be a mega hit? The fact of the matter is , Storme is a very good vehicle in its right but the competition is fierce and cut-throat. Mahindra has moved the game so far that TATA is left licking its heels.When you are investing around 10 lakh OTR , you always tend to make a practical sensible decision rather than hopeful/wishful/emotional decision.

[teamveevee]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Old wine in new bottle seldom tastes different. I do not think that overall driving experience will be different. However, the interiors are indeed much better. If this quality exercise has gone to critical components, then we should see much better experience for the new owners.

Off topic, but we are talking about Quality and this CNN article is an interesting read...http://http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/05/autos/american_cars

GM's aware of the problem and is working to fix it, said Terry Woychowski, who was recently appointed GM's head of vehicle quality.
GM now has every part that's pulled from a car during a warranty repair sent to a special room at the carmaker's Michigan testing center where it's scrutinized to figure out what went wrong and why.
"You have to look at that mistake and try not to have it again," he said.
The system seems to be working, he said, citing the troublesome Cruze as an example.
"Since launching the Cruze, there's been a 25% reduction in warranty claims already," he said.
The system is now being replicated at GM facilities in Asia, South America and Europe.

Does TM has a head of Quality?
Does the TM dealers sent broken parts for analysis. This is some thing electronic component manufacturers followed for many decades.