[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by shortbread

Almost every modern SUV has ditched the tailgate mounted spare wheel, M-class, Range Rovers, X 1 3 5 6, Audis, Japanese soft roaders (Rav4, CRV etc..) even the Land cruiser.

The new 2011 & 2012 Landcruiser Prado , FJ cruiser and a few others still have the spare wheel mounted on the rear door. Its not about Macho-ism. Its about the additional utility they get from the extra 'FSI' which allows them to give an extra fuel tank which is necessary since the range on the single tank in most of these suv's isnt much to write home about. I could add pics but no point going OT. But its good to have better rear visibility on the Safari now.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

On the CD insertion part in 1st, 3rd & 5th gear, let's look at it from a security perspective - what if TATA doesn't want the driver to insert a CD when the car is in motion? ..... If the driver needs to insert a CD, it should be when the car is idle!]

What if the passenger wants to change a cd when the car is moving?
Its not for Tata to decide who will change the cd... in that case they might as well move the cd player to the passenger side and give driver controls on the steering. There can be no excuse for poor ergonomics when they take this long to re-develop a product.
I also notice the cup holders have been moved forward. What needs to be seen if these can be used ergonomically without having to stretch out.

Originally Posted by jkdas

If the handling. built quality, braking is improved, I will buy one again!

Mine has crossed 96k and each time I floor it, priceless!

+1 to both points.
I will however wait for them to sort out the new niggles for a year before I make my pitch.
Glad to see the 4wd low ratio gearbox has been retained.
I also hope that with this new iteration they have managed to improve quality of mechanical and electrical/electronic components and subsequent reliability.
I would have loved to have seen all disc brakes on all four wheels.
The reduced turning radius is a welcome change.
I also wish the backrest on the second row was adjustable.
17" rims are welcome.
The chocolate brown color looks nice too.

I also feel that TML is working on a new body for the Safari. The Storme is a temporary filler in between.
Considering that they have used the Aria mechanical underpinnings, they probably did not have enough time to come up with a new design body for the Safari.
I think we should see a totally new Safari with a new body(JLR inspired design) on frame(Aria) in about 12-18 months. And they will retain the existing Safari Storme and pitch the new one a notch higher.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

The new 2011 & 2012 Landcruiser Prado , FJ cruiser and a few others still have the spare wheel mounted on the rear door. Its not about Macho-ism. Its about the additional utility they get from the extra 'FSI' which allows them to give an extra fuel tank which is necessary since the range on the single tank in most of these suv's isnt much to write home about. I could add pics but no point going OT. But its good to have better rear visibility on the Safari now.

, yeah. Not only the Prado, the big daddy LC 200 also has a tailgate mounted spare in some versions,but doesn't come with an additional tank,just two spare tyres..The default remains a 93l+45l=138l fuel tank.
But the Prado like you said has a 87l tank standard and in versions with a tailgate mounted spare an auxiliary tank of 63l.
But coming to Safari,agree that it doesn't need to have such specifications,but at least in the modified version with heavy duty bull bar and winches,they could have designed a tailgate mounted spare than a bicycle.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by inder_s1

Here we go...put the fog lamps of current Safari

So nice! At 4000 bucks for a set, should not be an issue to do from the showroom directly at all.

Your skills with this being so good, I am going to be greedy and ask for something else provided you have the time to oblige.

Your current design requires some major/unworkable changes by the common buyer.

Now how about trying the following:

Front and Back views of Storme:

1) Preferably black

2) Original new L shaped headlight

3) Old classic fog lamps (as you have just done)

4) Matte/dull black (or the PU black coating type) finish for both the chrome lips/strips on the front and rear end.

Can we please have a look Inder?

[gowda79]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

The new 2011 & 2012 Landcruiser Prado , FJ cruiser and a few others still have the spare wheel mounted on the rear door. Its not about Macho-ism. Its about the additional utility they get from the extra 'FSI' which allows them to give an extra fuel tank which is necessary since the range on the single tank in most of these suv's isnt much to write home about.

Totally Agree with this and Tata should have thought about it.

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

I would have loved to have seen all disc brakes on all four wheels.

+1 to Tata should have done

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

The reduced turning radius is a welcome change.
17" rims are welcome.
The chocolate brown color looks nice too.

100% True and the 17" looks great

The turning radius helps some new drivers a good feel to take U turns without any fear in a crowded place easily.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by gowda79

Totally Agree with this and Tata should have thought about it.

Isn't it already possible to do Pune to Bangalore in a single tank (65 L) on the old Safari? What more range than that could owners want?

[gowda79]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Isn't it already possible to do Pune to Bangalore in a single tank (65 L) on the old Safari? What more range than that could owners want?

That you shall understand when you travel to the North where you will have to cross many hilly region and you will not find petrol bunks for kms.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by gowda79

That you shall understand when you travel to the North where you will have to cross many hilly region and you will not find petrol bunks for kms.

I have been traveling on two wheels in the North (as well as most of India) extensively for close to 20 years now.

Is there any place in our country which does not have a functioning fuel pump for more than 365 kms?

Which means the current Safari on a single tank can do a round-trip of such a sector, without refueling at the turnaround point.

[inder_s1]

The current design is timeless. The best looking SUV for me till date. Still don't understand why they had to change it.

[N.Binesh Kumaar]

Safari Strome - We Indian should be proud of with this new model. Great look.

[ebonho]

Someone on another forum claims that as per a dealer in Chandigarh, Safari Storme base version starts at 7.95 Lacs ex-showroom (the current Safari LX I guess is 7.6 Lacs ex-showroom).

Also, with regard to the jump seats (the photo was somewhere here earlier on this thread) can someone confirm whether they are wider/bigger and whether there is more headroom and/or better height of the seat from the floor (in the current Safari when i tried getting onto one, it was as if I was squatting - I am 6' tall, 95 kilos).

[navpreet318]

Don't know why everyone's cribbing about the spare wheel being removed. That was one of the biggest gripes for us. We have been buying safaris since 2001 and have various ones in our company. the 2.0, 3.0's and the 2.2 as well.

The rear door design is so weak and the latch on which the door closes is made of such shoddy quality that the rear door used to start vibrating after about 5000 Kms.
And once the latch rubs away, the hinges start having certain amount of play as well.

And then even if you buy a new latch it does not work. The vibrations will continue and keep getting worse. The solution is that for every long journey our drivers used to put some sort of a rubber sheet and cloth so stop it from making the annoying noise. Its all good when people are on good roads but for us, we travel on possibly the worse roads leading to gangotri.

So for me that has been a good addition.

The solution which i have got from a few of my friends who have metal forming facilities is that when i buy the safari, i should check the latches then itself to ones made from high quality tool grade steel so that it doesn't get eroded during use. So this time this is possibly what i will be doing.

[directinjection]

What happens to the original fog lights when the front bull bar (the one shown in Auto Expo) gets fitted? The bull bar seems to conceal them completely.

[g_prajeesh]

Here is the text from Tata Motors web site content

http://tatamotors.com/media/images/delh-2012/background-note.pdf

Safari Storme range will be launched in the next financial year

The new Tata Safari Storme comes w ith disc brakes on all four w heels and has 4 channel ABS w ith EBD, w hich helps in keeping the vehicle under control, during emergency braking conditions. In addition, the vehicle has been designed w ith advanced safety features like the Inertia Switch and an auto engine immobiliser. In an event of a crash, the Inertia Switch automatically cuts off the fuel supply to the engine and unlocks all the doors and also switches on the hazard warning light to w arn other road users.
All in all, the new Tata Safari Storme is an epitome of space, style and performance. The Tata Safari Storme range will be launched in the next financial year.

[cyberwhizs]

Despsite the niggles the one thing everyone liked was the safari's exteriors. And they go and change that to something like this!

Remember stanzas from the song in two weeks notice.

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

[needforspeed88]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I have been traveling on two wheels in the North (as well as most of India) extensively for close to 20 years now.

Is there any place in our country which does not have a functioning fuel pump for more than 365 kms?

Which means the current Safari on a single tank can do a round-trip of such a sector, without refueling at the turnaround point.

Agreed.

These days, even in remote hilly areas a fuel pump would not be more than 150-200kms away from the previous one .