[Reinhard]

Something I had a gut feeling will happen. My overall thoughts are rather mixed up about this development.

1. Always good to have a SAFARI name-plate in the market.
2. I personally like the H7X's proportions & looks much more than I like the Harrier's.
3. Do I feel the H7X is worthy of carrying on the cult-status Safari badge? I'm not yet convinced. Not with an FWD at least.
4. It also looks like a hastily put together effort to rebadge the car from Gravitas to Safari. Gravitas as a name certainly was a bit awkward IMHO.
5. Given that the New XUV5OO around the corner seems to have promising looks as well as kit that customers want - there is a high risk of the H7X being DOA considering the limited kit.
6. As I mentioned elsewhere, the only significant differences from a Harrier are 2 small extra seats and a MISSING sun-roof. There are no popular gizmos like large infotainment phablet / HUD etc either.
7. So perhaps just trying to stem the collapse of a new car by banking on the trusted legendary Safari plate? A last ditch effort?
8. The recent advertisements about missing Safari & badging Gravitas as Safari are also so lame. Not even a shadow of the original Safari TVCs. Evidently very hastily put together, not doing justice to the brand at all.
9. Such a name change - also throws a bit of a doubt on Tata Motors' confidence on the H7X being capable enough to establish and be a success in its own stride. Having to rename it to something like Safari, surely casts a doubt.
10. I obviously hope it gets at least a mild AWD to justify the Safari marque. But chances seem slim even for future introduction.

And lastly - You don't launch a SAFARI like this.

The H7X has been doing rounds in production ready guise since an year - I see it almost daily near my home on the highway! I have seen all of it pretty much inside out. So have absolutely everyone else who venture out on the road OR look at photos on the internet. Launching a Safari plate after the people are already bored of the car for more than an year - is rather suicidal. Safari plate deserves a lot of anticipation to be built around it, lot of fan-fare & a grand entrance of a show stopper.
Exactly what Mahindra did with the THAR.

Instead - here we are seeing the Safari name being used mainly to remind people that what they often see on the streets since more than an year - is actually a new car going to be launched in Jan'21. Dhuh. On the other hand - have to empathize with TML and this decision. Without a Safari name - I don't think the car had much of a chance in the market. Will be interesting to see how the emotional strings this name pulls, results on the sales charts.

Would I buy it because its called a Safari? Yes (but that's because I like the H7X to begin with perhaps.)

[NKB]

Time will tell if its good or bad decision by TATA and whether Gravitas will be able to carry the SAFARI legacy forward.

When we think of Safari we have a certain image in our mind [heart also ]. To me, sadly, Gravitas don't cast that image :(

[shortbread]

I think people need to calm down, the D8 platform is very capable off road.

Re-post

The Land Rover D8 platform that the Harrier/Gravitas uses, is the same platform the likes of the Freelander, Evoque, Disco Sport is based on. It is definitely designed to accommodate 4x4 and quite capable at that.

Whether Tata offers the upcoming Gravitas/Safari with 4x4 is a different question altogether. The fact is most people crying for the Safari's off roading prowess are hardly going to take their 20 lac machines through mud and rocks, that is a fact.

If Tata does offer it 4x4 and kit it right the Gravitas/Safari should be a very capable off road machine, infact hard to think of a 3 row sub 20 lac rival in its segment capable of the same.

The question is does Tata see a 4x4 variant as being commercially viable?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq0L1ef_8Bg

[Comrade]

For most Indians (including me), Safari and Scorpio mean big imposing silhouette and not necessarily highly capable body-on-frame 4x4.

I don't know if Tata is diluting safari brand name but I personally feel Tata and the car has better fighting chance with Safari nameplate than Gravitas or Harrier XL. I feel its better to use a strong nameplate on appropriate model from current portfolio than save it for some unplanned future model, which may or may not happen.

[Sebring]

Finally the name can only do so much. The product has to perform. Besides, the pricing has to appeal. Just look at the splash Nissan Magnite has created, just based on price. Let's hope Tata doesn't let us down in these other aspects

Originally Posted by Reinhard

Would I buy it because its called a Safari? Yes (but that's because I like the H7X to begin with perhaps.)

[rajshenoy]

While the debate continues, i wouldn't be surprised if the final car ends up becoming Safari Gravitas with that Gravitas emblem on its rear. If they can do Safari Storme, why not Safari Gravitas ?

[padmrajravi]

Gravitas would have crashed and burned if not for this last minute name change. It does not have much to compete with the next gen Scorpio and XUV500 . Naming it Safari gives it some pedigree and a fighting chance against the Mahindra duo. And this is better for Safari nameplate too. Atleast it lives on. The value it has at this point will be gone in 5 years time. Better to utilize it now rather than design something else and then hope people remembers it.

In all this mockery, atleast Tata has learned that there is value in names and they should be protected. I hope they have already started designing next generation versions for Tiago, Nexon etc and will not abandon them like they almost did with Safari. They should hire some people from the Mahindra product department. Someone there had the commonsense to decide that Thar,Scorpio and XUV500 should have next generation versions.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by headbanger

If they had to bring the Safari nameplate back, it would have made sense to name Harrier as Safari. It was a new car and had a lot going for it prior to release.

Makes sense, probably they would have done better sales.
But I think the Harrier and the Gravitas are fine vehicles in their own right and deserve their unique branding and place.
I think "Harrier7/Gravitas" would have been better.

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

While the debate continues, i wouldn't be surprised if the final car ends up becoming Safari Gravitas with that Gravitas emblem on its rear. If they can do Safari Storme, why not Safari Gravitas ?

Excellent point, I was wondering how could they finalize everything including the tailgate badging in some of the spy-shots and then change it all. Its possible but there has to be something else to it.
But we will know soon enough.

But since its going to be called the Safari, would be interesting to see how the market responds.
Could go either way, depends on how much it matters to the potential buyers.
Will be interesting to observe

[nainan]

As for the AWD on the new Safari here are few pics I took of the Harrier underside. There is a huge transmission tunnel and GKN driveline makes the transmission used on both the

Disco Sport: https://europe.autonews.com/article/...iscovery-sport

and the Compass:

https://www.gknautomotive.com/en/com...onnect-system/

Thus it is not out of the realm of possibilities to equip the OmegaArc platform with an AWD the only issue here is the twist blade real suspension(also in the pic.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by shortbread

The Gravitas/Safari would be aiming for the XUV500, Scorpio/Bolero serve a different market altogether.

Originally Posted by turbo

Safari has always been a Scorpio competitor, and the Aria/Hexa were XUV competition.

Just to clear the confusion,

Old gen discontinued Safari/Storme was a Scorpio competitor. Though they sold at similar price points, were ladder on frame SUVs and were 5+2 seaters, they were as different as chalk and cheese. Scorpio was more agile and fun to drive but had below average ride quality and space was at a premium, the safari had an amazing ride quality and a lot of space but was pretty boring to drive in comparison.

2021 Safari (Gravitas) will surely be a XUV/Hector+/crysta competitor.

Hexa will have to die though. No point in having 2 large, spacious 7 seaters under the same roof. It's not like Hexa/Gravitas are similar to crysta/fortuner. Majority of the buyers don't care if it's a 4WD or 2WD, FWD or RWD. Give them 7 seats, a lot of legroom and shoulder room, effective AC and an engine+gearbox combo that is reliable, the product will sell. Now don't ask me why Hexa didn't sell as much as it should have. The logo on the front grill does matter & somehow it always reminded us of its "Aria" roots

[Sreejith V]

Wow!!!! This is a new year surprise from TATA. I think the move make sense.

The thought process would have been, why not 'SAFARI'? New model is comparable in size (except height), it is comparable in seating capacity. The only differential will be a proper 4x4. I know it is a big difference. How about, if TATA has another surprise for us in future. After all, the chassis is capable for an AWD system, since other models based on D8 platform have AWD variants. Moreover, with branding as SAFARI, it will be easier to reach to common people, than using a new name.

TATA's approach to their cars/SUVs has changed. They wanted to give their customer's the safest cars and comfort of driving. I really doubt whether old generation SAFARI's will be able to comply to all aspects of the new approach. So which is the best model available now, to which the legendary name can be handed over? Of course H7X.

By doing this they are making sure that the legendary name is not allowed to die down OR get remembered only based on old models.

If you ask me, which model name will you prefer to have for your SUV, BUZZARD or SAFARI, I will yell out for 'SAFARI'

[Sanidhya mukund]

I still remember, back in 2012 when Tata launched the all new Safari Storme, almost every single media house that reviewed it had the same opinion that after 14 years of production, Tata really should have given the Safari an all new Body.
But now that Tata is giving us a new car with an all new body, I am even more disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong, this is indeed a thoroughly modern, capable and good looking product.
But the problem is, it just isn’t the right car for the Safari brand. The only reason why car makers revive an old brand is to strike a chord with those who are nostalgic about the particular brand, because of certain qualities and attributes that defined that brand.

1. The revival of a legendary brand deserves much more than this. If you look at all the recent brand revivals (Santro, Sierra concept and MG), one thing common among them all was that the respective brands built up loads of hype and excitement before the brands introduction. Hyundai launched the “brilliant moments” campaign, MG went all out with their British routes strategy, and Tata themselves created a lot of excitement before revealing the Sierra concept.
This ensured that the crowd was already excited and waiting in anticipation of the BIG unveil.
But in this case, what they did was a vague, lukewarm at best ad campaign, that did not even lead the crowd to assume the launch of a new product!

2. The Gravitas as a product is a very capable car, but the one thing it lacks is a UNIQUE IDENTIY. The Safari with its butch looks, upright pillars, large glass house and side body cladding was unmistakeable for any other car. The Gravitas on the other hand, feels more like an afterthought. It is simply a Harrier with a little more bulk beyond the C-pillar.

Please Tata, revive the Safari. But not like this. It doesn’t deserve to be relaunched as an afterthought. A Harrier plus is not a Safari.
If this car doesn’t sell, you will effectively kill off this legendary brand name. Don’t make the same mistake as Maruti did with the Zen ESTILO!



Image source: Google images.

[VKumar]

First and foremost, you don’t launch a Safari like this at least. But still, I would be happy to see full front page ads tomorrow highlighting that Safari is back (anyone remember those Manza ads?)

Circa 1998, when I saw the Safari for the first time (6 year old me), I literally turned like those ‘Imperial blue - men will be men’ ads.

In 2007, when we got ours (those days when even EX had 4x4 option) - getting a Safari at home was nothing short of Diwali.

Even when it was discontinued, it was lacking features, was lacking the outright performance of XUV and was lacking finesse too. But, Safari was never the vehicle you buy for features. You buy it for the road presence, you buy it for the way you feel while you drive it, you buy it for the way it makes other road users treat you. Fortuner, and Endy etc make you look and feel more sophisticated of a man, Safari and Scorpio have that proper and gangsta appeal. 4-6 young guys riding a Safari or Scorpio, and cops will intercept the car at every single naka; and the guys feel good about it, they feel gangsta while doing that. Will a Harrier + 2 seats be able to deliver that appeal?

Safari and Scorpio are two, which still command a huge emotional appeal, people don’t buy Scorpio for what it offers; people buy it for how they feel while they drive it. If Tata guys can’t understand this, they better fire their product management team. Seriously, our premier institutes are not producing the right set of managers IMO (As GTO says - MBAs’ are just not the right set of people to do it).

Safari badge requires a Safari to wear it, NOTHING ELSE WILL DO (Yes, Scorpio has won the battle again, even before entering the Kurukshetra).

[yd_gli]

Originally Posted by Reinhard

It also looks like a hastily put together effort to rebadge the car from Gravitas to Safari. Gravitas as a name certainly was a bit awkward IMHO

And lastly - You don't launch a SAFARI like this.

There must certainly have been some heated closed room discussions at TML over the Gravitas over the last couple of months. Heads must have rolled and at the end the panic button was pressed. More than the actual product, I think what created the panic was the product placement and marketing aspect of it. It never seemed well thought out from the beginning. Ideally, the Harrier and Gravitas should've been launched together to get maximum traction.
I too have been seeing the Gravitas on the roads and always wonder as to what are they testing for so long? It almost seems that the car went on the back burner for a while and panic set in over invested funds and product roadmap delays.

I think the Safari will be a good product and I might consider it if priced well. But as always, there is this weird uncertainty with new product launches from TML.

[digitalnirvana]

I'm not happy with the name change for one reason and one reason only (not too fussed about lack of 4 x 4).

Why will a Safari have the same face as that of the Harrier? (same point stands with the Gravitas too)

It should've had a different face, especially a different grille. Right now it's a Harrier Plus and nothing more.