[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Yes - for some time (a year or so) and then the current 2.2 VTT will be phased out. This is as per a friend of mine in a senior position in a TATA MOTORS dealership.

Edit - Per the same source, planned launch is Jan 2012.

Thanks cool dude for the inside info.
Jan 2012 is a bit too far as we need to buy an suv latest by this year end.
So my decisions to go for the Safari Lx is justified or am i hurrying into things ?

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

Thanks cool dude for the inside info.
Jan 2012 is a bit too far as we need to buy an suv latest by this year end.
So my decisions to go for the Safari Lx is justified or am i hurrying into things ?

Rather than buying a car in the year end, I would take it in the first months of a new year. This will ensure the resale value to be better [not a heavy difference though]

Plus, when you know there is something cooking, please dont jump into the deal. What if TATA decides to review & slash the price by a lakh or so, something in the lines of Honda? And also take it as an opportunity to check for Merlin details & make a right call.

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Rather than buying a car in the year end, I would take it in the first months of a new year. This will ensure the resale value to be better [not a heavy difference though]

Plus, when you know there is something cooking, please dont jump into the deal. What if TATA decides to review & slash the price by a lakh or so, something in the lines of Honda? And also take it as an opportunity to check for Merlin details & make a right call.

Swiftnfurious resale value is not much of a problem as the safari will be used by my parents and they will be keeping it for atleast 5 to 6 years .

However you are right about the "what if" part about tata slashing prices . Lets hope tata does some price slashing activity soon .
I so wish we could get some inside info on this as well

[ijeet]

I highly doubt there will be any Dhamaka on Diwali. We are talking about cars here guys not some sweets. Its only one week to Diwali and as most families in INDIA would like to have their car on or before Diwali. Do you think Tata can deliever cars in less than a week time after launching it.

I called concorde Bangalore regarding discounts on EX but did not get adequate response from a very "Not interested " sales rep. He cut my call after telling me current price of ex while I was still talking so either they have dropped the towel after XUV launch or Safari is selling in too great numbers nowdays that they don't even care about prospective buyers

I am also in big dilemma. I don't have money to buy XUV and after stretching my budget I was hoping to get EX but I don't want to take a plunge till merlin launch. Actually after looking at the spy shots of Merlin I am more intertested in discounts on current Safari than merlin itself but I don't want to wait long hence the confusion.. Don't know what should I do.

Hope tata brings some closure to this confusion

-ijeet

[shortbread]

@ iJeet,

Thanks for bringing some perspective into all this rumor mongering. All manufacturers have some sort of offers during diwali and towards year end. I do not know what information led to people hyping up this 'diwali dhamaka' rumor.

I believe its best you wait till January before picking your new car. Firstly you get a 2012 model which means a lot a couple of years down the line. Also you can have a look at the Merlin. Even if you are not happy I am sure the existing Safaris will still be in stock.

[arvindmanju]

Guys been to Concord motors yesterday, spoke to a manager first who informed New safari will not be launched this dipavali. Reason he was not willing to disclose.
He said new safari is expected only 2012.
He also mentioned if its expected to be launched this month, they have not even received display vehicle. Which they haven't.

Then spoke to a sales ex - he said new safari will be based on Aria platform and will be sold in 2012.

He also mentioned after XUV launch they have stopped display of safari and instead now they display Aria. But Demo vehicle current Safari was still there.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by ebonho

It would still be a "7-seater" - so the category does not change, entailing drawn out change-control certification. Only seat-belt harnesses would need to be checked and certified.

I think there is more to it (in the CMVR) than that.

Regards
Sutripta

[ijeet]

Originally Posted by shortbread

@ iJeet,

Thanks for bringing some perspective into all this rumor mongering. All manufacturers have some sort of offers during diwali and towards year end. I do not know what information led to people hyping up this 'diwali dhamaka' rumor.

I don't think Tata even have normal discounts on Diwali. So looks like Dhamaka this time is about no discounts

Originally Posted by shortbread

@ I believe its best you wait till January before picking your new car. Firstly you get a 2012 model which means a lot a couple of years down the line. Also you can have a look at the Merlin. Even if you are not happy I am sure the existing Safaris will still be in stock.

Yeah, thats what I am thinking shortbread(Nice handle BTW ) but too much pressure from the home department. I've been promising new year drive to goa since last few years to everybody at home and this time I am going to get really belted all thanks to TATA. Lets see what new years hold in store for us from Tata stable.

-Ij

[ACM]

Originally Posted by ijeet

Yeah, thats what I am thinking shortbread(Nice handle BTW ) but too much pressure from the home department. I've been promising new year drive to goa since last few years to everybody at home and this time I am going to get really belted all thanks to TATA. Lets see what new years hold in store for us from Tata stable.

-Ij

Make the year end drive in a rented SUV and buy a new one in the new year, better for the experience and better for the pocket overall. Keep emotions aside for this once.

[ebonho]

4 days to the launch from what I hear. 4 variants. Price will be 11-12 Lacs. I'm assuming ex-showroom. Definites as of now are font facing 3rd row and re-mapped more powerful Dicor power-plant. Happy Diwali guys.

[shortbread]

@ ebonho,

Is this info from a Tata insider or a showroom, would you mind divulging?!!

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by ebonho

4 days to the launch from what I hear. 4 variants. Price will be 11-12 Lacs. I'm assuming ex-showroom. Definites as of now are font facing 3rd row and re-mapped more powerful Dicor power-plant. Happy Diwali guys.

Woah! Lots and lots of conflicting information. Would help if you could please share your source. Since there are only four days to go, I can wait ('Om' for a few days)

The Front Facing third row is going to make a Lot of people happy, not excluding the premiumish taxi market. With the info of reduced turn-radius, improved suspension, less wallowy ride and a re-tuned and more powerful engine, this makes it a tough wait for confirmation.

11-12L is good pricing IFF Tata has seriously ramped up the interior quality, and added a few goodies like MFD, Audio system with display/maps/navigation, ACC. We can probably make do with twin-row AC, though. IMHO the last row is seldom occupied, and a separate set of vents for the last row is in no way a deal-breaker.

Time will tell about the reliability, but I should think Aria levels should be good, considering that we haven't really heard of more than a handful of issues, and not major ones, of the Aria.

T-4 days and counting.

[mercedised]

From the mechanics of TASC, TATA have'nt even started training for Merlin. Generally, 2-3 months prior to launch the training is started.

[kaviprem]

Originally Posted by mercedised

From the mechanics of TASC, TATA have'nt even started training for Merlin. Generally, 2-3 months prior to launch the training is started.

Its been started a few months ago as far as I know. People from Bangalore [Concorde motors] have been trained in batches for Merlin.

[mercedised]

Originally Posted by kaviprem

Its been started a few months ago as far as I know. People from Bangalore [Concorde motors] have been trained in batches for Merlin.

It might be, but here in my city when I asked the Head mechanic who has been working from 4 years at the same TASC, his reply was negative, he did'nt even knew that there is any new Safari due for launch.