[sharanramesh]

I am surprised that it doesnt have the family grill........ the smiling grill. All the new cars from tata have a big smile, and this appears to be a grin :P

[ACM]

Tushar nice scoop.

The Front looks to be on the LR family, should be based on X2 (aria platform) - wonder where this will slot in if the current Safari continues. for the Aria just comes in exactly where the Current Safari price range ends,

If the front is anything to go by, then expect the rear to also be squarish.

[jkdas]

Nice scoop.

And it might get the new gearbox etc too? I love the wheels in the Aria; hope this gets that too.

Q. Where will be the rear spare wheel?
Q. Back to beige interior?

[amulu10]

Originally Posted by Amartya

Thanks for sharing the pictures. It seems that the Safari will soldier on for a while with some tweaks here and there. If they can somehow up the game in the fit and finish department (unlikely in the case of external finish), perhaps lift fittings from the Aria for the interiors, the Safari has some more life in her.
Taking the cue from Ashutosh, and people talking about the Range Rover'esque styling cues, here a quick edit of the image:

WOW ! Nice work Amartya . The black color and the chrome grill gives it that mean look! I don't think Tata would have spent 36 months just on the exterior looks and going by the testing of the vehicle for such a long time i would think it has a lot of changes in the chassis and suspension.
And yes it looks a lot inspired by the RR family DNA .

[abk]

tusharsethi, thank you for the update! As you'd have reckoned by now, you have quite stirred up the inquisitiveness of the fellow TBHPians with that teaser of pic and handful of info. Without trying to sound overtly pushy, can you please, if you could, find out is this really the Safari18 on X2 platform?

Originally Posted by ACM

Tushar nice scoop.

The Front looks to be on the LR family, should be based on X2 (aria platform) - wonder where this will slot in if the current Safari continues. for the Aria just comes in exactly where the Current Safari price range ends,

If the front is anything to go by, then expect the rear to also be squarish.

Please see this article already published on another Safari thread. It clearly says: "Sources say the company intends to launch next gen Safari called Safari 18 internally by January-February 2011 at a price of Rs. 8.5-12.5 lakh.
It will be positioned between the existing Safari and recently launched Aria and co-exist with the current Safari."

Originally Posted by raul

This seems like a new car, wider and lower than the Safari which is narrow and high. The new one suggests more stability. I am curious to see the whole car.

This doesn't look like a superficial Safari refresh honestly, at least I can't make out from the pic. There is another thread on the forum highlighting the need for a smaller more reasonably priced suv, the Toyota Rav4 kind of car, this may just fit the bill.

I'd be absolutely thrilled if your observation turns out true, raul. However, for this to happen it would definitely need changing platform from existing Safari's (to X2?).

Originally Posted by gshanky

I think this is the Sumo replacement. It does not seem to have any character to replace Safari.

However, this does seem like a very good replacement for Sumo.

gshanky, i somehow think if it comes with ABS/EBD & Airbags it may quite not be the Sumo replacement. However, one can never know what tricks Tata Motors might have up their sleeve to woo the top end Sumo buyers.

Originally Posted by theMAG

Nice catch. This seems to be an aesthetically modified version of the current Safari. I am curious to know why just an aesthetically modified version would take 36 months to develop, unless there are some mechanical bits involved.

I couldn't agree more with theMAG. Change of platform a possible reason? Also, it has been speculated in another tread that the new Safari will not have the tail mounted spare tyre. It will instead be tucked underneath. However, just improving the aesthetics and moving the spare wheel alone should not take Tata Motors 36 months, right?

Originally Posted by Mpower

This does not look like an Aria platform based SUV. Looks like a Safari with a refresh..the tall greenhouse is identical.

Wish we had a few more pictures to reveal the other perspectives for us to establish whether or not a platform change indeed seems to have been made :(

If i were to hazard a guess, I'd imagine this to be the new Safari on X2. Would love it to be wider and less taller than the existing Safari. Be it only the projectors without the HID i still love this feature. It would be easier I suppose to take the halogens out and instead put in HIDs without blinding the oncoming drivers.

[AWD]

Originally Posted by theMAG

Look at the greenhouse and the shape becomes all too familiar.

+1 Its the same Safari with cosmetic changes. This probably is not based on the Aria platform which is a step backwards IMO.

Also if Merlin is the internal name, its ok. Otherwise changing the market name of Safari doesn't make sense, unless its a completely new vehicle.

[tsk1979]

The X2 platform based SUV will cost atleast as much as Aria. This is safari replacement. Tata won't abandon the 7.5 lakh SUV space.

[shortbread]

Thats definitely the face lifted Safari.

Considering the time Tata has taken for this a whole new SUV on the X2 platform must still be sometime away!!

[Comrade]

Probably Tata is doing the Indica Vista/Manza thing with Safari?

I mean Vista has strong resemblance to Indica V2 in terms of body shape, rear design etc. but mechanically it is a completely different car.

Could it be that the new safari/merlin is based on aria or X2 platform but has similar design language of the current safari?

[rangarx]

Originally Posted by princey

Well, seemingly it just appears to be the same old safari platform with a new bumper and headlights. Hope they have managed to improve the interior quality. Nothing much to get excited about actually.

I disagree heer!!

The interior fit and finish improvement has got pretty much to get excited... especially having seen what Tata could do with Aria!!

Yes, I like this upgrade..

Thanks a ton for the scoop, my friend!!

[driveanddrive]

Amazing scoop there! I don't like the headlamps. But I am pretty excites to see the whole product! Exactly same situation like last year. Was excited for Aria then, now Merlin

[4x4addict]

Finally some pics of the refreshed of the latest Safari.

[superboy44]

by the looks of it i still like the styling of the current safari much more,
but hope tata motors finally takes some ques from the aria and give the safari's interior an upmarket treatment as well.

[DicKy]

Seems more like the facelifted Safari, but can't understand why it should co-exist with the present gen Safari.
So,then we have three SUVs, present Safari,this FL Safari Merlin and the next gen Safari based on X2 platform.
Well, no problem even if Tata doesn't change the Safari styling much,as the thing that must be changed immediately is the interior quality over anything else.
Going by the recent Tata launches,rest assured that the interiors will be upgraded along with 7 seater configuration.
Only hope that the spare tyre stays where it belongs in an SUV ,in the TAILGATE.
And pray that the name is just some internal code.It's just ridiculous of naming an SUV as 'merlin'!!!

[SAE40 in veins]

Originally Posted by DicKy

Seems more like the facelifted Safari, but can't understand why it should co-exist with the present gen Safari.
So,then we have three SUVs, present Safari,this FL Safari Merlin and the next gen Safari based on X2 platform.

Can somebody in the Forum clarify this, 3 Safaris coexisting in the same SUV space sounds ridiculous as it might cannibalize each other in sales even though in different price brackets. Also the first two may not be good enough for international markets(read western) as the original design is dated. My sources suggest that the Safari 18 is not an all new Safari but a transplant on the X2 platform and 'NOT THE 207 PLATFORM' which probably would have taken 36 months for Tatas. As for an all new SUV on the X 2 , there is no confirmation that it is on the drawing board yet.