[supremeBaleno]

Not sure if it has been answered in the last few pages (maybe got lost in the Scorp vs Safari debate), but what is !xobile ?

Also what's the max speed (on odo) that the Safari can do ? Is it any different for the Scorp ?

We all love our cars, so no point in the mine-is-better-than-yours debate which will lead nowhere. If I were looking at a 10-12lakh SUV, I would go for the Safari without even a moment's hesitation, the rationale behind the choice being mainly looks - I don't like the Scorp's looks. Though that does not make the Scorp a bad car - lots of people out there (including my boss) have put their dough on it.

Someone mentioned doing away with the 'Safari' tag for the next-gen Tata SUV. IMO Merlin seems kinda feminine - not something you would associate with a butch SUV.

[anujmishra]

Nice! and excellent compilation SID. Sure this thread people will cherish reading even if Safari would not on offer by Tata in near future. It is one car that fully Indian made and always head turner.

If some people start bashing Safari with no reason or without experiencing product then it is act of misery. All cars in India has share of it niggles and problems. Mahindra Scorpio is no saint. Its Safari which gets publicity negative as well as positive. We people believe in just "Reclaim your Life" rest all problems are useless.

By the what's is the reason (I am not able to understand) that maximum number of post in any Safari thread are from Scorpio owners. Is it their love for Safari or envy for Safari? I hardly see any Safari owner goes and post in Scorpio thread. I feel it is just act of sharing overflowing(negative) knowledge with everyone.

[channelv]

@supremebaleno, its best to keep the safari under 150Km/hr, the vehicle is heavy and not very stable like a baleno. The speed increase would not be noticeable is not for wind noise. 200Km/hr, not sure if thats possible, must be some mods.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by channelv

@supremebaleno, its best to keep the safari under 150Km/hr, the vehicle is heavy and not very stable like a baleno. The speed increase would not be noticeable is not for wind noise. 200Km/hr, not sure if thats possible, must be some mods.

Anything about 120kmph, on a clear highway, in India, is crazy, IMHO.

You can test your guardian angels flight speed once in a blue moon, but doing it often might just make you win that speed race.

[aman9393]

A very well written and a fitting tribute to the Safari.
Good work sidindica!!

And everybody, please stop the Safari vs Scorpio debate. We already have many threads for that.
Let this thread be a tribute to Safari.

Originally Posted by sidindica

!Xobile

Russel Peters?!

[channelv]

@ Happy wheels, above 120 could make it scary wheels

@aman, Russel Peters! :P Same thought here to.

[naj]

Wow! terrific .What a compilation!.
Its like a Safari biography .

With so much R&D and uplifts/upgrades Tatas have put in a reliable product.With the Merlin round the corner I do hope that that we will have a perfect home bred beast.
In-fact the Merlin might be my next buy!I eagerly awaiting for it.

Also Kudos to existing proud safari owners .Without their valuable inputs to Tata Motors the safari and now the Merlin would not have come this far.

Cheers,
Naj

[ACM]

Sid great compilation, don't know why the other S SUV is getting into this thread.

Safari was first in class.
Safari was and is fastest in class
Safari was and is largest in class
Safari was and is the most comfortable in class.
Safari was and is the most noticiable in class.

Safari was never meant to be and is not a Taxi option, and hence will never sell as much as an In... or Sc... so why the debate, there are othe successfull SUV and MUV and they deserve their space and success for the value that they bring as does the Safari for what it brings.

Have used the Safari for 10 year and it has been a part of my life and it took an Aria for me to move on.

Wish the new Safari the best in time.

[pgsagar]

I feel most of the people who criticize Safari are the ones who never owned/driven one extensively or owned the first gen Safaris of late 90s or early 00s. I think these people should revisit Safari. they will be pleasantly surprised now. It is fantastic now. Goes to show how little tweaks here and there have kept its looks still contemporary.

Regarding Scorp/Innova's higher monthly sales, I am sure a huge chunk comes from taxi sales. No such taxi thing with Safari. And as for niggles, there isn't a car which isn't niggle-free. Heck, even 1 crore German exotics are breaking down on you and ending up on flatbeds.

[kiku007]

Excellent article Sid

15 years on, just minor facelifts (I'm talking only about the exterior looks) and still the Safari is the best looking SUV <15L IMHO. Timeless design!

The 'Reclaim your life' series of Safari advertisements are classic! Provokes one to walk to the showroom and buy the Safari!

[WhiteKnight]

As usual a great writeup by Sidindica.

The story of Safari is all about a great opportunity being lost by a company due to it's own lack of application of intelligence.

Imagine where TATA would have been if Safary were the top seller in the category. Aria would have got accepeted readily even at that price point.

Originally Posted by pgsagar

I think these people should revisit Safari. they will be pleasantly surprised now. It is fantastic now.

I am one of the people who has been visiting TATA showrooms every year to see Safari. I even have brochures lying at home right from the 1.9 Tdi days through 3.0 to 2.2. At the best, there has been some improvements. There is nothing fantastic as far as I see. I am still not able to close the doors at one try

There are people who experience and learn. Then there are people who learn from others' experience. I prefer to be the latter

Originally Posted by kiku007

The 'Reclaim your life' series of Safari advertisements are classic! Provokes one to walk to the showroom and buy the Safari!

The ads were always awesome. They make me walk into the showroom. Then Safari make me run out of the showroom

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

I even have brochures lying at home right from the 1.9 Tdi days through 3.0 to 2.2.

!xobile needs to see those brochures. He loves the LE brochure which was full of pack of cards. Can we get to see the old safari brochures, with full details please?

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by sidindica

Can we get to see the old safari brochures, with full details please?

I guess you are asking for the 1.9 Tdi. Please give me some time. They are at my home town. Need to dig them out when I go there. However I have the 3.0L brochure, which is quite similar to the 2.2 one

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

I am one of the people who has been visiting TATA showrooms every year to see Safari. I even have brochures lying at home right from the 1.9 Tdi days through 3.0 to 2.2. At the best, there has been some improvements. There is nothing fantastic as far as I see. I am still not able to close the doors at one try

I think it IS fantastic at the price it comes for, and the looks and performance it comes with. You can say I have lower standards than your, if that makes you happy. Agree with you on the door closing tough.

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

...In any market, first mover gets an advantage and hence the market share. In this particular case, first mover has lost the advantage, and hence the opportunity to be the leader in a segment for a long long term...

Blame TATA Motors for providing a huge line up of vehicles that meets all segments of vehicle purchasers for diluting the focus, unlike other Indian manufacturers who have limited offering.

Argument on both ends - why dilute before stabilizing one (or) increase spread and then react based on market needs.

All of the Indian car manufacturers, except TATA Motors, have piggy backed on some or the other foreign knowledge. TATA Motors has usually been in organic growth, be it the Safari, Indica's, Nano or the new Electric vehicles under R&D. The rest take the easier path of mergers and acquisitions. But, recently, with the purchase of RR, TATA Motors might have started going with the easier path and yes, it shows - ARIA f&f.

As the end user is just worried about that one particular unit (vehicle) he has brought, this whole information is totally useless, but for the company, these are important.

And for sales number - yeah, not in range of other MUV's and MUV-turned-SUV's. Reckon it was never meant to be a large people mover. It is a SUV, isn't it. It seats 5 very comfortably - stop there. Anything more is bonus. You do not go on the beaten track with 7 people on board. For that you can get those modified African safari vehicles. And sales have not stopped; it still sells, still a preferred vehicle for VIP's transport in this country; one wouldn't do that in a unreliable vehicle, wouldn't they?

Speaking of which, not sure which manufacturer sends their factory QC and technical heads down to a customers house, across town, to check on a vehicle at 5am, to analyse cold start problem! This for a vehicle 12 years in production but for a new variant. It would have been easier to tell the customer to leave the vehicle overnight at the service center, which didn't happen since the customer wanted to make sure the issue is rightly noted in his presence!

And with the sample we have here, not a single instance of Safari being stranded, whatever done, the vehicle, at the least, limps back home. And not many at that too.

While the competition tries to make their product aesthetically right by releasing refreshed models, the 12 years old Safari is still a head turner. People still turn around to look at a Safari when it passes; don't think any of it competitors has this bragging right.

Even though constructive criticism is appreciated, do not understand the negativity that flow all around here when Safari is the topic. Am also totally against fan-boyism, that is the other bad end of the spectrum.

There was a time I wouldn't have touched a Safari with a large pole, after having a old gen 3 liter maintenance nightmare of a friends. But, when it came to buying, the price+features and comfort offered was hard to beat in that segment. Middle row comfort was of utmost importance, when you have a new born in the family - so what option do you have with that criteria?

It would have been a different ball game if no improvement was done or that the 2.2 wasn't available.

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

...Here is a free hint-How about a new safari with broken timing belt to begin?

Yeah, sure. Bad, isn't it.