Rumour: Army-spec Tata Safari Storme spotted in Pune

A test mule of an army-spec Tata Safari Storme has been spotted in Pune. 

The spy shots indicate that the Safari Storme in army-spec gets minor exterior modifications. It gets steel wheels and lacks the plastic body-cladding, which is offered on the civilian version. It is likely to get a tow-hook and a bonnet mounted antenna as well. 

The army-spec Storme is likely to be powered by the same 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder Varicor 400 diesel engine as the standard car. This power plant produces 154 BHP @ 4,000 rpm and 400 Nm of torque @ 1,750-2,500 rpm and is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. A four-wheel drive system with low-range will be offered as standard in this model. 

The Indian Army is replacing its fleet of personal carrier vehicles with these SUVs. This was confirmed when Tata Motors announced that it will supply 3,192 units of the army-spec Safari Storme 4x4 SUV to the Indian Army earlier this year.

As reported earlier, the Safari Storme will be introduced in the General Service 800 (GS800) category of defence vehicles. This requires the vehicle to have a minimum payload capacity of 800 kg, a hard roof and air-conditioning. The Tata Safari Storme will replace the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy 4x4 (GS500) that has been a part of the army's fleet since 1991.

Source: Cartoq