Tata Motors hopes new SUV will take market by ‘Storme’
18 Oct 2012
Tata Motors on Wednesday launched the much-awaited new sports utility vehicle (SUV) Tata Safari Storme, which was first showcased in January at the Delhi Auto Expo but took a while to get to the market.
In time for the festive season, the Storme follows hard on the heels of the launch of an upgraded version of the Manza on Tuesday.
The Storme is priced at Rs9.95 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the basic 4X2 LX model. Towards the upper end, the 4X2 EX costs Rs10.77 lakh, the 4X2 VX Rs12.37 lakh, and 4x4 VX Rs13.66 lakh.
With underpinnings and engine from the Aria, Tata Motors expects the new SUV to kick up a storm in the SUV market in India. More modern than its predecessor in looks and features, the Storme will compete with the likes of the Mahindra Scorpio and the recently-launched Renault Duster.
Its Aria-derived chassis and suspension and 2.2-litre DiCOR engine are expected to ensure better drive dynamics and better refinement and response respectively.
The engine churns out 140PS of power and 320Nm of torque. The five-speed gearbox has been tweaked to deliver a better driving experience. Other improvements include a shorter turning radius and disc brakes all round.