Indian auto majors Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra are set to kick start the season's festivities with the launch of their new Sports Utility Vehicles in October.
Tata Motors' revamped version of the iconic Safari SUV, dubbed Safari Storme, will finally launch on Oct 17. Showcased earlier this year at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, Safari Storme was expected to hit the market in June or September.
The company has not integrated many changes from its previous SUVs in terms of looks and engine specifications. The slight change in exterior design is possibly among the key features that Tata looked at to attract newer markets and at the same time to hold on to its loyal SUV customers.
Mahindra and Mahindra will unveil a high-end sports utility vehicle SsangYong Rexton on the same day. The company took over SsangYong Motor in the 2011 and the Rexton is the first product from the South-Korean brand to hit the Indian roads.
"The Rexton will be the first sports utility vehicle from the SsangYong portfolio brought to the Indian market by Mahindra." Pawan Goenka, President of the company's Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors, said according to Hindu Business Line.
"With the launch of the SsangYong Rexton, we hope to further expand the Mahindra presence in the high-end SUV segment," Goenka added.
Both SUVs have 7- seater capacity and are revamped versions of its previous models. Like Tata Safari, SsangYong Rexton also has a good sales history.
Tata Safari Storme
Safari Storme hosts a look similar to Tata Safari, though there are some additional features added to it. The interior of Storme is designed with high quality fabrics and plastics. It is powered by a 2.2 litre diCOR engine and designed on Tata Aria platform.
The vehicle gives a high seating arrangement, offering the driver a better driving experience. The engine is the same as that of Safari and is expected to produce a power of 140 bhp at 4000 rpm with maximum torque output of 320 Nm.
It also includes an array of safety features like six SRS Airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Traction Control. The Storme is expected to be priced between ₹14, 00,000 and ₹15, 00,000.
SsangYong Rexton SUV
SsangYong Rexton is powered by a 2.7-litre direct-injected common rail diesel engine with five cylinders that will produce 162bhp of power and 402Nm of torque. It hosts interior features like cruise control, AC with Climate Control, Power windows and AC ducts for rear seats.
The vehicle, which is essentially designed for rough driving, also has Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Enhanced Parking Brake Technology, Forward Collision Warning and Avoidance System along with a number of other safety features like ABS with EBD, ESP and SRS airbags.
Classified as the high-end SUV, Rexton is likely to compete with its own home land production Mahindra XUV 500. The vehicle will likely be priced in the ₹20 lakh range.
