Tata Motors will launch a more powerful range topping variant of the Safari Storme next month, christened as Varicor 400. The 2.2-litre diesel engine will now come with a 6-speed manual transmission and more power.
The Tata Safari Storme got a mid-life update recently with mild cosmetic changes and new features along with some mechanical changes as well. The Indian carmaker was seen testing the Storme carrying a Varicor 400 badge since a long while but this variant was held back during the launch of the facelifted Storme. The new variant has now been spied without any camouflage, which is ready to hit the showrooms very soon. The more powerful Storme is expected to launch as soon as next month (around the 15th).
The 2.2-litre diesel engine now produces 155 BHP of power and 400 Nm of torque, mated to a new 6-speed manual transmission. To give you a perspective, the Varicor 400 produces 15 BHP and 80 Nm more than the pre-facelift Storme. The updated engine will be available with the range topping VX 4×2 and 4×4 variants. The LX and EX trims will continue to get the 148 BHP, 320 Nm engine. In spite of the heavy weight of Safari, the current engine managed to pull the SUV effortlessly and never does it feel underpowered.
The updated engine is likely to be explosive in straight line performance and even more relaxed with the additional gear on the highway for better cruising ability. There are no changes on the exteriors apart from the Varicor 400 badging on the front fenders. The interiors too remain unchanged. We expect the top variants getting the Varicor 400 engine to see a price increase of Rs. 30,000-40,000/-.
With the recent update, the Safari Storme got slight exterior revisions including a new grille and more chrome elements. The interiors got an all-black theme compared to the beige cabin of the pre-facelift model. It gets a new Zest inspired steering wheel, Harman audio system with Bluetooth connectivity and rear parking sensors. Some mechanical tweaks include 260 mm diameter self-adjusting light clutch and increased fuel tank capacity to 63-litres.
Spy Pictures Source – Team-BHP.com