ICB Exclusive! Tata Safari Merlin caught testing near Tata Motors factory

Tata Motors is preparing for the launch of the new Tata Safari Merlin, an addition to the Safari range. Earlier we had posted spy shots of the car albeit from the front only. Now here are more images of the car which were shot by Team-ICB near the Tata Motors manufacturing plant in Pune. The Tata Safari Merling SUV could be ready for launch by June-2011 and could be priced at around Rs 12 lakh.

Proportions of the new SUV look similar to the that of the Safari. But, unlike the Safari, the Merlin is based on the Tata Aria platform. The new Safari Merlin rides on the same 16-inch rims of the Aria. On the front the gradually sloping bonnet of the Safari is replaced with a steeper Land Rover-ish front. The headlights look neat with integrated Xenon lamps. The model which we spotted could be the top-of-the-line model since it also featured fog lamps integrated in the front bumper.

 

The rear, much like the old Safari is flat and slab-sided. Inside, the test car had back-lit dials with a white back-light while the drivers seat had an arm rest. The AC controls also look neat with white illumination. However, overall interior quality on the test mule didn’t look at par with that of the Aria’s but since it was a pre-production version we can’t comment on it any further.

 

2011 Tata Safari Merlin spy shots Photo Gallery:

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