Tata Motors successfully bagged a contract to supply 1392 units of their Tata Safari Storme vehicles to the Indian armed forces. The car was put through a number of tests to ensure it met the three Request for Proposal (RFP,) given by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD.) The MOD asked for air conditioning, hard roof and a minimum payload capacity of 800 kgs. The machine was also put through a 15 month test drive in different terrains to test its capacity. The car passed all the tests with flying colors and has become the new vehicle for the armed forces replacing the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy.
The Defence Business head of Tata Motors, Vernon Noronha commented on their new contract, “We are very proud to have received this prestigious order for over 3000 units of the Safari Storme under the newly formed GS800 category. Tata Motors has been a leading supplier of mobility solutions to the Indian armed forces and this order is a testimony to our partnership with the country’s security forces. This variant of the Storme has been modified from the one available for civilians with an upgraded drive train and significantly modified suspension. The Safari Storme was conceived and designed keeping in mind the need for a rugged, comfortable and reliable vehicle, making it popular with law enforcement agencies. We will shortly commence delivery of these vehicles to the Army and Navy in a phased manner.”
The Tata Safari Storme hit the streets in 2012 for the public. This SUV is powered by a 2.2 litre diesel engine, 320 Nm of torque, and a 156 horsepower. The car comes with a 5 speed manual transmission and an all wheel drive system. But this particular model has been modified to suit the needs of the armed forces.
