If there’s one nameplate that people relate Tata Motors most to, it is the Safari. For most of its life, the seven-seat SUV was the most expensive model from the homegrown carmaker and a thoroughly loved nameplate. It vanished from the automobile scene with the demise of the Safari Storme. Now, however, it is making a comeback! Remember the Gravitas? That will become the new Safari.

Tata Motors says that the resurrected Safari will hit showrooms in January 2021. As for the bookings, they should open in a few days. As per the company, Gravitas was just a codename. So was Buzzard, which is what the seven-seat Harrier flaunted at the back during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. And all this while, we thought the real codename was H7X! Confusing!

Coming to the new Safari, it will become Tata’s flagship offering. Built on the same OMEGARC platform as the Harrier, the upcoming seven-seater will be over 6cm longer and about 8cm taller than the donor car. The wheelbase, however, will remain the same. As you’d expect, most of the kit will be shared between the two SUVs, including the powertrain.

The FCA-sourced 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine will produce the same oomph – 168bhp/350Nm. Tata will offer it with a 6-speed manual as well as a 6-speed automatic transmission. In addition to an extra row of seats, the new Safari will also flaunt a tweaked design. That could include different bumpers and alloy wheels. At the rear, the upcoming SUV will have a more upright stance than the Harrier. Don’t rule out the option of a 4×4 system with the Safari as the platform does offer that flexibility. Tata says that OMEGARC can also accommodate electrified powertrains.

Once launched, the new Tata Safari will compete against the MG Hector Plus and the Mahindra XUV500. The latter of the two will soon enter the next-generation. And, if you haven’t been paying attention, Hyundai too will join the party with a seven-seat version of the Creta.