[narayan]

Originally Posted by ashis89

- No 4x4? No rear tow hook -

I guess this must have been part of the specs requested by the Army. Since this must be mainly for movement of senior officers through decent roads, the 4X4 may not be required or maybe part of the procured lot is 4X4 and not this particular unit

- Side cladding on the door is missing and it hampers the looks
- ORVMs and door handles could have been painted

all cost cutting related. the procurement price must have been mouth watering. Hence costs have to be cut somewhere.

Why didn't they use all black interiors ?!! after all that was available in the face lift model if I recall.

[TusharK]

A test mule of what looks like the army-spec Tata Safari Storme was spotted in Pune.




Source: Cartoq

Link to Team-BHP News

[Alfresco]

Images and details of Army spec Safari Storme are out now.

Beige interiors!!

http://www.financialexpress.com/auto...fleet/1123810/

[condor]

Originally Posted by narayan

Why didn't they use all black interiors ?!! after all that was available in the face lift model if I recall.

The final supplied versions should have what the Army asks for .. including the interior colors..

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Negatives:
- No 4x4? No rear tow hook

Apart from Scorpio, I do not see any SUV having a 4X4 being equipped with a tow-hook.

Not that it helps, unless you want to have a trailer/motorhome. You can tow or be towed out with the other [not so prominent] towing point.

[amrutmhatre90]

Tata Safari Storme provided to the Indian Army does have 4x4.

Source

[Vid6639]

Beige interiors in an army vehicle with green camouflage colours. Tata couldn't make black interiors for the armed forces even?

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Beige interi ors in an army vehicle with green camouflage colours. Tata couldn't make black interiors for the armed forces even?

My 2018 Storme VX came with black n grey interior which would have suited the army vehicles much better. But I guess Tata wanted to clear away pre facelift storme's to the army at "attractive prices".

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by amrutmhatre90

Tata Safari Storme provided to the Indian Army does have 4x4.
Source

Some chants for the Fauji Storme !
- The company logo has lost its shine. That's good for camouflage.

- The upholstery in beige is enemy friendly. Should be OG or black or covered with camouflage cloth cover.

- The wheel covers painted in OG, (commonly referred to as olive green by Faujis) if made of engineering plastic is a misfit for the rugged terrains. It may part company with the wheels sooner or later.

- The headlight could have been redesigned, with its upwardly facing and sloping surface made vertical and enclosed in a cover, to avoid detection by flying objects to some extent. The ideal headlights are those of the WW Willys/ Ford CJ 2 A jeeps. But no new car/ jeep manufacturer follows such ideal examples. We have Mahindra Scorpios, without much alterations doing their duties for our forces.

- A similar treatment to conceal the slightly bulging taillight would have been more preferable.

- Tatas have supplied 7.5 ton trucks/ cranes since the mid 1950's (despite the then imports and the later, huge supplies by the Vehicle factory, Jabalpur ,to the defence forces) and they know the likes and specifications of our Armed Forces.

- The Safari Storme has done poorly in commercial sales and the new defence orders have surely given a booster dose to the ageing model.

During the WW II, even Chevrolet Fleetmasters supplied for private use by GM had blackened (otherwise chrome plated) spares on the car. The bumpers, front grille,headlight and taillight covers, door handles etc were all blackened.

Today it may sound obsolete, in view of the highly sophisticated night vision devices and powerful cameras, but these minor touches are still nevertheless relevant.

[Alfresco]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

- The upholstery in beige is enemy friendly. Should be OG or black or covered with camouflage cloth cover.

- The wheel covers painted in OG, (commonly referred to as olive green by Faujis) if made of engineering plastic is a misfit for the rugged terrains. It may part company with the wheels sooner or later.

- The headlight could have been redesigned, with its upwardly facing and sloping surface made vertical and enclosed in a cover, to avoid detection by flying objects to some extent. The ideal headlights are those of the WW Willys/ Ford CJ 2 A jeeps. But no new car/ jeep manufacturer follows such ideal examples. We have Mahindra Scorpios, without much alterations doing their duties for our forces.

- A similar treatment to conceal the slightly bulging taillight would have been more preferable.

Many ‘sahaab’ were extremely upset that they and their families had to travel in a non-ac, bouncy jalopy even though said jalopy is the best in the country in terms of ruggedness and go-anywhere capability.

The OG paint-job, jerry can, etc seem to be Mayapuri touches. You really think these vehicles will go in the field?
Sahaab shall come out to a 50C weather in the deserts of Rajasthan with a gun from his ac cabin to shoot the enemy?

Any self-respecting 4x4 driving person shall never choose an elephant over a mountain goat in rugged terrain like the Thar or the Himalayas.

[n.devdath]

It is pretty evident that is no/little modification done to the vehicle other than a few fittings here and there, which could, like a few of us have said, been done at a local garage.

While TML might know what the army needs, it also knows how to make money from existing inventories...!!!

Look at the steering wheel, dashboard, running boards and other stuff that Anjan has mentioned and it is evident that this is just a slap-on job of the vehicle with OG all over.

A few observations from my side: -

1. Those are NOT wheel covers, they are alloy wheels. Look closely and you will spot the brake hubs.

2. An under-chassis stepney for a reco vehicle?

3. No roof hatch/porthole?

4. No bigger tailgate step for ease of ingress and egress coupled with vantage point advantage? The Delhi police has this on their ageing Gypsies.


The only saving grace is that this will most likely be used as a flag car around the cantonments.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by Alfresco

Many ‘sahaab’ were extremely upset that they and their families had to travel in a non-ac, bouncy jalopy even though said jalopy is the best in the country in terms of ruggedness and go-anywhere capability.

The OG paint-job, jerry can, etc seem to be Mayapuri touches. You really think these vehicles will go in the field?
Sahaab shall come out to a 50C weather in the deserts of Rajasthan with a gun from his ac cabin to shoot the enemy?

Any self-respecting 4x4 driving person shall never choose an elephant over a mountain goat in rugged terrain like the Thar or the Himalayas.

While I am sure the Storme will never see "active" duty, I am not as disturbed by it as by your disparaging, condescending tone.

I hope that you are an officer and hence allowed to be self depreciating in your humour, because otherwise I think you'd better watch what you're saying. All officers of the Indian Army lead from the front, which is why the "sahab" to jawaan casualty ratio is at around 50% - one of the highest in the world.

I have a lot more to say but this is not the place so I suggest that you take that hint too.

Apologies to the mods for going off topic but my blood boils at these comments and this could Not have been handled via pm.

On the actual vehicle supplied, I think it will be an excellent staff car. Exactly suited for that purpose, with stature and comfort as required.

[Alfresco]

Originally Posted by VeluM

I hope that you are an officer and hence allowed to be self depreciating in your humour, because otherwise I think you'd better watch what you're saying. All officers of the Indian Army lead from the front, which is why the "sahab" to jawaan casualty ratio is at around 50% - one of the highest in the world.

I got this information when I showed a senior retired EME officer the details of the Safari.
The younger officers are the ones who lead from the front and have always done so.
They are aghast at the prospect of losing the Gypsy for field work. Ask any young officer - they are the ones who call it the mountain goat.
Safari will be good as a staff-car but not as a substitute in the field. They are already using various sedans as staff-cars.

BTW, staff-cars do not have Jerry can, towing hook, dull OG paint and black-out lights as part of their specifications.
You have the gleaming reflectors of the original headlight and then you have black-out lights on the front bumper?

This is what makes the whole thing suspect.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by Alfresco

I . They are already using various sedans as staff-cars.

BTW, staff-cars do not have Jerry can, towing hook, dull OG paint and black-out lights as part of their specifications.
You have the gleaming reflectors of the original headlight and then you have black-out lights on the front bumper?

This is what makes the whole thing suspect.

Let's put it bluntly, safari Storme is not a car that can be used on duty. The field that Indian Army works is 100% hardcore off-road where only "hardcore" mountain goats like gypsy can go.

Self respecting 4x4 (more like egoistic?) choose gypsy over other 4x4s. All other 4x4 are useless and the 4x4 is just a sticker job.

We are all more intelligent than the dumb deciding authorities at the great Indian Army who have chosen the wrong elephant car for their usage after 3 years of testing. But yes, Tata struck a better deal and there is a scam that will unfold in a few years.

And yes, when we, every other IT/corporate slave can avail EMI and travel in cozy sedans and SUVs, officers in a rank travelling in a humble safari Storme is a grave mistake!

[Alfresco]

The problem arises if they decide to use Safari in place of Gypsy, as the reports are suggesting. My whole point has been about effectiveness in the field.
For the field, performance should be the sole criterion for making a choice.
The people in the field are the ones that have to suffer due to wrong choices of their superiors.
The Gypsy is not the best and there is a lot that is wrong with it, but when it comes to Safari vs Gypsy in the field, it is the Gypsy that scores.

If you make any decisions or changes based on operational feedback then it should not be challenged.
The US Army started armour-plating of their Humvees and putting in bullet-proof glass after suffering a lot of casualties in Iraq as it was mainly urban warfare, unlike Afghanistan. The unintended consequence was that the vehicles became ovens due to the armour-plating and 3 inch thick glass. They then finally put in air-conditioning units in those Humvees so that the soldiers did not suffer.

And in every organisation, there is a difference between ‘for personal use’ and ‘for official use’.