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-   -   Tata Merlin - Safari replacement? *UPDATE* Uncovered Pics on Pg 90 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/92206-tata-merlin-safari-replacement-update-uncovered-pics-pg-90-a-78.html)

from the latest news from trusted resources (now dont ask insiders names please) i have learnt that tata has just paused for a moment.

also this will be treated as better safari on aria platform, more stable and more fun to throw around corners.

the pricing will be similar to current safari.

global SUV project stands cancelled for time being, but a new project is likely to be kicked off :)

This is definitely the XUV effect. God bless competition. God bless Mahindra to get sense into TATA clap:

Not to distrust your trusted sources, but could this be another rumour generated to regain those Safari buyers who might be waiting for Merlin?

Also any word on duration of pause? (..why would they reveal anyway if the purpose is as speculated above?)

Yours truly for one, is one of them and it's quite likely that there are others like me in the same boat. Quite likely that the long standing Merlin rumour has affected Safari sales. (Well Safari bashers, I am referring to only that class who is interested in Safari but holding back due to Merlin rumour. Let's not start Safari-issues rant and other analysis of Safari sales figures on this thread.)

That's all the more a reason to suspect that the "delay rumour" is being spread to clear the current Safari stock?

nopes. dont think on those lines. elections are already round the corner and the stocks will be cleared easily.

and the class which you are referring to- those who are waiting for merlin are very few to be honest.

the class which loves safari will go ahead and but it, most of them dont even know what merlin is.

If you go to the ARIA thread and search for my posts - i was the one who had told everyone that the pricing will never be below 12 lacs.
people were speculating that its pitching against XYLO or innova

that time i had already seen the bill of materials i.e BOM which was already 10 lacs plus.

for the time being i have to trust my resource as he is amongst the top positions.
he told me that this is the current plan, subsequent decisions may or may not change.

ok further let me tell you all that there were some quality problems found in certain vendors after critical testing - this has also caused delays.

Really? Who'd buy a product whose next version is believed to be so close to launch (remember web rumours giving dates from July all the way to Diwali as the launch date) - even assuming you love current Safari?

Even on BHP threads I saw a few buyers interested in Safari saying if the launch is that close they'd like to wait.

There are also threads advising, hire an SUV for your immediate needs, but wait for a buy.

If that is true, the Moment has been pretty long.

There have been test mules around for ages, and others snapped with plastic shrouded interiors, so what was the hold up? Why did Tata pause - was it just to reconsider the price? Any clue when this moment will end?

And if this is on the Aria platform, will be priced similar to the current Safari, and offers nothing more than to be more stable - then (to me) the most important question is: Have they improved the Quality?

I mean, if it is Reliable, and everything works as it should, that would fulfil most of the criteria current prospective Safari owners are looking for. Oh, and please do confirm if the news of the (reduced) turn-radius is true.

OT: please don't disappear completely as others with inside info have, after a couple of posts :p

Thanks amit for the inside scooup ..
But they are kick starting another project NOW !!

The merlin was supposed to be developed and launched in a time frame of 18 months and its already been more than 36 !! :deadhorse

Even if they start on a completely new project without any ado then also it will take them at least an year and a half before the testing , developing etc gets completed . By that time the XUV and other competitors such as Duster etc would have captured a certain share of the market.

Also if it will take them 18 more months where will the current safari stand ? Its numbers are bound to decline because of the new entrants into the market!:Frustrati

I hope Tata does something soon , really soon .

The best part that i could extract of the whole info :) .
I was thinking of going for something in the range of 7 lacs in a few months, but will wait and collect some more , may be by the time merlin is launched my finances allow me to buy one! clap:

I doubt even Ratan Tata has the kind of insider contacts that some posters claim to have have within TML.

Not meaning to offend anyone, but the info coming from various sources seem to differ. One claim simply contrasts with the other. I guess the best thing to do is simply wait for Tata to launch the actual car!!

Don't get me wrong. I agree they must have paused... Sorry i mean Frozen. :D

Now to kick of a new project, means another 36Months for the project to take shape, unless they already have some project which is expected to launch in last quarter of 2012, and Team Bhp Masters are not aware off. (Highly unlikely)

Hence I could presume that this is another Smoke...

I would request the Mods to please lock all treads pertaining to Safari, until and unless there is some concrete new coming. As we Safari Lovers keep waiting for the updates on Safari desperately and it’s just painful to keep reading these inside sources information & Damaka News which end up being Smoke from everywhere possible.

Note:- no offense meant to any one and I speak for myself. Requesting in the interest of keeping the Quality @ Team BHP always high.

I think merlin will be launched next year as 2012 Safari. While the global SUV merlin would have to wait while TATA's plan a monocoque chassis based design.

please: this is total misinterpretation of what i said earlier.

tata is going to launch the MERLIN 99% in Jan 2012.

the new project will be for global SUV. a similar project was kicked off during merlin development but was stopped.

seems you got confused by thinking that merlin is paused and it will take more 36 months to launch lol:


well the quality is certainly they key factor in Merlin and tata has worked a lot on it. but to be frank many people dint like the dashboard. even the person in the dev team dint like it :)

i have no news about reduced turning radius. i will try to dig into it though.

i will post as long as i have correct information which is confirmed from multiple sources from within.

I understand what you have posted in your post 1156 & 1159. And understand that Safari Upgrade (Code Named Merlin) will be launched soon. But no one can confirm by when it will be launched and how it will be positioned (above / lower the current Safari).

We all BHP-ian & I understand that there is a Completely New SUV (Global SUV) in process and was supposed to launch by end of Next year. But as per you “currently it on Pause… Sorry it’s frozen”. Taking that point ahead, it means a new project would take 36months min for development, and the upgraded Safari (Code Named Merlin) would bear the burden on its shoulders to take the SUV market for TATA Ahead. We all will agree that, Against the XUV 5OO and also the Scorpio it’s highly unlikely the upgraded Safari (Code Named Merlin) can stand its ground.

Hence Most of us Safari Lovers were hoping that the Global SUV would be the right change from the current Safari which now is delayed indefinitely.

What I requested to the MOD’s in my posit 1165 is that, as there is no clarity of anything let’s not keep positing news of Damaka’s or launch dates until and unless we have any proper confirmed data as it’s already 78 pages and no proper confirmation.




Regarding the upgraded Safari (Code Named Merlin),
Totally agree the Dashboard is BAD.
So is the Squarish cladding which dose not seem to gel with the rounded top.
Agree that Quality has to be their Key Focus area.
We are glad to receive confirmed information, and thanks for keeping us updated.

Looks like TATA is quite serious about quality this time. clap: Otherwise this is something they didn't find out / bother to find out for long enough now !

And that's the ALL-NEW-SAFARI ?!! Can a product be launched from drawing board to real life in 18 months? I would rather think it will take easily 2 years+ [assuming XUV 500 took 4 years to launch?]

yes tata is progressing very fast towards becoming a more mature passenger vehicle manufacturer. quality is becoming a key in all its new products now.
we havent heard of any niggle/ problem in ARIA, have we? also Manza is very good product along with the new vista.


well we cannot compare XUV development time to tata's development time.
anything is possible now as tata has the land rover technical capabilities with them now.