Tata Motors to launch petrol versions of Safari and Harrier SUVs in future

Tata Motors is aiming to expand its Safari and Harrier SUV lineup further with new engine options. Currently available with a 2.0-litre diesel engine, both the premium SUVs from the homegrown automaker will receive petrol engines, reported PTI. The report has cited a key official of the automaker stating that Tata Motors is working on a new petrol powertrain that would be utilised in the premium SUVs, which have been updated with a major facelift recently.

Tata Motors has recently launched the facelifted iterations of the Safari and Harrier SUVs. Both the premium SUVs have received a wide range of design updates and a host of fresh features. However, the powertrains remain majorly the same as both the SUVs come powered by the same 2.0-litre diesel engines as their pre-facelift versions. The engines have been updated to comply with the BS6 Phase-2 emission norms though. Now, the automaker is planning to expand the SUV lineup with petrol variants, which will offer consumers more options to choose from.

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Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director of Tata Motors' Passenger Vehicles division has reported said a 1.5-litre GDI petrol engine is currently under development and will be featured in the two SUVs going forward. The segment where both the Tata Safari and Harrier SUVs are positioned sees around two lakh units sold per year and 80 per cent of them are retailed with diesel engines. This market trend has propelled Tata Motors to focus only on diesel engines, the top Tata Motors official has reportedly said. "Our initial focus was on diesel for a simple reason that 80 per cent of the 2 lakh market for this SUV segment is basically diesel which means customers prefer diesel because of its better torque performance," Chandra said.

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However, despite the automaker focusing on diesel engines because of the higher demand for those engines, Tata Motors is now aiming to cater for the other 20 per cent of the segment as well. "But we knew that going forward petrol is also going to give aggressive price points (for the models) and also why one should leave 20 per cent of the market, so we are working on a 1.5 litre GDI engine," Chandra said further. He also stated that the work for the petrol engine is in progress as it requires proper development and besides the product has to be integrated with the engine. The top official also said that the launch of the petrol engine-powered Safari and Harrier SUVs are slightly far away but they will come for sure.