First Impressions

We have cars that are new or fairly new in our long term fleet and the reason is to tell people how they feel to live with and help them with their buying decision. So then, the Safari Storme that was launched a few years ago is certainly an aberration. And that is not only because my boss loves it but also because the Safari Storme is here to stay. In spite of the competition coming up with cosier cars, modern designs and also despite the launch of the new Varicor 400, the Storme with the old 320Nm setup sells better and we want to know why.

For our generation, the middle-aged car nuts, the Safari is one of the childhood heroes because of its flamboyant image and powerful persona. While the rich and famous have moved on to fancier brands, the Safari remains one of the tallest SUVs in town. That towering balcony of the driving seat and a glass wall wrapped around, the Safari has one of the most powering views from the driving seat. The chair like seats give you that feeling of invincibility which may tempt you to venture on trails and come back with stories for another day.

It may not only be about the big burly size or the sculpted bodylines or the odd-looking chrome applique on the grille that reads Storme, it might also be for its old school charm – a rugged do-it-all machine. Something that can manage the highway and city, road and no-road successfully over the years ferrying you comfortably. The space inside the cabin is humungous unless you seat someone on the jump seats in the boot. The serene grey-black combination in the cabin adds that vintage air to the dashboard layout that would probably look best in sepia.

So what lies ahead is the part by part story of meeting with your hero and putting him through the paces. I might be seeing things through tints right now, but, over three months, we should be able to tell you what works for the Safari Storme and what does not and why the old oil-burner still has a place in our hearts.

Picture Credits: Kapil Angane