The manufacturing alliance between Fiat Auto and Tata Motors is unfolding rapidly with Fiat Automòveis now testing the Tata Safari in Brazil with the SUV expected to be built alongside a new pick-up in Argentina.

Earlier this year it was revealed that Fiat and Tata Motors were investigating building a pick-up at the former's underused car plant at Cordoba in Argentina, as part of an in-depth study into areas in which the two companies could strategically cooperate. Production of the Fiat Palio hatchback at the Cordoba plant ceased a few years ago when the Argentinean economy faltered and the moribund plant now just produces some mechanical components. Last week it was confirmed during the Fiat Investor Presentation at Lingotto that a 1-ton pick up would be assembled at the plant, and badged by both Fiat and Tata. Initial production is slated for 25,000 units per year with the launch date set for the second half of 2008. The pickup will also be exported to Europe where it will be sold under the Fiat brand name.

Alongside the pickup, Fiat are currently evaluating to practicality of building the Tata "Safari" SUV. Several Safari models are now busy pounding the roads around Fiat Automòveis' Betim factory in the Minas Gerais region. The new 1-ton pickup vehicle is expected to be built on the Safari's architecture so excellent economies of scale can be achieved by assembling both models at the Cordoba factory. The Tata Safari model was first launched in 1998 as a 90 bhp turbodiesel SUV, but weighing more than 2,000 kg it was regarded as quite underpowered. A facelift last year addressed this overriding issue by incorporating the option of Tata's DICOR (Direct Injection Common Rail) commercial engine.
 

DICOR is a 2956cc in-line, 4-cylinder unit that is able to develop 115 bhp at 3,000 rpm, and 290 Nm of torque in the range of 1,600 to 2,000 rpm. The DICOR engine was sourced for the Safari from the Tata 407, a truck from the Tata Motors commercial range.

The Tata Safari is 4810 mm long, 1918 mm wide, 1925 mm high and with a wheelbase of 2650 mm. Its off-road capable suspension features independent double wishbones with torsion bar at the front, and coils springs with 5 links at the rear. It has ventilated disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear, and 235/75 R 16 tyres fitted all round. It also has a 6 metre turning circle and a 65 litre fuel tank. The top specification model, fitted with the the DICOR power unit, has seven seats and comes with a range of features including roof lining and rear-of-seat located LCD monitor screens, a DVD player, a compact refrigerator and multi-zone heating.

However the Safari is a heavy SUV: the 2WD version weighs 2,115 kg, with with the 4x4 option incorporated it comes in even higher at 2,225 kg. This excessive weight is believed to be concerning the Fiat Automòveis engineering development team, as well as the suitability of the DICOR engine to the South American market. Their attention is expected to focus on reducing the SUV's weight before it enters production at Cordoba, while replacing the DICOR unit with one of Fiat's own common rail turbodiesel engines is also a likely scenario.