Tata Motors on Thursday launched a petrol version of its sports-utility-vehicle Safari, which it hopes will help the company achieve at least 15 per cent growth in passenger vehicle sales to about 120,000 units this fiscal.

The Safari EXi having 2.1-litre engine would be sold for Rs 935,000 for the two-wheel drive option and Rs 10.22 lakhs (Rs 1.02 million) for the one with four-wheel drive, vice president (passenger cars) of Tata Motors, Rajiv Dube told a news conference.

The new model will supplement the existing diesel Safari, which retails at between Rs 724,000 to Rs 11.36 lakhs (Rs 1.14 million).

"Presently, we are selling 280-300 units of the diesel Safari every month. The Safari sales grew by 18 per cent last year and is growing by 18 per cent this year. We believe that with the augmentation of the petrol version, the range should see some additional numbers coming in the next few months," Dube said.

On total passenger vehicle sales, Dube said the company should be able to achieve at least 15 per cent growth in sales at 180,000-200,000 units this fiscal against 140,000 units sold last year.

Exports, he said, should grow to 8,000-10,000 units from 2,500 units in 2002-03, with most of the sales coming from Indica.

Tata Motors exports Indica to European countries like Spain, Italy and Portugal as well as South America.

It has forged a five-year supply agreement with UK-based Phoenix Venture Holdings, which owns the MG Rover group, to sell the car in that country, starting this fiscal.

As per the agreement, Phoenix will source about 100,000 Indica for selling in the UK and the rest of Europe as the City Rover while Tata Motors can sell the car in its own brandname in Europe but not in the UK.

Tata Motors open to global tie-ups

The company said it was still open to tying up with any international automaker to produce mid-size or premium sedans for the domestic market, over two years after it called off a similar proposed venture with European firm PSA Peugeot Citreon.