The auto major is currently working on the petrol variants of Safari, Sierra and Estate and these MUVs will be launched after Telco's small car Indica hits the road in the second week of December, company sources told PTI here.

The petrol variants would have a higher bhp of 140 vis-a-vis 70 bhp of its diesel counterparts. However, both the versions would have the same engine displacement of 1948 cc.

The sources said Telco had no plans to wheel out its best selling MUV -- Sumo -- with a petrol engine. There were no immediate plans for a soft-top Sumo either, they added.

The Estate model, after a brief absence from the market, would soon make a comeback with added features like turbo charged engine and better interiors, the sources said.

Estate model, priced over Rs five lakh (in Delhi), had made aretreat from the market owing mainly to the poor sales. Telco was developing the petrol MUVs to tap the export market as well as a niche segment in the country, who want their vehicles to deliver more power and driving comfort.

Once dealers of Indica were fully equipped with servicing facilities for petrol vehicles, the petrol variants of the MUVs would be launched, the sources said.

``Our dealers are not yet ready to service petrol vehicles. Once Indica is launched, the petrol MUVs would be introduced as the dealers would be well placed to offer service for these vehicles as well,'' the sources said.

The petrol variants would be launched in this financial year itself, they added. Indica, Telco's first offering to the Indian middle class family, is also the first petrol vehicle from the company known mainly as a truck manufacturer. Commercial production of the new car has commenced at the Pimpri plant near Pune, the sources said.

Both diesel and petrol versions of Indica would be simultaneouslylaunched in three variants each to take on similar cars from Maruti, Hyundai, Daewoo and Fiat.

Telco has already put in place 51 dealers across the country for the small car, besides roping in Tata Finance and ANZ Grindlays Bank to provide customer finance.

Telco had bought a seven-year-old Nissan line and paint shop from Australia at a price of $20 million to set up manufacturing facility for the car. The company has also hired an automobile expert Joe Consiglio, who was earlier with the US auto giant Chrysler, to supervise manufacturing and quality control at its plant.

The most prestigious project of the Tatas, Indica has a start-up cost of about 1,700 crore, with its break even volume put at 60,000 units per year.