Fresh images of Benelli’s 2020 TNT 600i have surfaced online and unlike the previous spy shots that seem to have been shot at a production facility in China, these images appear to have been shot in a studio.
What’s interesting is that this version of the new Benelli TNT 600i looks markedly different than the motorcycle in the previous spy pictures. For instance, the LED headlamp on the bike spotted in China had a contemporary, vertical design, while the one in the studio image has a completely different one that seems to be inspired by the Benelli TNT899/ TNT1130. It has the same, twin-eyed shape that gives the bigger TNTs their unique identity and the company could possibly freeze on this design to give the new TNT600i a family face.
The fuel tank looks almost similar to that of the bike spotted earlier, albeit with a slightly more angular design and a repositioned Benelli badge that sits on the blacked-out portion of the tank. Also note the turn indicators are integrated into the tank extensions, unlike the conventionally mounted stalks on the bike in the previous spy shot.
Another design element that looks different is the split seats, instead of a single-piece unit. This has also resulted in the elimination of the side panels under the rider’s perch.
Barring these cosmetic differences, the chassis, suspension, tyres and swingarm look identical on both motorcycles. The new TNT 600i will also ditch the twin, underseat exhaust layout on the outgoing model for an underbelly exhaust, much like the Benelli TNT 300.
It's quite strange that two near-production versions of the 2020 Benelli 600i have surfaced within a short span of time. It could possibly be a case of the company developing two different designs of the TNT600i to cater different markets. In our opinion, we do like the design of the bike in the new images, because it looks much sharper and more in line with the bigger Benelli TNTs.
The current Benelli TNT 600i is powered by a screaming, inline four-cylinder engine that develops 86.2hp and 54.6Nm of torque. It’s likely that the company will install the same engine in the new TNT600i, though, the power and torque figures may change after it’s tuned to meet Euro 5 emission norms internationally.
In India, however, the new Benelli TNT 600i will meet BS6 norms. Earlier this year, our exclusive story reported that the current TNT600i’s engine will be tuned to comply with BS6 emission norms as it still is a popular motorcycle in the Benelli India portfolio.
At Rs 6.20 lakh (ex-showroom), the TNT 600i is the most affordable four-cylinder superbike and we expect the new TNT 600i to continue sporting that tag, possibly with a slight bump in price to account for the extra hardware that’ll go into making it BS6 emission norm compliant.
To know what the 2020 Benelli TNT 600i’s eventual design will be, we’ll have to wait to see the final production versions, possibly at EICMA 2019, followed by the India launch sometime in early 2020.
Also see:
Benelli Leoncino 500 India launch in early August 2019