(October 1, 2010) The Tata Aria, the first Indian crossover and Tata's most expensive model, will be launched on Oct. 11. It will be made available across all major cities and towns of the country.

First shown as a concept at the 75th Geneva Motor Show in 2005 and in the New Delhi Auto Expo 2006, the Aria was unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Expo in January 2010.

According to Tata, the Aria brings together the luxury and finesse of a sedan and the muscle of an SUV at a commensurate price. It will set several benchmarks, with its design, technologies, comfort and safety.

The Aria’s development started in 2006.

Tata cites the long list of amenities on the Aria, saying that this is the first time that an Indian OEM has offered an electronic stability program on a vehicle. The Aria crossover has three rows of seating, 3D surround sound, dimming roof lamps, an in-dash GPS, multifunction steering wheel, dual-zone air-conditioning, cruise control, optional four-wheel drive and six airbags.

It is equipped with a 2.2-liter diesel engine that delivers 138 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.

The Aria is expected to carry a price from $26,000 to $28,000.