Mahindra Scorpio Launched In 2002 For Rs. 5.5 Lakh – Then & Now

Launched From Rs. 5.49 Lakh

Mahindra Scorpio will receive a brand new generation next year and here is how it fared over the years as its evolution is explained in detail

The Scorpio nameplate is synonymous with its ruggedness and off-road characteristics – two qualities in which the brand Mahindra built its reputation on over many decades. Along with the Bolero, the Scorpio is easily the most popular model from Mahindra in the early parts of last decade and they did pave way for a range of modern SUVs in recent years.

Mahindra & Mahindra introduced the Scorpio back in June 2002 and it came it many advancements for its time and as expected, it quickly became a favourite among Indian customers. The first in-house made Mahindra model was launched on the 50th anniversary of the SUV manufacturer and only a handful of engineers worked on the whole project with some inputs from Austria and Japan.

The Scorpio had a starting price of just Rs. 5.50 lakh (ex-showroom), about Rs. 50,000 cheaper than the Toyota Qualis MPV. Just a while later, it gained a minor update with the inclusion of features such as a two-tone exterior, rear centre armrest and more premium seats. Mahindra’s global aspiration with the Scorpio was evident from the word go, as it was exported to Europe, christened the Goa.

 

 

The original model was offered with a 2.6-litre turbocharged diesel engine capable of 116 bhp and 200 Nm and a 2.0-litre Renault-sourced petrol (116 bhp and 187 Nm) was also part of the lineup before getting axed due to low demand. A five-speed manual transmission sent power to only the rear wheels. In April 2006, Mahindra debuted the facelifted version of the Scorpio that had been gaining good traction in sales charts.

Following the showcase of the hybrid diesel powertrain and a pickup truck at the 2006 Auto Expo, the latter entered the market under the Scorpio Getaway name in June 2007 and a year later the updated Scorpio arrived with a six-speed automatic transmission.

2009-mahindra-scorpio

With a price range of Rs 7.21 lakh to Rs 9.2 lakh (ex-showroom), the Scorpio incorporated micro hybrid (idle start/stop) technology in the 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine that produces 118 bhp and 280 Nm.

In 2008, the Scorpio became the only budget SUV to offer an AT with a diesel engine. The Scorpio certainly had its equipment list upgraded every time it went through a revision. Courtesy of the cosmetic updates, it features a new headlight cluster, redesigned hood with the addition of hood scoop around the same time.

Mahindra Scorpio Adventure Limited Edition launched

The Mahindra Scorpio was given a second facelift in September 2014. Said to be based on a new platform, it received a redesigned front fascia, updated rear and XUV-inspired rear door, a new dashboard while a revised automatic variant was launched in 2015. The facelift was priced from Rs. 7.98 lakh and it went up to Rs. 11.46 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).

The heavily updated interior had a new steering wheel with audio control buttons, six-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, GPS navigation, and new instrument cluster and horizontal AC vents, integrated 2-DIN music system, Intellipark, and voice assist. The MPV was brimmed with features such as rain sensing wipers, cruise control, tyre pressure monitoring system, voice assist, reverse sensors and follow-me-home headlamps.

Mahindra Scorpio Interior

In November 2017, the Scorpio saw another mid-cycle update but with minor design changes. Priced from Rs. 9.97 lakh, it encountered revised variant names and the top-spec 4WD trim was quoted with a price of Rs. 16.01 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The presence of a new turbocharged meant the engine’s power output grew by 20 bhp (140 bhp and 320 Nm) and a new six-speed manual gearbox was also introduced.

The 2.2-litre mHawk Diesel engine was offered in two states of tune – 120 bhp and 140 bhp. The base variant used the older m2DICR engine with 75 bhp. The Scorpio has been a workhorse performer in the sales charts for the homegrown UV specialist over the years and its consistency should not be undermined. It reached four lakh sales milestone in late 2013 and two years later, the five lakh unit sales target was achieved.

Mahindra Scorpio3

Currently, the Scorpio is sold only in S5, S7, S9 and S11 trims, and it costs between Rs. 12.59 lakh and Rs. 16.45 lakh (ex-showroom). It will be switching to the next generation in 2021 with a completely upgraded exterior and interior. It sits on a brand new architecture and the features list is expected to be brimmed as well.