Mahindra is working on launching a host of new products in the Indian market in the next one and a half year, a majority of which will be SUVs
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has thoroughly worked upon its brand perception in the Indian market, and has managed to win people’s trust over the years. As of now, Mahindra is one of the most popular carmakers in the Indian market, and there is certainly no looking back. Mahindra currently has six offerings in its Indian line-up, but the carmaker plans to add a slew of more products soon.
While the majority of the segments that Mahindra operates in are SUVs, the situation is expected to remain similar in the years to come. Here is a list of 7 cars that Mahindra will be launching in the next 12 – 18 months –
1. New-gen Thar
It’s no secret that Mahindra is currently working on bringing a generational update for the Thar this year, with the new SUV being spied on test numerous times already. Looking at the spy shots suggests that Mahindra aims to modernise the SUV, without altering its rugged quotient – which also means that the boxy design will be retained.
The new-gen Thar is expected to be offered with features like a touchscreen infotainment system, a semi-digital instrument cluster, front-facing rear seats, a separate hard-top variant and more. Powering the SUV will likely be a 2.0-litre diesel motor producing 140 PS, along with a 2.0-litre T-GDi turbo-petrol engine with 190 PS power output. Transmission options could include an optional automatic for the first time, apart from a 6-speed MT.
2. New-gen Scorpio
The Mahindra Scorpio has never really received a generational update, but that is going to change very soon, with the homegrown carmaker working on bringing a new-gen model for the seven-seat car next year. The car has already been spotted on test a couple of times, but Mahindra is yet to confirm a launch timeline.
Apart from the cosmetic upgrades, the new SUV will also be getting a new cabin with premium touches here and there, as well as a whole lot of new features. Powering the car will likely be a set of 2.0-litre turbo diesel and turbo petrol powertrains, that will also be performing duties on other Mahindra SUVs. Upon launch, the new-gen Scorpio will put up against the likes of the Kia Seltos as well as the Hyundai Creta
3. New-gen XUV500
Just like the Scorpio, the XUV500 also continues to march on in its original first-gen avatar, but with certain refreshes over the years. However, the rising competition in the mid-size SUV segment is forcing Mahindra to finally bring a new-gen model in order to keep the XUV500 relevant in the market.
Spy shots of the new-gen XUV500 revealed that the updated SUV will be offered with features like a floating touchscreen infotainment screen, a digital MID, a flat-bottom steering wheel, improved seat cushioning as well as flush-type door handles seen on high-end cars.
Powering the car will likely be 2.0-litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol mill producing 190 PS power and 380 Nm torque, and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine. Mahindra is expected to launch the new-gen XUV500 in India next year, and the car will go on to rival the likes of the upcoming MG Hector Plus as well as the Tata Gravitas.
4. BS6 TUV300
The TUV300 wasn’t the best-selling Mahindra car, but it did perform fairly good, and Mahindra introduced a mild facelift for the car in May 2019. However, Mahindra has removed the car from its official website since it was not upgraded to comply with the stringent BS6 emission norms.
But recent speculations suggest that Mahindra is working on launching a BS6-compliant version of the TUV300 this month itself, and the changes will not be limited to a cleaner engine, but the SUV is also expected to feature some cosmetic updates. The BS4 TUV300 came equipped with a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine rated at 100 PS/240 Nm.
5. BS6 TUV300 Plus
The TUV300 Plus was the seven-seat version of the TUV300, and just like the five-seat version, the former was also removed from the Mahindra website. However, a camouflaged prototype of Mahindra’s TUV300 Plus has been spotted testing in Chennai with some minor cosmetic changes.
The TUV300 Plus was previously offered with a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine producing 120 PS power and 280 Nm torque, but we expect the updated car to get a new 2.0-litre diesel engine, which will of course be BS6-compliant. The power and torque outputs are expected to remain same, or could even slightly improve.
6. XUV300 Electric
With Tata launching the fully-electric version of the Nexon in India earlier this year, Mahindra did not want to sit back, and unveiled the XUV300 Electric concept at the 2020 Auto Expo in February. It should be noted that the car that was showcased was still a concept, and is expected to be brought to India only by the end of next year.
The XUV300 EV is expected to be capable of fast charging, and have a total range of around 350 km on a single full charge. On the styling front, the fully-electric SUV will likely get some distinctive design elements over the donor car, including a covered radiator grille, different alloy wheels as well as some blue touches here and there. The car is expected to be priced around the Rs 15 lakh mark.
7. e-KUV100
Mahindra introduced the e-KUV100 in a near-production form at the 2018 Auto Expo, and then went ahead and displayed the production-ready version of the car at this year’s Auto Expo with a price tag of Rs 8.25 lakh, making it the most affordable EV in the Indian market as of now.
However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the e-KUV100 couldn’t hit the markets, but we expect its official launch to happen soon. The e-KUV100 comes equipped with a 15.9 kWh battery pack that supports fast-charging, which can juice the battery up to 80 per cent in just one hour. The battery pack offers a range of 147 km on a single full charge. It gets a 40 kW electric motor that powers the front wheels and puts out 54 PS of max power and 120 Nm of peak torque.