Check out this magnificent-looking digitally rendered model of a Mahindra XUV700-based off-road pickup truck, created by NStreet Design
Mahindra & Mahindra launched the XUV700 in India in September this year, and in just a short amount of time, it has managed to gain massive popularity in our market. The manufacturer has received way more orders than it had anticipated, which has pushed the waiting period for the SUV beyond a year! Its popularity is understandable, as the XUV700 has a lot to offer, in terms of looks, equipment, performance, and safety.
Although Mahindra XUV700 already looks brilliant, it would look even more so as a pickup truck. How do we know? Well, digital artist Noel George (NStreet Design) shared images of a digitally rendered XUV700-based off-road pickup truck online, and the pictures speak for themselves! Let’s look at all the virtual changes made to the exterior styling.
At the front, we see a new bumper with a heavy-duty bash plate. The black plastic cladding at the sides is thicker now, giving the XUV700 pickup truck a little more muscle. The track width has been increased at the front and the back, due to which the custom wheels and knobbly tyres poke out of the wheelarches. The doors continue to get the flush-type handlebars.
The ride height has been increased as well, along with suspension travel, and side steps have been added to ease ingress and egress. The passenger cabin has been chopped short to accommodate the loading bed, which has pair of spare wheels strapped in, inspired by Dakar rally pickups. The taillights are way simpler than the stock XUV700, and the new tailgate sports ‘Mahindra’ and ‘4×4’ branding.
The rear bumper is new as well, and it gets a bash plate, along with an integrated centre step. Both the front and rear bumpers both get two tow hooks each, great to pull the vehicle out of literal sticky situations. Other design details include integrated grab handles/bungee points on the bed, a roof carrier, a roof-mounted auxiliary LED light bar, and a limited-slip differential.
The XUV700 get two engine options in the real world – a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol unit and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel unit – both available with a choice between a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission. While only the diesel version gets the 4×4 option, both the engines are powerful enough to go on off-road adventures.
It would be great if M&M takes a dive into the lifestyle pickup truck segment, but that seems unlikely. The brand already has a lifestyle SUV in its lineup – Thar – which is enjoying the same level of popularity as the XUV700, if not more.
