The upcoming new-gen Mahindra Scorpio will be lighter, more premium, get a 3D audio system, and most importantly, get a 4×4 drive option
Mahindra & Mahindra is all set to launch the next-generation Scorpio in India this year, likely by mid-2022. The new SUV has been spied multiple times on Indian roads, and there are plenty of speculations floating around about it. Recently, a few new details about the new Scorpio were revealed on a TeamBHP forum.
The report on the forum claimed that the new-generation Mahindra Scorpio will be 100 kg to 150 kg lighter than the current-gen version. A portion of that was managed by the engineers thanks to the extra time they got due to the delayed launch, owing to the pandemic. Also, the steering will be lighter than the one on the current Scorpio, but it will continue to be hydraulically assisted.
Mahindra will offer the same 3D Sony audio system as Thar on the next-gen Scorpio, likely with up to six or eight speakers. Also, the SUV will likely get Tan and Burgundy leather seats, which seems like quite a unique colour combo. It was also stated that the 4×4 drive system will be an updated version of the one on Thar, but tuned for better on-road handling.
The updated 4WD system will make its way to Mahindra Thar as well after the launch of the next-gen Scorpio. On the latter, the system will have a rotary knob instead of a shift lever for the transfer case, although it will continue to be a shift-on-fly system. The rotary knob will help the Scorpio feel more premium and upmarket than Thar.
The upcoming new-gen Mahindra Scorpio will be safe as well. The report states that the manufacturer can easily build an SUV with a 5-star Global NCAP safety rating, but due to cost concerns, it likely won’t aim for the top scores. We’ll have to wait for the actual GNCAP crash test report to know for sure.
As per previous speculations, the next-gen Mahindra Scorpio will be available with two engine options – a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol unit and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel unit – the same as Thar and XUV700. These powerplants will be tuned differently for the Scorpio, but the transmission options would be identical (6-speed manual and 6-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox).
Interestingly, the next-gen Mahindra Scorpio is expected to go on sale in the Indian market alongside the current version. We believe that the new version will be called ‘Scorpio Sting’, and the existing version will continue with the ‘Scorpio’ name.