Mahindra is working on an all-new Scorpio for the Indian market (codenamed Z101) and has now confirmed that the SUV, expected to be launched next year, will be one of the vehicles at the helm of its future model lineup. The all-new car will be the fourth generation for the SUV since its launch in 2002. Here is all you need to know about the new Scorpio.
Evolutionary design
The Scorpio has been all about presence and it looks like Mahindra won’t be changing that aspect too much. Familiar elements to the new Scorpio include the grille, vertical tail lamps, rear tailgate with hinges on the side and the flared wheel arches. What’s evident is that the tall boy roofline has been ditched in favour a sleeker roofline.
The standard workhorse of the new Scorpio range will be the BS6 compliant 2.2-litre diesel that produces 140bhp/320Nm. However, this generation of the Scorpio will also get a new TGDi petrol engine that Mahindra showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo. It’s a 2.0-litre unit from the mStallion family of engines and produces 190bhp/380Nm. Both the petrol and diesel units will be offered with a six-speed MT and a six-speed AT. We also expect the ladder-on-frame chassis as well 4WD to be offered with both engines.
Spy images indicate an all-new interior for this next-generation Scorpio with new steering (borrowed from the Alturas G4) 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display as well as vertically-oriented central vents. Early spy images have also shown a drive selector mode which will most likely comprise city, sport and eco modes and will be controlled via a rotary dial on the dashboard. Given its segment, we expect climate control, power driver’s seat, second and third row AC vents along with soft-touch plastics on the dashboard and doors. The length of this car has been increased and so we expect a longer wheelbase leading to more space in the cabin.
Competition and price
The Scorpio is Mahindra’s answer to the likes of the Nissan Kicks, Renault Captur, Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross as well as future models from Ford and Tata. It will continue in the same price bracket as the current model which is Rs 12.39 lakh to Rs 15.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
Next-generation Scorpio pickup truck
Mahindra has also indicated that it will launch a new pick up truck along with the next-gen Scorpio and XUV500. It’s expected to be based on this new-gen Scorpio and depending on the market will be sold as the Scorpio pik-up/pik-up/Goa. It will make use of the same engine, underpinnings, feature list and come both in single cab and double cab design.
