Auto maker Mahindra & Mahindra is again making rounds, this time its the latest offering in the form of S101 (codenamed), which is believed to be the company's second compact Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) in India, to be up against the already hit Renault Duster and the recently launched Ford EcoSport. This new compact SUV is expected to be carrying a price tag of Rs. 5 lakh, thus making it the most pocket friendly utility vehicle in India.
Some market source made available the tentative design of the vehicle during test runs at a site in Tamil Nadu, in which it clearly seems that the upcoming model has been inspired by the company's flagship XUV500. The vehicle has been caught by some doing test runs, however, it was totally covered, so the complete detailing was difficult to catch. With parts like bumpers and headlamps not fitted, but one can still make out the overall pattern or design of the yet-to-be launched model.
As seen images depict, one can figure out that the stop light cluster being kept on both sides of the tail gate, while on Scorpio and Quanto it is kept vertically on the D-Pillar. The company has selected the bonnet style to be a clamshell kind. The effort to make the vehicle look more sportier than the other Mahindra vehicles, is reflected by the fact that the roof-line is a given a cool, refreshed and non traditional sporty feel. Another feature highlighted in the new design is the twin-box overall shape, indicating that it might be the shortest compact SUV present in terms of cabin space.
In a similar report, it has been claimed that the vehicle has a number of features common with XUV500, which happens to be the Mahindra's premium SUV till now. The SUV has been put to road in both the petrol and diesel variants and comes with an option of front-wheel drive also.
For the upcoming model, Mahindra & Mahindra is planning to develop a new six-speed gearbox, which will be available for all to see when the vehicle hits road. There were quite many rumours about the present SUV coming in six as well as eight-seater versions but, practically speaking it is really difficult to convert a two-box, sub-4meter design into an eight seater model.
