Statistics for the month of October were released and things did not look good for Mahindra & Mahindra as it recorded a fall in its sales, depicting the kind of downfall Indian market has been going through. Therefore, in order to attract more buyers and register good sales figures, the auto maker has launched W4 variant of XUV500 Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) in the Indian auto market. Launched at an introductory price of Rs. 10.83 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai), sources claim that this variant will be capitalising on the rise in demand for utility vehicles in the country.
Notably, this model has been one of the most successful in the line-up of Mahindra & Mahindra, getting an excellent response from critics and customers alike. W4 is an addition to the existing line-up of XUV500 variants, which includes W6, W8 and W8 AWD. Industry experts feel that this car has the potential of performing really well in India. Reports regarding the launch of Mahindra XUV500 W4 variant had been surfacing since a long time in India. Since existing variants have performed really well, experts believe that this version is likely to ride on their success and register good sales figures.
A lot of features have been included in the new XUV500, which comes with a cheetah-inspired design. Mahindra & Mahindra has made a dedicated effort to make the entire package more attractive, thereby ensuring that customers get what they want. Aspects like technology, comfort and safety have been focused on, thereby making proposed changes. Pawan Goenka, President of Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors, was present at the launch of this car and spoke about the same.
"With over 74,000 vehicles on the road within two years of launch, the XUV500 is one of our most successful launches. As a customer centric organisation, we have incorporated customer feedback at every step and evolved and today's W4 model launch bears testimony to the same," he was quoted as saying. Sources close to this development suggest that Mahindra & Mahindra worked pretty hard on including changes that customers wanted to see in the XUV500.
This variant is going to be powered by the same 2.2-litre engine, which will be capable of delivering a maximum output of 140 bhp. A number of features have been incorporated in this SUV, such as projected headlamps with LEDs, twin HVAC, power adjustable ORVMs and Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake-force Distribution. 4-door speakers, integrated music system with CD/MP3, digital immobilizer and digital trip are some of the other highlights of this variant. There are a few safety features in this model, such as side impact beams, crumple zones for crash protection, tubeless tyres and disc brakes on all wheels.
Pravin Shah, Chief Executive of the Automotive Division of Mahindra & Mahindra, talked about how previous versions have done well. "since its launch in 2011, the XUV500 has carved a special niche for itself in the minds of Indian consumers. The launch of the W4 model makes the XUV500 proposition accessible to more customers who aspire to be owners of the cheetah-inspired XUV500. In spite of being an entry level model of the XUV500, the W4 model is technology laden and with this launch, we aim to attract sedan & compact SUV buyers who wish to upgrade to the XUV500,” he said.
The demand for utility vehicles has been rising in India with models like Renault Duster, Ford EcoSport and Mahindra Scorpio doing well consistently. Mahindra XUV500 has been a top performer for its manufacturer and has helped to attract customers, something it would like to continue with W4 variant.
