Mahindra eager to launch XUV Aero Coupe-SUV

New Delhi: The coupe-SUV debuted at the 2016 Auto Expo in February as a concept and now Mahindra wants to bring it to production. While Mahindra is eager to launch the XUV Aero, the homegrown manufacturer hasn’t yet zeroed in on the business viability of the car. For now, initial engineering work has been carried out, as the Mahindra hints at a launch. It just has to be sure of the demand for the XUV Aero and once it is arrived at, a launch will soon ensue. That could mean two-plus years in production before the launch. Mahindra also throws light on the conundrum that premium offerings by indigenous manufacturers may not be well-received, while foreign-born luxury carmakers have a considerable back home to fall back on. This, M&M believes, despite the positive reception for the XUV Aero back at the Auto Expo early this year.. Standing out from the crowd The XUV Aero is a coupé-SUV crossover concept based on the XUV500. It features a suicide door on one side and shares styling elements with the Mahindra SUV. The prototype has been built by the Mahindra Group-owned Italian design firm Pininfarina and styled in-house by the carmaker. The concept has multiple drive and suspension modes like Race, Off-Road, Street and Sport, and also gets an all-new 210bhp mHawk engine. M&M claims the XUV Aero can do 0-60kph in under 6 seconds.  The coupé-SUV segment in India currently only has models from major luxury brands like Mercedes and BMW with the GLE Coupe and the X6, respectively. The Mercedes GLC Coupe is also headed to India. With the aggressively styled XUV Aero concept, Mahindra seems to be considering an entry into this niche segment. The concept is also a demonstrator for Mahindra’s new infotainment and connectivity systems that will feature on future production models. If it does make it to production, the XUV Aero is expected to be an upmarket offering and will sit above the XUV500 SUV Source: vicky.in