While the Mahindra S201 will be a compact SUV, the U321 is expected to be an MPV
After disappointing us by not showcasing the S201 at the Auto Expo 2018, Mahindra has now confirmed that it will launch the Tivoli-based SUV in the country by this year’s festive season. It will be accompanied by the U321 MPV, which is also expected to go on sale before the 2018 festive season. Expect Mahindra to keep a gap of a few months between the launch of these vehicles.
The confirmation of the launch of these vehicles comes from Pawan Goenka, MD of Mahindra and Mahindra, who reportedly said, “We have a couple of refreshes happening in the next 2-3 months. And two big ones – S201 and U321 – which is likely to happen between now and next festive season.”
The S201 is a compact SUV based on the SsangYong Tivoli, a SUV that is already on sale in some international markets. It is expected to get a 1.2-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine.
Mahindra has also been spotted testing a sub-4m SUV alongside the S201. However, it will be very different from the S201 in terms of exterior styling and interior space. Related: Mahindra Is Developing Yet Another Sub-4m SUV
Mahindra is expected to launch both the Tivoli-based SUVs in India by 2019. Read more about them here. The S201 will go up against other compact SUVs such as the Hyundai Creta and the Renault Duster, while the sub-4m SUV will rival the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Honda WR-V, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and Mahindra’s very own TUV 300.
Where the S201 is a compact SUV, the U321 will be a 7/9-seater MPV. It is expected to be Mahindra’s first monocoque bodied MPV (Xylo was a body on frame MPV) and also the first India-bound product to be developed at Mahindra’s North American technical centre. The U321 will not be limited to India as the carmaker has already confirmed that it will be a global product. If the rumours are to be believed, mechanically, the U321 is expected to feature a new 1.6L diesel engine that has been jointly developed by Mahindra and SsangYong. The U321 has also been spotted testing on Indian roads. When launched, it will rival the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga & Renault Lodgy.
Other than these two, Mahindra is also gearing up to launch the next-gen models of the Scorpio and the XUV500. The new models will be based on new platforms that are again jointly developed with SsangYong and will also get new engines complying with the upcoming BS-VI norms. Related: Next Generation Mahindra Scorpio and XUV500 Coming Before 2020
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