The cabin appears extremely upmarket than the outgoing Mahindra Bolero while the tall stance and tailgate-mounted spare wheel give a brawny appeal to the upcoming compact SUV.
Knowing Mahindra by now, it is a given that each of its upcoming offerings will go through extensive rounds of testing that will last for years if not decades. With the company set to launch a new range of products later this year, Mahindra’s test mules are a common sight on the road as well as the internet by now as the testing phase gets more exhaustive with every vehicle. For this week, it was raining spy shots of the next-generation Bolero and the upcoming compact SUV was caught during its test runs in different parts of the country.
Our readers Sushant Dewan, Arun Subramanian and Vinoth Kumar caught the test mules of the 2016 Mahindra Bolero that is all set to make its debut in the second half of the year. Expected to be tested till the last vinyl is peeled off its body, the next generation Bolero will not only arrive in a new compact avatar but will also get more upmarket interiors that were spotted in production-ready guise on the test mule. As seen in the image below, Mahindra has put in a lot of effort to enhance the appeal of the new Bolero with a four-spoke steering wheel with controls, new audio system and faux leather wrapped gear shift knob lending a premium look. The dashboard and steering also get brushed silver accents that further enhance the look of the cabin.
Furthermore, Mahindra has juggled a lot of parts from other models in its lineup that feature on the new Bolero. The seats come from the Quanto while the steering has been lifted off the new Scorpio. The compact SUV will get a 2+3+2 seating layout with the last row getting side-facing jump seats. Compared to its predecessor, the length has been shortened to tuck under 4-metres in a bid to comply as a small car while the 1.5-litre diesel engine will propel the wheels of the new Bolero.
There is also the possibility of an AMT unit being offered on the 2016 Mahindra Bolero that will also be seen on the Quanto facelift that is set to go on sale later this year. Little is known about the launch details at present, but we expect Mahindra to commence its spree of launches in a few weeks as the company plans to bring over 10 products by the end of this calendar year.
