Mahindra is the largest utility vehicle manufacturer in India and is on the verge to expand its offerings coming under the sub 4-metre category in order to enjoy the strict excise duty benefits. The manufacturer already has the sub 4-metre Quanto doing good volumes. Next in line is the Mahindra Verito Vibe hatchback, which is expected to launch within a few weeks of time. A major product under works for Mahindra is a sub-compact SUV, codenamed S101, which is expected to lift the automaker’s fortunes.
Recently, the S101 compact SUV has been spotted testing heavily camouflaged. The entry level SUV will be positioned under the Quanto with an affordable price tag to churn out big volumes for the company. The development of the baby SUV is at its initial stage as we can see that the test mule is heavily camouflaged with temporary headlights and tail lights. The compact SUV is likely to be sculpted on a monocoque chassis with XUV500 derived exterior styling, while the interior elements will be shared from Mahindra’s existing lineup to keep costs under control.
We expect Mahindra to offer both diesel and petrol engine options with the S101 compact SUV, as the manufacturer is jointly developing compact engines with SsangYong. The diesel version is expected to feature the 1.5-litre version, while the petrol engine under development is likely to be around 1.0-litre to 1.2-litre in capacity. Sitting under the Mahindra Quanto means that the S101 will be priced between Rs. 4 lakhs to 6 lakhs, competing with the likes of the upcoming Ford EcoSport. Earlier, we also heard that Mahindra is developing an upmarket version of the S101, which will be codenamed as S102.
Source – Motor Vikatan Facebook
