Mahindra has been extensively testing its upcoming Scorpio facelift at various locations in India. This time around, it has been spotted in Pune where its Chakan production facility is located. The company has been testing its prototype mules at different weather conditions around the country for durability and reliability. The most recent spy shots indicate that the car is production ready and we can expect the company to launch the vehicle in India in the first half of 2014.
The spy shots indicate that the prototype of the facelifted Scorpio being tested is that of the top-end variant. The SUV sports projector headlamps that has the smoky effect for appealing aesthetics. The tail lights have also been completely redesigned with a rectangular profile to gel with the overall design of the SUV. The bonnet has been re-engineered with an air-scoop placed in the middle.
On the inside, the prototype SUV features beige interiors with fake wood inserts and the AC vents are rectangular in shape. The centre console seems to be upgraded since the prototype SUV features an integrated touchscreen head unit. The seating arrangement is similar to the current setup of 2+3+2 where the last two seats face each other. In essence, the interiors will be inspired by the XUV5OO.
The facelifted Scorpio will be propelled by the same 2.2-litre mHawk turbo diesel motor. This engine produces 120 BHP of power and 290 Nm of torque. The same engine could be tuned to produce 140 BHP of power and 330 Nm of torque on the facelifed model. However, the engineers at Mahindra are yet to come out with a redesigned gearbox to handle such high torque output. Therefore, the former setup is anticipated with regard to the engine. The ground clearance has been marginally improved on the facelifted Scorpio.
The lower variants will be available with a rear-wheel drive setup while the higher variants will be available with a shift-on-the-fly all-wheel-drive setup manufactured by Borg Warner. Safety features like twin airbags, ABS and Electronic Brake Distribution will be standard on the top-end variants. A 6-speed automatic gearbox is also on the cards for the facelifted Mahindra Scorpio.
The Scorpio has been seeing an intense competition from the Renault Duster in terms of sales in the domestic market and the facelifted version is expected to boost volumes for the company. Pricing details are yet to be divulged and it is likely that the car will be showcased at the upcoming Auto Expo in Delhi.
Source – CarToq