The new line up of petrol engines have been developed in collaboration with SsangYong, and will power a host of offerings in Mahindra’s lineup starting with the upcoming XUV100 compact SUV.
Making its re-entry in the compact SUV space, Mahindra launched the TUV300 earlier this month and spoke about the future possibilities with its new set of products while also confirming the launch of new petrol engines on its vehicles. It will be for the first time that the predominantly diesel car maker will be venturing into petrol powered cars in recent years. While the TUV300 uses a three-cylinder diesel engine under the hood, Mahindra’s next compact SUV XUV100 (codenamed S101) will be the first model across its stable to adopt the gasoline powerplant when it goes on sale early next year.
The new line of petrol engines have been developed by Mahindra in collaboration with partner SsangYong and will power offerings from both the companies. The engines have been developed in different cubic capacities including a 1.2-litre three-cylinder unit for the S101, a 1.6-litre unit found on the SsangYong Tivoli and a larger 2.0-litre four-cylinder motor that could power the XUV500 in international markets. It is not clear as yet if the engines feature turbocharging or any fuel saving technologies. That said, the new engine range is believed to be Euro VI compatible and will be using certain common parts to keep the production costs low. The powertrain is currently under development at Mahindra’s R&D facility in Chennai.
Unlike the TUV300, the Mahindra XUV100 (or KUV100 as per some reports) will be positioned as a crossover and gets softer lines, rounded profile and an urban looking front fascia, going by the spy shots. The XUV100 will be battling it out with premium hatchbacks and the corresponding crossovers; moreover, the deregulation of diesel prices also prompted a shift in the market favouring petrol vehicles. Hence, it makes sense to introduce a petrol motor since there is an appreciable demand. The new 1.2-litre petrol unit though will be offered in addition to the new 1.5-litre mHawk diesel engine that made its debut on the TUV. Transmission options could include a 5-speed manual and AMT paired to both engines.
