It was a red-letter day for Mahindra South Africa when the local company linked live with its parent in India for the all-new Scorpio reveal – and to offer auto journalists a brief drive in the newcomer expected to launch early next year.
At the same time, the parent company unveiled its new logo that will adorn all new products, including the XUV700, which will go on sale locally later this year.
New Mahindra logo
The new flagship of the SUV range certainly looks fresher and sleeker. A brief drive on the Ride & Handling track at the Gerotek testing grounds near Pretoria returned the impression of a competent and stable handler with plenty to offer in terms of fit, finish and the all-important tech spec.
The new Mahindra design is a collaborative effort between Pininfarina from Italy and Mahindra India Design Studio (MIDS) in Mumbai. The teams handled engineering at Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) near Chennai and Mahindra North American Technical Centre (MNATC) in the USA. With manufacturing at the facility in Chakan, Pune, the All-New Scorpio-N is indeed a global product.
Sachin Arolkar, Head of International Operations, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, says, “We are happy to have simultaneously unveiled the all-new Scorpio-N in South Africa and Nepal alongside India. The new brand identity is in tune with Mahindra’s focus on making sophisticated and authentic SUVs. It heralds a strategic shift across our SUV portfolio, where we are putting the building blocks in place for a new world with a range of authentic SUVs.”
“Our decision to include South Africa in the global reveal of the Scorpio-N is a clear sign of our commitment to the country as our second home outside India. Mahindra South Africa is regularly on the list of fastest-growing SUV and bakkie brands in the country and we look forward to introducing our next-generation models here and welcoming more South Africans to the Mahindra family,” says Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.
Bigger and bolder SUV
The bigger and bolder Scorpio-N, laden with safety and technology, represents the fact it raises the game to the power of N.
The Scorpio-N navigates terrains through a TGDi mStallion (Petrol) engine with 149,14 kW of power and 380 Nm of torque and a mHawk (Diesel) engine with 128,6kW of power and 400 Nm torque, offered in both 6-speed Manual and Automatic Transmissions with 4X4 as an option.
The latest generation body-on-frame structure is optimised to feature the Penta-link rear suspension and the segment-first watt’s link mechanism to enhance ride and handling attributes.
It features 4XPLOR intelligent terrain management technology via the electric shift-on-the-fly 4Wheel Drive System with three drive modes to match the driver’s mood – Zip, Zap and Zoom. Zip for smooth riding through traffic, Zap for a Mahindra SUV performance and, Zoom for more engaging and exhilarating ride quality.
Ample space and all-leather interior
“The new look of brand Mahindra with its formidable product range shall enable its customers to explore the terrains of South Africa in a most adventurous way. No matter if it’s city roads or the gravel backroads of the Karoo. The visual overhaul of our identity will be done in a phased manner across our nameplates of SUV and lifestyle pick-ups, and across all the virtual and physical touchpoints where our customers interact with us,” says Arolkar.
“Our new logo is more than just a visual change. It heralds a new growth phase for Mahindra in South Africa,” says Gupta, “In the coming months, customers will see a complete rejuvenation of our approach and several exciting new additions to our range of authentic SUVs and lifestyle bakkies.”
An SUV ready for whatever adventure
The reveal of the new Mahindra Scorpio N was indeed a memorable day. The new model has stuck to the Mahindra formula of making authentic and sophisticated SUVs.
Click on the link: https://youtu.be/ouRSUcDHD4w for a brief intro to the SUV of tomorrow.
