Published On Dec 22, 2021 04:00:00 PM
Current-gen Scorpio remains a popular choice for many buyers, and will get a variant rejig and minor cosmetic update.
The current-gen Mahindra Scorpio went on sale back in 2014 and after receiving facelift in 2017, the SUV still remains a strong seller for the brand with numbers averaging as many as 3,100 units every month. An all-new Scorpio (Code: Z101) is getting ready for a market launch in the first quarter of 2022; the next-gen model won’t replace the current Scorpio, but will sell alongside it.
- Current-gen Scorpio to continue to be sold alongside next-gen model
- Current model to get a minor cosmetic update later this month
- Variant line-up expected to shrink
Current-gen Scorpio: Why Mahindra doesn’t want to kill it
Ever since its launch in 2002, the Scorpio has grown to become Mahindra’s most iconic model of the 21st century. Nearly two decades on, demand for the Scorpio, which saw a full model change in 2014, continues to be strong and still is one of Mahindra’s bestselling (and profitable) models, thanks to its rugged body-on-frame character and rich legacy.
The Scorpio is popular with VIPs and security staff who especially like the side-facing jump seats at the back. This third row configuration and the side-opening tail gate makes it easy for security personnel and guards to jump out of the car and quickly provide a security cordon for their bosses. This is something that would not be possible with a forward-facing third row.
The flip side, however, is that crash testing agency Global NCAP strongly condemns side-facing third row seats and vehicles using this layout would automatically be penalised with a zero star rating.
In a recent interview, Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director, auto and farm sectors at Mahindra Group, had said that the company will aim to have atleast four-star rating for all its future products in the passenger vehicle segment. With Mahindra’s quest for attaining a NCAP crash test score of no less than four stars, the company may not equip the next-gen Scorpio with a side-facing third row layout in which case a large part of the Scorpio’s appeal would be lost. Thanks to the stringent crash test rules, the Mahindra Thar, rated at four stars currently, does not come with side-facing seats anymore that were offered at launch.
As mentioned by us earlier, the next-gen Scorpio will be a grounds-up new SUV based on a ladder-frame set-up with a completely new body shell and interior and will have almost nothing in common with the current model. With an all-forward facing seat layout, a long list of creature comforts and features, Mahindra will position the new Scorpio at a slightly higher price point than the current model, thus leaving enough room for at least the lower variants to be priced comfortably below the new-gen SUV.
The current Scorpio will also get a rejig in its variant line-up with higher well-equipped variants making way for the new-gen model, leaving only the lower two or three variants to be available for sale. Additionally, Mahindra is also readying a minor cosmetic update for the current-gen Scorpio to keep things fresh for some more time.
Expect more details on the Mahindra Scorpio line-up to be revealed in the coming months.
Also see:
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Discounts of up to Rs 69,000 on Mahindra XUV300, Bolero, Marazzo and more
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