Mahindra to deliver 1,470 units of previous-gen Scorpio 4WD SUV to the Indian army.
Mahindra has received an order of 1,470 units of the Scorpio from the Indian Army. While an official tweet from Mahindra mentions that it has received orders for the Scorpio Classic, which is the updated version of the SUV, the actual vehicles seen here seem to be previous gen Scorpios. It is evident from the older look, older design for the alloy wheels and absence of Mahindra’s new ‘Twin Peaks’ logo. Unlike the Classic which is available only as a RWD, the army spec model gets 4WD tech and also a tow hitch.
- Army-spec Scorpio gets 4X4
- Likely to be powered by a 140hp diesel engine
What’s also different in the army-spec Scorpio is the black panel in the position of the upper section of the vertically stacked tail-lights. It is likely to be done to minimise the damage to the external components.
On the inside, the army-spec Mahindra Scorpio features grey and black interiors, and in terms of equipment it gets a touchscreen and climate control. There could be some additional features for the army-spec model, details of which are not known.
Even the powertrain details are under wraps. However, considering this is the older model, it is likely that the army-spec Scorpio is powered by the 140hp, 2.2-litre engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The new Scorpio Classic, on the other hand, gets the updated 130hp, 2.2-litre diesel engine.
In the past, the Indian Army has procured the Tata Xenon pick-up, Tata Safari Storme, and the Maruti Suzuki Gypsy – which has been the faviourate of the armed forces for almost two decades. In May 2018, Tata Motors has showcased army-spec three-door Tata Safari Storme with a soft-top. However, the vehicle could not enter the service in the armed forces.
In March 2022, we had reported that the Indian Army had started looking to replace 35,000 units of the Gypsy SUV in a phased manner. The Scorpio could be one of its replacement models. The armed forces are also looking to integrate EVs into their fleet and the Air Force recently added 12 Nexon EVs to its fleet.
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