Mahindra S101 and U301 details spied

Mahindra & Mahindra, the home-grown automajor, would launch three all-new SUVs in India this year and the three SUVs are – S101 micro SUV, U301 compact SUV, and Quanto facelift. Now, the S101 sub 4-meter SUV has been spied in the production guise for the first time with body panels and lights. Also, the U301 SUV has been snapped with production-spec headlights, front grille and front bumper, which clearly states that both the SUVs are ready for their market launch.

Talking about the Mahindra S101, it would debut an all-new design language which we haven’t seen before in any of the company cars. However, as it is still being tested under heavy camouflage, so one has to wait till the home-grown automaker unveils it. It would go up against the Ford EcoSport which is – being the only SUV in its segment – enjoying an interrupted run in the country. It is learnt that Mahindra S101 would be launched around the festive season of Diwali 2015 in a price bracket of INR 4.5-7 Lakhs (on-road). It would carry a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, diesel engine and an all-new petrol engine. The possibilities of an AWD variant looks bleak, while an AMT variant is on cards alongside the standard five-speed manual gearbox.

Coming to the Mahindra U301, it would flaunt company’s trademark muscular front fascia like several other company SUVs such as Scorpio, XUV500 and current-generation Bolero. Contrary to the S101, it would be aimed at rural buyers. It is based on the modular third-generation ladder frame chassis, which we have already seen in the new Scorpio. Mahindra U301 would be powered by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged, common rail, mCR100 diesel engine. This engine, already on offer with the Quanto compact SUV, would be re-tuned for the U301. Just so you know, this engine belts out 100bhp of maximum power and 240Nm of peak torque with Quanto. Being dubbed as the next-gen Bolero, it would be advanced, up-market and premium than the current Bolero with pricing said to be lesser than INR 10 Lakhs (on-road) for the top-end variant.

Source: ICB