Mahindra Scorpio

The Scorpio is a good example of Indian design caliber; its beefy masculine stances and exploding engine guarantee a second look. The huge hulky car stands out in a crowd. It is available in 3 diesel variants - 2.6 LX, SLE and M2DI. The LX and SLE are powered by a 70 bhp 2.6-litre turbocharged diesel engine on the and a same size 115 bhp turbocharged DI engine on the M2DI. With more refinements from A-Z, the new Scorpio is definitely improved. It gets 6 bhp more and the third gear is taller, which makes it faster. Fuel economy in city and sprinting capacity has also been improved, and the engine is now quieter.

Mahindra&Mahindra recently introduced a pick-up variant 'Getaway' that is perfectly suited to the changing lifestyles and tastes of people opting for SUVs in India. The new design targets youths who are obsessed with rough and tough SUVs to go on adventure trips and outings with friends and family.

The Getaway variant comes with superb off-road capabilities, excellent towing capability and cargo space, and generous interiors. It is offered either in two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive configurations. The 2.6L engine is the same as that on the other variants of the Scorpio. It is coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. The most distinguished feature on the Getaway is its big and uniquely shaped loading bay which is greatly useful in hauling huge quantities of cargo.

With not many visible exterior changes, the Scorpio has undergone some cosmetic changes inside. All the refinements made, are to push the vehicle through the Bharat III norms. Mahindra's in-house design and the latest refinements are welcome, making the Scorpio better.

The improved 5-speed manual gearbox has some advantages; the sprinting speed has improved considerably and gear shifting throws are shorter. The 2.2-liter CRDe and the 2.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine with a Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDi) engine system make the vehicle quicker at passing with increased bhp and smoothness. The light weight mHawk engine delivers fuel impressive efficiency and an innovatively designed two-stage chain system of hydraulic lash to cut down engine noise levels significantly.

The optional four-wheel-drive has been discontinued. The five link zero friction rear suspension and the independent front suspension give a smoother ride. The car has quicker responses; its steering and stability at high speeds have been improved. Earlier Scorpio had a leaf spring suspension which was not best fitting to the car, later Mahindra have finally fitted the Scorpio with much needed coil spring suspension. This hi-tech suspension used in Scorpio proves the advanced engineering perfection of Mahindra.

The aggressive stance is prominent from every angle of the vehicle. It has macho touches and gives a feel of strength and ruggedness. Though the rugged and sturdy Getaway is built in pick-up truck style, it leaves an impression of being set to take on anything that comes in its way.

The number plate is repositioned with a modified grille, which gives more breathing space to the engine. The hood, bumpers and lines extending from the front wheel fenders to the rear fenders are all muscular. The large wheel wells gel with its beefy structure. The VLX stands on alloy wheels and comes standard with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), an engine immobilizer, a cruise control system, and solar glasses.

The interiors of the Scorpio are plush, and the well-sculpted steering wheel has enough grips and can be tilted. The dashboard is convenient with attractive gauges and controls, seeking no effort to read the gauges. The bucket seats are comfortable, with individual armrests in the front row and movable middle row for increasing the legroom with common arm rest. The air vents and legroom in the rear have scope for improvement. It needs to be more spacious for taller passengers, despite the raised roofline at the tail to increase headroom. Scorpio offers comfortable seating for 5 persons and offers well designed fabric seats with fire-resistant upholstery. It comes with a host of good features such as individual armrests on 1st row seats, tiltable power steering, power windows, central locking and swivel interior lamps.