The automotive division of Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) unveiled the Scorpio Classic based on the ongoing third generation of the SUV.
Much more than a mere rebadge, the company has not only made aesthetic changes but also revised the powertrain and chassis setup.
To be available in two trim levels, Classic S and Classic S11, the Scorpio Classic gets the second-gen 2.2L mHawk diesel mill producing 130hp and 300Nm torque under the hood. M&M claimed that the engine is 55 kgs lighter than the powerhouse it replaces and provides 14% better fuel economy over the older engine.
Additionally, the engine gets paired with a newly developed six-speed manual transmission with cable shift technology. On the chassis front, the Scorpio Classic gets double wishbone suspension with coil spring – IFS with anti-roll bar at the front, while the rear setup includes a multi-link coil spring with anti-roll bar. Both the suspension pair come fitted with MTV-CL dampers, helping reduce the body roll and improving high-speed handling performance, M&M claimed.
To be produced at the Mahindra and Mahindra’s Nasik facility, the Scorpio Classic will be offered with three seating options such as seven seats with two+three+two setup, seven seats with two+two+three setup and nine seats with two+three+four setup.
Coming to the aesthetic changes, the Scorpio Classic features M&M’s new twin peak logo. At the front, it gets new headlamps with static cornering technology along with updates to bumper design, skid plate design, grille, fog lamp and DRLs.
The side profile of the SUV remains quite identical to the outgoing product. The only changes to be seen are the new 17-inch diamond cut alloy wheels and dual tone cladding at the bottom.
While at the rear, Mahindra and Mahindra has re-introduced the tower LED tail lamp as a homage to the second generation Scorpio along with the new Scorpio Classic badge.
The interior of the Scorpio Classic has also been updated with a black and beige interior theme. The seats now get premium cloth upholstery, while the steering wheel gets a leatherette wrap.
Meanwhile, the infotainment system now gets a 9-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, AUX and USB connectivity, 16 GB of internal storage, audio, video playback and hands-free calling.
Available in the new shade of Galaxy Grey while retaining old colour shade options, namely Pearl White, Napoli Black, Red Rage and D’Sat Silver, the Scorpio Classic comes with dual airbags, ABS, a digital immobiliser and a speed alert with panic brake indicator and auto door lock as standard.
Setting The Tone For The Classic
During the unveiling of the Scorpio Classic, M&M noted that the brand had sold over eight lakh units since its introduction in 2002. Officials from M&M stated that over 50% of the Scorpio customers are millennials.
Speaking to Mobility Outlook, M&M officials said that the company expects nearly the same sales figure of around 3,000 for the new Scorpio Classic as was the case with the outgoing model.
They added that while the Scorpio N is targeted towards bringing a new set of customers to the Scorpio bandwagon who are looking for new and sophisticated technology from their vehicles, the Scorpio Classic is targeted towards the core Scorpio fraternity.
Interestingly, the outgoing model’s majority of the sales were from Delhi NCR, western UP, Bihar and Rajasthan. The official from M&M noted that the Scorpio Classic is expected to retain these markets as the major ones.
They added that with the changes made to the Scorpio Classic, M&M also expects a fair share of customer base increase from the Tier-I and Tier-II cities.
Interestingly, M&M earlier noted that the new Scorpio N has a higher preference in the urban setup, with around 77% of the bookings coming from the urban areas, while the outgoing Scorpio saw an urban share of only 45%.
With prices to be revealed in the last week of August, the officials from M&M confirmed that the Scorpio Classic will see a price overlap with the Scorpio N.