Twenty years ago, Project Scorpio transformed Mahindra from a vehicle assembly company to a respected local manufacturer and a global player in the automotive world. Culminating in its first in-house conceptualised and designed model, the mid-sized Scorpio SUV established the brand’s automotive credentials and served as blueprint for future projects.
With the new Scorpio-N, now also sporting Mahindra’s new Twin Peaks logo, Mahindra keenly emphasises the links between newcomer and original, using the letter N as the ‘sting’ to complete the analogy. No, it doesn’t stand for Neo (as used to rename to TUV300 to Bolero Neo) or Next-Gen, according to Mahindra it stands for “Scorpio, to the power of N”.
Besides completing the scorpion reference, the letter N is also used creatively as styling motif – as rendered by the elongated ‘sting’ of the N on the exterior and interior nameplates, the defined shape of the front DRLs, and most prominently, on the curvature of the chrome surrounds of the rear side windows.
Built on a completely new third-generation platform, the Scorpio-N is bigger and bolder than its previous avatar and sets new benchmarks for Mahindra in terms of technology, sophistication, ride and handling, appearance, and safety. It is also the first body-on-frame SUV to secure a five-star rating in the Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) crash-test protocols.
DIESEL POWER ONLY
To steer clear of rivalling the petrol-driven XUV700 in the local market, Mahindra has launched the Scorpio-N in diesel form only. The proven 2.2-litre mHawk engine, now revised and more powerful, delivers 128.6 kW and 400 Nm of torque, and is coupled with a six-speed auto transmission and either a 4×2 or 4×4 drivetrain.
The 4×2 comes with three driving modes: Zip, Zap and Zoom. According to Mahindra, Zip mode is for smooth riding in traffic, Zap for true SUV performance, and Zoom for a more engaging and exhilarating ride. The 4×4 model is now equipped with the impressive 4XPLOR intelligent terrain management and electric shift-on-the-fly 4×4 system with rear diff-lock, a transfer case and low-range gearing.
Only the 4×4-models, in Z8 and Z8L trim (the 4×2 is also available in entry-level Z4 guise), were available at the launch, and their interior trim was impressive, with top-notch coffee-black leatherette upholstery and high-quality details providing for an upmarket ambience to the cabin. The centre console has metal-finished dual rails, the 8” touchscreen infotainment system is Android Auto and Apple Car Play compatible, and the Sony 3D Immersive Sound System delivered top class audio.
In terms of safety, driver, passenger, side, and curtain airbags are standard, as well as ISOFIX child safety anchorage points and driver drowsiness alert. Other standard safety features include hydraulic brake assist with electronic brake pre-fill, and an automated brake wiping system (cleaning the brakes of debris every few seconds in wet conditions).
IMPRESSIVE DRIVING DYNAMICS
During the recent launch on the Cape West Coast, we found the solid build quality of the Indian-built SUV imposing, as well as its on-road ride quality (on par with the rest in this class), dynamic competencies, and assured handling capabilities – thanks to a four-link rear suspension with Watts-link and Frequency Dependent Damping (FDD) technology.
However, its real strengths are its excellent ride comfort on bumpy dirt roads, more so at speed, and its remarkable off-road prowess – it scales stones and rocks with the same agility as its arachnid namesake – thanks to the bespoke electric shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive system with rock, sand, mud, and mixed terrain settings selected via a rotary dial.
All this is available at a price point (R590,000 for the top-spec Z8L model) undercutting its direct rivals, except for the less refined BAIC B40 Plus, by more than R100k – the comparable Toyota Fortuner 2.4 GD-6 model goes for R698,200, the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.4 Aspire for R794,990 and the Isuzu mu-X Onyx for R895,900.
Mahindra’s timing is impeccable too, as the new Ford Everest is now playing in Prado territory, leaving a huge cost gap in the. Besides, the Scorpio-N has another sting in its tail…as the initial model was the donor for the Scorpio Getaway pickup of 2006, now known as the Pik Up and assembled locally.
LAST WORD
The development of a bakkie derivative of the Scorpio-N is a distinct possibility. Given the popularity of the current Pik Up, such a vehicle, offered at the same affordable prices, will most certainly cause a major upheaval in the local bakkie market. Get your orders in for the Scorpio-N, as the prices quoted below are only valid until end March 2023.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © MAHINDRA SOUTH AFRICA
