Engine and Performance
The new generation Scorpio trundles along with the oil- burning, mHawk 2179 cc, 4-cylinder, CRDI unit and is boosted by a variable geometry turbocharger with an intercooler. It is rated for 120 bhp at 4000 rpm and 280 Nm of torque between 1800 – 2800 rpm. New is its mate, a 5MT320 5-speed manual transmission which promises to be a slicker shifting unit- more on that later. The Scorpio will be offered in six variants, the S2, S4, S6, S6+, S8 and the top of the line S10. While all these variants get the aforementioned engine, the lowly S2 variant gets to do with the clattery m2DICR 2.5-litre engine.
The light clutch action coupled with the light steering at slow speeds make piloting the big hustler though traffic an easy chore. The engine characteristic adheres to that trait, with minimal lag and generous low speed tractability. The behemoth wakes up above 2,000 rpm and delivers a very linear surge of torque all throughout, thereafter. It does feel a little sluggish though, especially under heavy load, but that’s just inherent diesel characteristic I guess.
Back to the new gearbox, the old, slushy unit isn’t a patch on this one. Shifts are definitely slicker and well-oiled, with absolutely no mis-shifts and gear mashes. Admitted, the shifter is tall and the throws are hilariously long, but that’s not a spot of bother considering how far the Scorpio has come today in terms of refining and grooming itself.
Ride and Handling
Under that newly toned body, the new Scorpio packs a few tricks up its sleeve. To start with, the body on frame construction stays, but benefits from an all-new chassis. Manufactured using an aerospace derived technique known as Hydroforming, the new ladder beneath is stiffer, lighter and stronger than the outgoing one, even though it’s visibly thicker. In fact Mahindra says that the new chassis is almost 100% stiffer than last time!
Suspension continues to be carried over which constituted of a double wishbone front and a multilink rear setup but it now features long-lasting polyurethane bushes instead of rubber. The track has been increased on both axles too, which results in a reduced turning radius of 5.4m- quite impressive for a SUV as we found out. The steering also gets a new collapsible system, while the rear axle gets refurbished as well.
So how do all these changes take shape? For starters, it feels a lot more planted and compliant on the road, with minimum choppiness and flex- you can feel that extra stiffness doing its bit to hold everything together. Rough patches are dealt with aplomb and the ride quality has definitely received a major boost.
The steering sadly feels vague and disconnected as the speeds rise. Though not exactly a boat anymore, the new Scorpio struggles a tad, but manages to hold its line when pushed hard. Of course, high speed antics in this big bruiser will leave you with sweaty palms, but that’s not why the Scorpio is here, is it? Save your joyrides with the 320d or something else of its ilk.
The brakes are good enough, but come across as a little spongy and lack that confidence inspiring bite. The new Scorpio uses ventilated discs up front and drums at the rear.
What’s astounding is the levels of NVH levels Mahindra have managed with this one. Pop the hood open and there’s a fair amount of sound deadening, insulation stuck on the inside- a part of what collectively bring NVH levels down. While the powerful, climate control chills the inside like a breeze, one gets a commendable amount of seclusion at all speeds. Wind noise and tire noise are non- existent and there’s just a distant, muted boom of the mHawk doing its bit at triple digit speeds. An effortlessly cool mile gobbler, the new Scorpio could be described as such.
Features and Equipment
Top end Mahindra’s have always had elongated feature lists. The new Scorpio doesn’t disappoint either. The top end S10 variant is bristling with stuff like rain sensing wipers, auto lights, tire pressure monitor, parking sensor, start-stop technology and more- all of this can be accessed and manipulated through the six inch touch screen on the center console, which also packs in a built-in navigation system. There’s also a shift on the fly 4WD drive system, but we didn’t get to try it out as the press vehicles didn’t have that feature. The new headlamps feature a smart Static Bending Technology which swivels the beam towards the steered direction- a boon on twisty roads at night.
Dual airbags up front are offered and so are ABS and the start-stop Micro Hybrid technology. One more interesting safety feature is the new Panic Brake Indication, which makes the hazards flicker under hard braking to make other road users aware of your intentions. The hazards also come on if one pops the bonnet open. All of those features aren’t exactly rocket science, but at least they expose some new tech to the masses. The basic variants on the other hand are pretty bare though, but those are just taxi operators’ delight.
>>Next page for Verdict, Price, variants and Technical Specifications>>
nice car i want this car some time
Old Scorpio model looking better than new Scorpio models.