New Delhi: Homegrown auto major Mahindra & Mahindra will be launching its new compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) named TUV300 in mid September. This comes right after it launched face-lifts of Thar and XUV500, its flagship SUV.
The model will be a compact version of Mahindra’s consistent seller Bolero. The company will continue to sell both models.
“The TUV300 is a compact sub-four metre SUV. This will be a true blue SUV and not a crossover that is mainly the case in the market now,” said M&M Executive Director Pawan Goenka. “We will share more details of the product around the time of launch in mid-September,” he said.
The TUV300 is expected to compete with the likes of Toyota Etios Cross, Hyundai 120 Active and Fiat Avventura which are priced at a range of Rs 6.23 lakh and Rs 8.89 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
M&M had introduced a compact SUV Quanto in 2012 but its sales have lagged. With customers shifting more towards compact SUVs, as evidenced by the success of Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster, automakers are rushing to launch more models in this segment. The latest was Hyundai’s Creta compact SUV.
The design of the Mahindra TUV300 has been inspired by a battle tank with raised shoulders, high front nose, flat roof, high ground clearance and straight bonnet, the company said. However, it will not have a four-wheel drive.
“In our ongoing automotive journey, we identified a need for a tough, bold and masculine SUV and our customer clinics have confirmed that the TUV300 delivers on these parameters,” Goenka said.
The TUV300 is an all new SUV platform. It has been designed and developed in-house by the Mahindra design team. The research and development of Mahindra TUV300 has been carried out at the Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai, the company added.
M&M President & Chief Executive, (Automotive) Pravin Shah said the vehicle will be manufactured at the company’s manufacturing facility Chakan in Maharashtra.
