2.5 liter diesel Mahindra Bolero DISCONTINUED: BS6 effect!

The Mahindra Bolero is by far the best selling utility vehicle in India and also the best selling vehicle for Mahindra for a long time. First launched in 2000, the Bolero still carries the same basic DNA though it has received a couple of upgrades over the decades. However, now Mahindra has decided to put a close to the 2.5 litre powered Bolero models which have been a part of the model lineup for many years now. The reason behind this move can be attributed to the upcoming stringent BS6 emission norms. The 2.5-litre diesel engine on Bolero came mated to a 5-speed manual and churned out 63 PS of power and 195 Nm of torque.

Another major factor behind this decision is the BNSVAP (Bharat New Safety Vehicle Assessment Program) safety norms, which again have been ruled out as mandatory for all cars being sold in India. The regular versions of the Bolero powered by the 2.5-litre unit have been discontinued altogether for the same. To let you know, the BNSVAP norms have made it compulsory for manufacturers to equip their cars with several safety features like ABS, an airbag and seatbelt reminder among others as standard.  However, the 2.5-litre Bolero models had almost no safety features which is why it has now been discontinued.

This does not mean that the Bolero won’t be available for sale any more. Mahindra recently updated the safety features on the Bolero Power Plus and it will continue to be on sale. The Bolero Power Plus now comes with ABS, driver-side airbag, reverse parking sensors, speed alert and front occupant seatbelt reminder as standard. It is powered by the mHawk D70 1.5-litre diesel engine which churns out 71 PS of power and 195 Nm of torque. The BS6 version is yet to be introduced but is expected to be launched during the first quarter of 2020. Also, this engine has already been given a BS6 certification by ARAI. Mahindra had earlier confirmed about its plans to upgrade the 2.5-litre diesel to be BS6 compliant by next year.

Apart from this, the manufacturer is also developing an all-new 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine that will power several of its new models. This includes the next-generation Thar, new Scorpio and the new XUV500 SUV. Barring the XUV500, the other two vehicles have been spotted testing several times till date and it is expected that Mahindra will showcase them at the upcoming 2020 New Delhi Auto Expo with a launch following later. The new generation Thar will be bigger, more powerful and feature-rich than the last generation model. It will be based on the Scorpio platform and will come with company fitted hardtop and front-facing rear seats along with several other enhancements.