Mahindra Marazzo MPV & S201 compact SUV to go AMT

Mahindra will offer automatic variants of the recently launched Marazzo MPV and the upcoming S201 code-named compact SUV. However, the automatic transmissions on both these vehicles will not be a conventional torque converter automatic but rather an automated manual transmission.

The 6 speed manual gearboxes of both the Mahindra Marazzo and S201 will be automated to make for an affordable, convenient and fuel efficient option for buyers. While the Mahindra S201 AMT will be launched early next year, the AMT variants of the Marazzo will take another year to arrive and we expect it to be here before April 2020, in time for the Bharat Stage 6 emission norms.

Both vehicles will get the same 6 speed AMT along with the 1.5 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged diesel engine with 121 Bhp-300 Nm on tap. This engine was recently introduced on the Marazzo, and will also power the upcoming S201 compact SUV, which is a sub-4 meter version of the Ssangyong Tivoli.

While the Marazzo is priced between the Maruti Ertiga and Toyota Innova Crysta in terms of positioning, the S201 will go head to head against the likes of the Maruti Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon. The new sub-4 meter compact SUV is just months away from launch, and will also get a turbocharged petrol engine option in addition to the turbo diesel motor.

It’s highly likely that the petrol powered variants of the S201 will also get the AMT option. There is yet another Mahindra car that will soon get an AMT option – the KUV100. Scheduled for launch in early 2019, the AMT variants of the Mahindra KUV100 have been spotted doing the final rounds of testing around the automaker’s Kandivali factory in Mumbai.

The KUV100 AMT will be offered with both petrol and diesel engine options. The current crop of engines will be retained. The vehicle will be Mahindra’s most affordable automatic car in India. We expect prices to start from around Rs. 6-6.5 lakhs for the KUV100 Petrol AMT.