Maruti Brezza-rivaling Mahindra S201 compact SUV nearly production ready: New spyshots!

New spyshots of the Mahindra S201 code-named, sub-4 meter compact SUV reveal that the vehicle is nearly production ready. Mahindra will launch this Maruti Brezza rival early next year. The sub-4 meter offering is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli.

However, it will get totally revised styling and dimensions making it suitable for the Indian compact SUV market.  First of all, the length of the SUV has been shortened to under 4 meters, making it eligible for excise duty  benefits. The spyshots reveal a squarish design, but with enough curves to make sure that the vehicle does not look too butch.

The Mahindra S201 will be sold with petrol and diesel engines, both of which are expected to make class leading power and torque outputs. In fact, the diesel engine of the Mahindra S201 will be borrowed from the Marazzo. The 1.5 liter-4 cylinder turbocharged diesel motor makes 121 Bhp-300 Nm, and if the same tune is carried over, it’ll make the S201 the most powerful diesel compact SUV sold in India. Of course, these numbers are much higher than what the Maruti Brezza offers.

The petrol engine is likely to be a 1.2 liter turbocharged unit with about 135 Bhp on tap, which again will make the  Mahindra S201 a lot more powerful than the Ford EcoSport EcoBoost, which is currently the segment leader in terms of  power and torque – with 125 Bhp-170 Nm outputs. Both the petrol and diesel engines of the Mahindra S201 are expected to offer 6 speed manual and AMT options.

The new compact SUV will get a monocoque body, front wheel drive layout and five seats. It is likely to be offered  with twin airbags and ABS as standard safety features across trims. Considering that it’s a late entrant in a crowded  compact SUV market, pricing will have to be sharp. Mahindra is expected to make the S201 undercut the best-selling Maruti Brezza in terms of pricing.

Mahindra already has a presence in the sub-4 meter SUV segment with the TUV300. However, the TUV300 uses a ladder frame chassis and is rear wheel driven. Also, it’s a 7 seater, which makes it quite different from the other compact SUVs on sale.

Via PowerDrift