New Mahindra XUV500 variants and facelift soon

Those of you waiting for a Mahindra XUV500, could do well to hold on for a couple of months longer. In the first quarter of the next financial year, the Mahindra XUV500 is due for an upgrade.Spyshots have begun surfacing of the facelifted variant being tested in Chennai, where Mahindra’s research and development facility is located.

What’s likely to be new with the XUV500?

Changes to the XUV500 include slight revisions to the styling on the front end. The bumper and grille will be updated (probably similar to the floating teeth effect on the new generation Scorpio), while the bonnet too is likely to get a minor revision. Some say that Mahindra may add an air scoop on the bonnet to give the XUV500 an even sportier stance. This new XUV500 variant is codenamed the W256 variant (the original XUV500 was the W201).

There are likely to be some minor revisions to the tailgate as well – around the number plate area. Not much of the changes are visible owing to the spyshots being of camouflaged models.

Besides the cosmetic updates, the XUV500 is also likely to get further changes to the brakes and clutch – two areas that the company has been working on, as it has been receiving complaints on these components. In addition, Mahindra will also bring out a higher variant with a six-speed automatic transmission (likely on only the all-wheel drive variant). There are also plans to launch the vehicle with India’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain and possibly a 2.2 litre petrol engine for export markets. The automatic variant will also see a boost in power from the current 140 bhp to about 160 bhp from the 2.2 litre MHawk diesel engine. Currently the XUV500 is available in four variants – W4, W6, W8 and W8 all-wheel drive, all with six-speed manual transmissions only.

Photo courtesy: Motor Vikatan