Re: Mahindra to up exports; start with XUV500 to Europe Cross posting from the ScorpioN thread as this is a very relevant topic here and now.
ScorpioN is getting launched in Australia and the Automotive media there seems quite impressed with it. It undercuts the competition such as Pajero Sports and Fortuner by a substantial margin and has created a niche price segment for BOF 4X4 SUVs at the 45,000 AUD mark. Mahindra is offering only the Z8 and Z8L Diesel Auto 6 seater variants there.
Price points:
- 42K AUD for Z8 Diesel Auto (22.8 Lakhs INR)
- 46K AUD for Z8L (25 lakhs INR)
These are highly competitive prices compared to the prices in India - almost equal or even a bit less than the price in India. Whereas other manufacturers such as Toyota overcharge heavily in India for cars like the Fortuner when compared international prices. The Fortuner sells for about 55000 AUD (29.8 lakhs INR) in Australia, whereas the same car in India costs above 42 lacs on a comparable 4X4 AT - a whopping 40% more (all prices ex showroom)
Most of the popular reviewers out there are all praise for the ride quality and off road prowess of the ScorpioN. He describes the ride and handling of the Fortuner as being inferior in comparison - a feather in the cap for Mahindra
The reviewers seem a little concerned that the ScorpioN has only got a 5 star rating on Global NCAP, whereas competitors in Australia have a five star from Asia NCAP. They describe GNCAP as an "emerging markets" rating. What they do seem to want to forget is that, just because a car has a 5 star GNCAP, that does not mean that will not be able to get a 5 star on Asia NCAP or Euro NCAP. Mahindra needs to look at getting its cars safety rated by Euro NCAP in the future if it plans to sell its vehicles in international markets more and more.
Of course, the vehicle is also faulted for not having ADAS features in most Australian reviews, which seem to be par for the segment in Australia. This gives me hope that M&M will bring the in-house ADAS tech from the XUV700 to the ScorpioN soon for all global markets and India too. Another complaint in some the reviews I read is about fuel tank capacity in a country like Australia, where people drive long distances between cities, or to tourist and off-road destinations, the 57L fuel tank is too small for this class. M&M needs to provide a minimum of a 70L fuel tank.
Some of the other reviews I read from Australia do criticize the relatively lower power output especially torque output of the ScorpioN, in comparison to competitors such as the Fortuner. The 400 NM of torque that the ScorpioN provides is a full 100 NM less than what the Fortuner offers. I am still unsure why M&M chose to offer the highest tune of the 2.2 MHawk, with 450 NM of torque, in the XUV700 - which does not have a proper full time 4WD with low range gearbox, nor as many towing applications as the ScorpioN. However, they limited the torque from the same engine and gearbox at 400 NM in the ScorpioN. In my opinion, it should be the other way round - with the four by four ScorpioN outputting the full 450 NM, which would place it not too far behind the Fortuner.
I expect that the vehicle has very good chances of success in market such as Australia, South Africa and Latin America. It will be able to open up and compete in a substantially lower price bracket then the Global pick-up truck based SUVs such as the Fortuner, MUX, Pajero Sport and the Endeavour. What will then happen to delivery lead times in India is anybody's guess as it is likely that the company will prioritize Global growth and expansion over selling a few thousand more of the same SUVs in the Indian market.
Last edited by 84.monsoon : 1st May 2023 at 13:02.
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