[shankar.balan]

If Mahindra, my desire would be as follows (WISHLIST):

Probably a jazzed up MAHINDRA THAR built on a SOLID Ladder Frame Chassis with all the Mod Cons- like a Jeep Wrangler type of thing.

Electric Borg Warner 4x4 shift on the fly with Low -High 4WD transfer case (LSD as well?)
Scorpio Mhawk turbo 2.2 Crde diesel engine (de-tuned a bit but with very high torque capability)
improved suspension - independent coil springs in front and rear
body contoured recaro type front bucket seats with rally type cross straps
completely foldable single comfy front facing bench seat with individual headrests, centre armrest and seat belts etc at the back.
Optional Hard Fibre Hard top/ high quality fibre soft top variants
Power steering
Power Windows
Heavy duty glass with tint/ heavy duty cladding - water resistant.
completely re-done facia/ dashboard etc with lots of storage holes. Scorpio steering wheel/assembly.AC/Heater standard.
First class insulation to beat the NVH down completely
5 Spoke Alloy wheels
Fat 235 70 16 ALL TERRAIN tyres to go anywhere
heavy duty mhawk hydraulic clutch system for easy gearshifting.
5 speed manual gearbox -scorpio type clicky/ short gearing.
Heavy dutyTowhook at the back
60-75 litre fuel tank capacity
Enough space at the rear for some luggage
Change the old type small tail gate for a top hinged hatchback with two stage opening like the volvo xc90.
Raise the body a bit for higher GC.
Front bumper to have integrated "waterproof driving lamps" in it.
Powerful headlamps (waterproof)
Have an integrated footstep for easy side access to the two front doors. Entry to the rear can be the same as the old 540 or for that matter the Jimny by moving the front seat a bit and accessing the back.
Hard top can have large rear windows and a large rear windscreen and the full size spare with cover can be mounted outside as in traditional jeeps.(Lockable though)
Both the Hard and Soft Top versions can have chunky roll bars/ roll cage mounted inside for reinforcement.
Optional extra snorkel air intake/ sealed bonnet waterproof
Optional extra roof rack
Optional extra front bull bar
Optional extra winch mount in front
Optional extra winch and rope & pulley system
Optional extra jungle tree/ branch lifter guy wires in front
Optional extra 25 litre Metal/ Fibre Fuel Tank/Jerrycan mounted at back. (Lockable)
Heavy duty rain wipers/ window washer motors - 3 speed type
Add a nice powerful Bosch Horn and a couple of heavy duty lightforce type foglamps with grill protectors/ stone guards and one is absolutely ready to take on anything.

If I get the option of such a monster I would buy at the same price of the current Scorpio - say Rs 10 Lacs on Road.
Optional Extras can be bought over time if required.
But fully loaded the vehicle should not cost more than Rs 11.5 -12 Lacs on Road.

COLOURS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE:
1. Plain Silver. 2. Jet Black. 3. Turf/ Henna/Olive Drab/Olive Green. 4. Desert Sand/Khaki. 5. Dark Steel Grey. 6. Rocky Beige. 7. Clean White.
2.No major contrasts happening anywhere except the HardTop/SoftTop parts and these to be available only in Olive Drab, Khaki, Grey, Black.
Let this be a simple, plain, anonymous coloured vehicle.

With Mahindra's capabilities and proven strengths there is no reason why they cant make such a beast.
Move over Landry, the Mahindra HULK is on its way!!

Originally Posted by anekho

Even if the rav4 came to india it would be priced between the corolla and fortuner: 13-17 lakhs. No way they would sell it for less than an innova.

However I agree that a new gypsy like car should be available.
Maybe a market for mahindra? (let's hope it doesn't get the funny grill! )

cheers

[greatpower]

NIssan Qashqai would be an absolutely outstanding urban suv!

[abhik]

OMG Shankar. Seems like if you had the above parts sourced you would probably be driving one of these before Mahindra could make it.

Even i did'nt think such extensively when i had thought about customizing a MM540. But i had thought on the same lines, like the Jeep Wrangler.

[shankar.balan]

AHOY I FORGOT

1.ABS - DISC BRAKES FRONT & REAR DRUMS (HEAVY DUTY)
2.EBD
3.AIRBAGS in FRONT and REAR (PLUS SIDE CURTAIN)

I WANT!!!! GRRRR

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

If Mahindra, my desire would be as follows (WISHLIST):

Probably a jazzed up MAHINDRA THAR built on a SOLID Ladder Frame Chassis with all the Mod Cons- like a Jeep Wrangler type of thing.

Electric Borg Warner 4x4 shift on the fly with Low -High 4WD transfer case (LSD as well?)
Scorpio Mhawk turbo 2.2 Crde diesel engine (de-tuned a bit but with very high torque capability)
improved suspension - independent coil springs in front and rear
body contoured recaro type front bucket seats with rally type cross straps
completely foldable single comfy front facing bench seat with individual headrests, centre armrest and seat belts etc at the back.
Optional Hard Fibre Hard top/ high quality fibre soft top variants
Power steering
Power Windows
Heavy duty glass with tint/ heavy duty cladding - water resistant.
completely re-done facia/ dashboard etc with lots of storage holes. Scorpio steering wheel/assembly.AC/Heater standard.
First class insulation to beat the NVH down completely
5 Spoke Alloy wheels
Fat 235 70 16 ALL TERRAIN tyres to go anywhere
heavy duty mhawk hydraulic clutch system for easy gearshifting.
5 speed manual gearbox -scorpio type clicky/ short gearing.
Heavy dutyTowhook at the back
60-75 litre fuel tank capacity
Enough space at the rear for some luggage
Change the old type small tail gate for a top hinged hatchback with two stage opening like the volvo xc90.
Raise the body a bit for higher GC.
Front bumper to have integrated "waterproof driving lamps" in it.
Powerful headlamps (waterproof)
Have an integrated footstep for easy side access to the two front doors. Entry to the rear can be the same as the old 540 or for that matter the Jimny by moving the front seat a bit and accessing the back.
Hard top can have large rear windows and a large rear windscreen and the full size spare with cover can be mounted outside as in traditional jeeps.(Lockable though)
Both the Hard and Soft Top versions can have chunky roll bars/ roll cage mounted inside for reinforcement.
Optional extra snorkel air intake/ sealed bonnet waterproof
Optional extra roof rack
Optional extra front bull bar
Optional extra winch mount in front
Optional extra winch and rope & pulley system
Optional extra jungle tree/ branch lifter guy wires in front
Optional extra 25 litre Metal/ Fibre Fuel Tank/Jerrycan mounted at back. (Lockable)
Heavy duty rain wipers/ window washer motors - 3 speed type
Add a nice powerful Bosch Horn and a couple of heavy duty lightforce type foglamps with grill protectors/ stone guards and one is absolutely ready to take on anything.

If I get the option of such a monster I would buy at the same price of the current Scorpio - say Rs 10 Lacs on Road.
Optional Extras can be bought over time if required.
But fully loaded the vehicle should not cost more than Rs 11.5 -12 Lacs on Road.

COLOURS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE:
1. Plain Silver. 2. Jet Black. 3. Turf/ Henna/Olive Drab/Olive Green. 4. Desert Sand/Khaki. 5. Dark Steel Grey. 6. Rocky Beige. 7. Clean White.
2.No major contrasts happening anywhere except the HardTop/SoftTop parts and these to be available only in Olive Drab, Khaki, Grey, Black.
Let this be a simple, plain, anonymous coloured vehicle.

With Mahindra's capabilities and proven strengths there is no reason why they cant make such a beast.
Move over Landry, the Mahindra HULK is on its way!!

[architect]

Shankar, there are so many times I have looked at a Scorpio and wished it was 2.5 lakhs cheaper and 2 seats smaller. It would have been the perfect vehicle for me, but I had to manage with what I found next best within my budget (and it was NOT the Bolero).

I think there should be two versions:

Base Version with basic creature comforts, hard top, shift-on-the-fly 4WD, foglamps, sump guard, independent coil springs et al. I don,t mind black coloured bumpers or side cladding.

Priced at around Rs 6.5 lakhs

Top-end version with extra tank, jungle tree wire lifters, winch & pulley, winch, pulley, snorkel exhaust, LSD etc etc.

Priced at around Rs 9.5 lakhs.

Of course, the 4X4 and mHawk 2.2 is a must, but even the mEagle would do, I guess. But my only question is will Mahindra (I am hoping Mahindra will do this first) manage to make a vehicle which combines high speed as well as off-road capabilities as good as the Forrester?

If wishes were horses, or Forresters were cheaper (with diesel engines).

[shankar.balan]

ive wanted the scorp since 2002 when my bro in law bought his first one - he paid about 6lacs then which was way above my budget then
in 2004-2005 i used to lurk at the mahindra dealership wishing i had the money - it was 6.5 - 7 lac then - I could just manage the 6 lac my Bolero cost me at the time! funny but ive also had very similar thoughts to yours all these years. and i also have mentioned the forester earlier in this thread - if only it had come with a diesel engine and was priced lower than the 13 lacs it used to cost!
now even when I ve been able to afford a scorpio and indeed own one as we speak, I still am dreaming of the type of mahindra thar type monster that ive put in the wishlist in the earlier post!
if wishes were horses, then beggars would ride - i guess!

Originally Posted by architect

Shankar, there are so many times I have looked at a Scorpio and wished it was 2.5 lakhs cheaper and 2 seats smaller. It would have been the perfect vehicle for me, but I had to manage with what I found next best within my budget (and it was NOT the Bolero).

I think there should be two versions:

Base Version with basic creature comforts, hard top, shift-on-the-fly 4WD, foglamps, sump guard, independent coil springs et al. I don,t mind black coloured bumpers or side cladding.

Priced at around Rs 6.5 lakhs

Top-end version with extra tank, jungle tree wire lifters, winch & pulley, winch, pulley, snorkel exhaust, LSD etc etc.

Priced at around Rs 9.5 lakhs.

Of course, the 4X4 and mHawk 2.2 is a must, but even the mEagle would do, I guess. But my only question is will Mahindra (I am hoping Mahindra will do this first) manage to make a vehicle which combines high speed as well as off-road capabilities as good as the Forrester?

If wishes were horses, or Forresters were cheaper (with diesel engines).

[anekho]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

If Mahindra, my desire would be as follows (WISHLIST):

with a list like that, you should make your on custom jeep!

that also means that if mahindra made it exactly to your specs, but sold it in only red you would be disappointed!

cheers

[shankar.balan]

rather like ford who said you can have any colour of car you like as long as it is black...

Originally Posted by anekho

with a list like that, you should make your on custom jeep!

that also means that if mahindra made it exactly to your specs, but sold it in only red you would be disappointed!

cheers

[jp1]

Shankar,
Just now saw this thread, this is what exactly I wanted to buy for so many years, at around 6 lakhs, but the nearest thing I could get was the Gypsy. I used it for 2 years from 1999 to 2001, then I went for the Bolero GLX 2001 to 2006 (4 x2, really missed the 4x4 of gypsy, 2nd bolero 2006 slx till now (again 4 x 2, this time the 4x4 was di engine, so i did not buy that).

The next one I am going for is CRDe bolero, only if i can get in 4x4, until then I am going to use the current Bolero. My wish list
- slightly improve over all design of the Bolero
- with 4x 4 (manual shift would do , no need of electric borg warner shift, in fact i believe forrester is manual shift)
- with differential locking for front and back
- keep the price around 7 lakhs
It can be a run-away success. As such they are selling a lot, so this can be a deadly mix.

And of course a foldable second row seat

[evo]

I`m not too excited about the Baby Offroader vertical from a desirability perspective somehow, but I think in terms of possibility, this is the best one.

Maruti anyways has half the tooling for it and they could tinker with it to make this also, perhaps Fiat can sell it under its name or better still, Maruti can launch it as the new Gypsy.

They can use the MJD with the VGT a la Linea and you have a decently powerful baby offroader.

Remember that the hulking safari also had a 90 bhp engine till 3-4 years ago, and the VGT is infinitely more tractable than that engine.

The good bit is that since volumes will be lower than a sedan, the costs will be spread across a wider base thereby making it economically feasible. Ditto interiors, engine and so on. Classic platform sharing and so on.

BUT and a big one at that, is the fact that MARUTI knows about this!

So even after knowing, if they didnt do anything about it, it may mean that their MResearch proved em wrong.

Its all the more surprising because its not just a unaddressed niche but its also a huge gap in Maruti`s portfolio.

Just think of the volumes that can be generated for a stripped down version from the Police and so on.

Also, I doubt TATA will be very happy with FIAT selling something that will make the Sumo/Grande look positively stupid in comparision. Ofcourse the Sedici will have only 5 seats so it wont be able to address the taxi market.

Until ofcourse, maruti does a DZIRE on the Sedici and makes it ugly and long!

Cheers

[ahuja365]

It would be an excellent idea but car manufacturers dont really understand the peoples needs and blame low sales of cars to recession.

[Rarrps]

Fiat Sedici Is nothing but Hatch/Offroad version of SX4 sedan Suzuki Australia | SX4 AWD.

[dockap]

how about this a sx4 crossover with a 1.6 fiat mjd engine

[Gagan.js]

dockap, I like the second pic, I can see many many people going for it.

How much do you think something like that would cost here?

[shankar.balan]

this SX4 4WD crossover baby offroader is really lovely
if these chaps offer it here at about the price of say a lac more on road than the current SX4 ZXI and shove in the MJD Fiat engine in it, I do believe it is a killer concept and will sell like "he**" if you will forgive the bad rhyme.
but they should not resort to their typical slimy tactics of cutting down on tyre size/ rim size, alloys, left side ORVM and other stupidities which they are normally guilty of.
they should just offer one FULLY LOADED Variant with all the possible bells and whistles in it.
Let Maruti take a page or two from Hyundai's concept of providing consumer value and adapt themselves a bit.