[sidindica]

NOTHING ELSE WILL DO

July 25, 2002.

Somewhere in the planet, in a country of a billion people, in the world's biggest democracy, a person from nowhere calls up in my orphanage located somewhere in west Delhi.
I don't know who he is.
I mean seriously I don't know.
I am just one of those many units created by my parents who reside in Nashik after the project started 72 months ago.
Yes, a big 72 months.
But you know people, I am just a non living thing, just a vehicle designed to carry people from point A to point B.
A women usually takes 9 months to deliver a baby but creating me is not easy.
But, I am still fretting on my mind...who is that person who called up that day and talked to a sweet receptionist who collects data and gives information about me?
Maybe he is one of those potential customers who would soon become my new parents, maybe...
But he gets a surprise..
A big, big surprise...
"Sir, we have already booked 200 cars..", screams the lady.
I get jealous but feel helpless since I cannot do anything..just lame sitting in the stockyard awaiting for my PDI before a salesperson delivers me to my proud "new" parents.
Bloody hell, why did that girl call me a "car"?
No, I am not a car. I am a car that makes other cars suffer from low self esteem...
Alas! Now i came to know who that caller is..
Maybe a then 17 year old kid who doesn't have anything to do...shocked by the response and drooling over that huge AD which came on that national daily...

He is eager to see me.
Meanwhile I welcome many new buyers and my own brothers and sisters in our orphanage (!) called Sri Durga automobiles located at Rama Road, Delhi.

Sweetipies too come and see, touch and feel me in the orphanage where i am parked for a demo by the salesman who wants to do my R and D in one full time while attending my potential buyers. He sits inside me, explains how do I look, touch, feel, smell, taste and go...I really feel pity for him.

Kya usne apne Zindagi mein bhi aise kiya hoga apne khud ke upar?
Lol.

I get a thunderous response. for me, to find a new home, my would be parents have to wait for 3-3.5 months. Because my creators have never designed something like this before. You know, my entirely new mind, body, soul and heart has been designed by scratch and it took 6 long years from the deign stage to the final production creature when I first rolled down the assembly line.....
I really wanted to shout and tell this to that 17 year old kid who came all the way down from mayur Vihar phase 2, a good 30 kms away. He took a bone jarring ride down by changing two blue line buses till Shahdara metro station, got a comfortable air conditioned ride in the newly opened Delhi Metro and gets down at Inderlok. He then boards a DTC bus and comes down to the abandoned Coca Cola plant at shivaji marg, where somewhere on the inside hidden behind my orphanage is finally found.

He comes, stares and admires me. I garb like a buffoon but that romeo starts to open, close, sit, stand, sleep..possibly do anything he can and everything he wants to do while I am standing and looking at him.
He then cuts my stomach. And there you go, my big, heavy heart unleashes the beast within. Full 2,609 cc of pure insane madness with 109 brute horses and 26 kg of stump pulling torque at your disposal.

He stares at me, unattended..I feel bad for him, yet give my blessings..maybe next time, maybe...
He takes the flashy blue leaflet, overjoyed and goes back home...maybe college perhaps?
I still don't know who is he.

But its one way love. It never screams. Just grows deeper. It just pulls you in.
He comes and makes multiple visits every month and sees me in different colours and many different variants.

But, I still don't know who is this guy staring at me.

Until now.
July, 2010.
I turn 8, and this guy is 25, celebrating his silver jubilee and tom toming about me here, there and everywhere...

I feel happy, since he promised to write about me. A full autobiography about me.
Friends, ever wanted to know what's the secret behind my stupendous success?
How did I help my creators turn around and gain respect globally?
Who created me? And why was I created?
And what difficulties did I face during my creation?
Did I laugh? Or did I cry?

How did I evolve?
And how do I get to evolve continuously in my 8 long years of existence in the Indian automobile industry with lakhs of my brothers roaming around the country's roads in every nook and corner?

To know all the answers, you all are cordially invited to my world!
The world of Mahindra Scorpio.

Because, I am a living legend.
A legend called Scorpio.

Because,
NOTHING ELSE WILL DO.

Ever wondered how I came into existence?
Find out all about it in the first part, when he will pen down a story about the conceivement of my project.

[mooza]

Hey Sidindica, glad to know you are writing about the Scorpio. I was following your other thread "Mahindra Scorpio - A tribute" quite closely, to know more about my beast! Please do continue

[getsurya]

Sid,

there you go again! awesome-will follow this thread closely.

you should seriously consider writing and releasing this with M&M to outside TBHP world!

[tanwaramit]

waiting for this one. I think there was another writeup on Scorpio some time back by Sid. (correct me if I am wrong)

I am all ears to hear anything on a scorpio.

[aargee]

Will eagerly keep waiting to read on this one. Scorp, an indegeniously designed another Indian car that has faced lot of hurdles to reach this successful stage right from the initial days of suspension challenge, body roll & control. Really a good car in India.

[sidindica]

PART 1: The conceivement of my project

Like father. Like son.
Dreams that generate ideas.
Truly, ideas that translate into great concepts.
Concepts that generate golden designs.
Designs that generate great creations.
Creations that generate great executions.
Executions that generate into great products.
With golden brains.
That score the golden goals.

Truly, it will stand as one of those golden chapters in my country's automotive industry.

Ever wondered how I came into existence?

Well, here's my story.

1996. Somewhere in the Mahindra Technical research and development center, Nasik, India.

A team gets appointed to handle "project scorpio", which not only will give birth to me, but will also promise to make mahindra a global player in the automobile sector. Well folks, I would like to share a rich history of my predecessors.

My parents share a long legacy of rugged, reliable and durable off roaders known with love as jeeps. Remember those old bollywood movies of 1970s? Jeep.
A vehicle which became a cult with all age groups and college going hippies/urban youth etc.

My forefathers' roots can be traced back to the legendary willys jeep of the pre indenpedence era. During independence and as years progressed, my parents got a licence to produce jeeps suited to rugged Indian road conditions by using the design and technology transferred to them. Mahindra group was established way back in the 1940s and they gave birth to many dadas and pardadas alike which include:

• CL 550 MDI
• MM 540 DP
• Classic
• Major
• Commander
• Armada
• Armada Grand
• Bolero

and many other countless derivatives, all powered by rugged, robust and reliable diesel engines which can be repaired almost anywhere by "human touch."
Why?
Because life begins with a human touch.

And me the bachcha in front of them, my life too began with a human touch. Who am I?

I am the brainchild of Mr. Anand Mahindra and Mr. Alan Durante, the then project incharge of project scorpio, as my nickname was coded internally.

Well, to create me, the ideas given was simple:
I want to look like a million bucks, go like a million bucks, feel like a million bucks and last like a million miles. But at a restricted price band. Talk about affordable luxury urban SUV. And at the same time, I had to be compact in size, easy to drive and last a lifetime on the harsh Indian roads where my would be parents will torture me.

Isse achchi bahaduri aur kahaan?

For the first time ever in my country's industry, my design and engineering was supplier driven. In fact, my suppliers played a big role in designing various components which not only controlled costs, but also taught my parents a new lesson in vehicle development.

Like Father. Like son.

My parents wanted to create me from scratch. Because in Mahindra's long illustrious history, this is for the first time ever that an all new project was being undertaken. My mind, body, soul and heart are all new. Yes, I am an all new machine. In fact, I share nothing in common with my predecessors except perhaps a few nuts and bolts.

But as with all automakers, bringing me to life on earth required many hurdles and challenges, some of which are extremely torturous and treacherous in magnitude.

Design:

Like I mentioned before, I want to make cars suffer from low self esteem. But for that I have to make a positive impression before being interviewed by auto journos at the time of launch. And for that I had to look like a million bucks.
To design and develop me, an all new team of 26 engineers, all at a young age group of just 27-32 years was created under the project head, Mr. Alan Durante.
Kaafi kum sankhiya nahi hai kya?
Well, their dedication and willingness to support the project and overcome any hurdles that they wold face really made my day...and yet I wasn't born!
Initial sketches were shown and varied from boxy to curvy to weird designs. Many came, many gone, many were scrapped. In fact, some design ever beared striking resemblance to the 1992 Jeep Cherokee with its boxy glasshouse, profile and roof design. Yet it didn't look original and was rejected. After many ifs, buts and rejections, my final design, screaming aggression yet being mild and at the same time, robust but understated elegance was approved.

How do I look?

A mix of boxiness with a hint of curvaceousness, call it universal sex appeal. I wanted to appeal to all age groups, men and women alike. The front shouts chiseled aggression with my all new vertical vented wraparound grill with an all new mahindra logo carrying my legacy of being "tougher than the toughest". A smooth sculpted wraparound bumper merges with the smoothly sculpted flared fenders and large distinct wraparound headlights. The gargantuan windscreen gives a full panoramic view of the road ahead and one who sits inside me truly feels like the king. Enough to scare the so called cars and make them suffer from low self esteem.

My sides follow the theme of restrained aggression with a large glasshouse and a prominent belt line running through the sides and getting curvaceous towards the rear quarter panel. A prominent cladding, to be fitted as standard on most models adds to the ruggedness and oozes personality, while at the same time adding as a protector to my skin from rashes. The large wheel arches house huge 15 (or later 16") wheels with wide size 205 tyres for added ride comfort and high road clearance against the tortures of Indian road conditions. A sidestep is integrated to ease the entry and exit for many elderly and short/weak sized "human beings".

'Cause after all, I am a machine created by humans for the humans and its my duty to protect and to serve them well, after all izzat ka sawaal hai..

My backache is not yet over yet. Flat and square with small taillights plus an integrated rear bumper with footstep, its not exactly you call me pretty but simplicity sometimes works. My buttock opens sideways unlike the so called "innova-tive" vans which open up and down, often causing nausea for the human elbows...!

I am tough, extremely tough, yet gentle. Add to my beauty are those 2 gorgeous hair clips known as ski racks which balance my overall stance.

Time to apply fair and handsome stance for some "autographed photo sessions please."

My handsomeness attracts many men (!) and they proudly smile at me while my outer skin has been finally crafted. Oh! man! main to ek machine hoon. An handsome machine? You bet!!

While my heart keeps on taking shape, and so does my soul, I am tempted to see that do I make an impression on the inside?

Well, folks, to find your answers, tune in to the inside story, which will be penned by him up next....

But hey folks! don't forget to admire me. Because you all know that,
nothing else will do....!

[mooza]

Hi Sidindica, waiting for further updates from the Scorpio's heart ! Please keep them coming.

Requesting you to extend this story to what he might be like in his future births as well, if you are privy to that information

[TaureanBull]

Sid has woken up and woken up everybody else .

This is a very interesting write up. I am loving every word of it. Go on sid..

[Autocop]

Sid, Great start. Making a very intersting reading. Keep it coming!

[sidindica]

Part 2: My Inside Story

Hello guys! Come inside, sit at the driver's seat with a commanding view of the road and feel like a king...king of the road. its time to live life kingsize!
Admire my driving position and feel like a boss as you sit higher...way higher and get ready to jive and drive as you sent the so called cars running away and scurrying for cover.
"Bhai sahab...thoda side de do..itni badi se truck aa rahi hai...yeh bichchu kahin hume kaat na khaye.."
Yes, once again, cars will suffer from low self esteem.

I am a machine.
Created by human creatures.
Creatures need comfort.
Presenting my inside story-full of creature comforts.

I am not a car. I am a jeep. yet, I am a car that you walk into, not crawl into.

Friends, did you know that I was the one that was created around my supplier base rather than an out and out design by engineers?
One of my creators that played a very important role in designing my insides was Lear corporation, USA which helped with the seat and interior design and played a vital role in controlling costs and delivering a world class product in me.

I am built tough outside, yet soft and cozy inside. Yes, I have some major flaws, but for a new first timer who is getting through the pain and agony of an all new grounds up design, I may be forgiven...

Open my wide opening doors, step inside and a world of boldness and robustness welcomes you. I follow a classic two themed black and grey interior for that cockpit like effect yet my design philosophy follows a combination of flair and functionality.
Just take a look at my control panel. Its rounded and oval in nature, with an overall oval design theme.
Because to me, someone really told-squares and rectangles are over. Curves are back.
The Central console is ergonomically sound, a hard lesson learnt by my parents after I bashed them black and blue seeing the ergonomic mess that they have created in my spanish singer cousin-the bolero. No sur, laya, taal, attitude, murkiyaan or harkats...woh to singer ke naam pe kalank tha..

I taught them a lesson on sa re ga ma pa...started with the basics and them made them learn the concept of Indian Idol-me that is.
The AC vents too follow the oval theme-clean and contemporary-horizontal on the middle, vertical on the two ends for optimal airflow to keep all my families cocooned in comfort in hot Indian summers. Since my cabin volume is humongous, Rear passengers too are provided with their own cabin vents placed at the middle behind the two front seats. The Controls for HVAC too have been simplified and designed to be easy to operate and I feature a unique 4 speed blower switch which can be used on either clockwise or anti clockwise direction. Enough to spark fights between my driver and his girl friend...but I just want them to be happy..

I happy, she happy, he happy, you happy, they happy, we happy to sab happy.

The front two chairs are ergonomically designed to suit all human frames, they have firm cushioning in the interests of durability yet are very comfortable, if a bit short on under thigh support..

The middle row seats are perhaps better, with enough width for 3 average sized adults and flex and fold depending upon the seating configuration that my new families would opt for.
I also take care of large joint families and offer a useful third row seating-front forward facing or two different jump seats depending upon client request.
Whatever variant you opt for-my creature comforts would remain the same.
Power steering as standard on all models to swish the roads with elan.
Power windows to see the world up and down at a touch of your fingertips.
Central locking to lock all doors at a touch of a button with the flick of a switch.
Ergonomically designed switches and switchgear for all controls including rear washer/wipe and defogger to clearly track the competition fading at a distance.

And a crisp 5 speed manual gearbox placed conveniently tilted towards drivers' side for utmost shifting comfort. Now that's what I call seriousness.
Well done pops!

But maybe..I am, not that perfect. Compact size and squeezing three rows on seats has clearly pressurized my pancreas..
Legroom is in short supply and my seating position is cramped. I start to frown and get scared at what people would feel....gurther pressurizing my intestines...beta, jab pressure aata hai na pressure, to karna padta hai..

7,8 or 9 seats. I am safe too. My upholstery and roof lining are fire retardent for safety in case of anything unfortunate..
Well, you know that with great comfort and soul, comes great responsibility.
crazy about music? The 4 speaker factory fitted RDC player echos all the acoustics you need to keep your 5 senses alive. And the sixth sense, of course is about driving me and admiring my underpinnings on the Indian roads...

But hey! did I say under pinnings? Or my under wear?..

Hmmm...well, the aforementioned terms refer to my soul.
Conventionally known as my chassis.

To know more about on how my chassis was designed, built and created, tune in to my next part, "my underwear" coming soon by the poster...

And hey, in the meantime, come inside, have a cup of chai/coffee and chat and admire me from all angles...
Because, nothing else will do...

[sidindica]

Part 3: Under my skin-my underwear

Sometimes I feel we are still together, only a touch away,
Memories of you, I still remember, words that you used to say,
Used to say,
Stand by my side, I need you, you need me
Feeling you close to me,
Stand by my side, I see you clearly,
You are all I ever need,
Spending the time we had together,
Loving you more each day,
It was strong, getting so much stronger,
Now we are both apart......

Perhaps time has come apart a long way since I was first created and till today when I will turn 8 soon.

Tu mile, dil khile,
aur jeene ko kya chahiye....

But guys, ever noticed how treacherous and full of torcher its a job to create me?
Well, same thing happened in 1998-99 when my first running prototype was getting ready.
Seeing the condition of our roads, my chassis had to be rugged and heavy duty certified....talk about the country's toughest underwear that has to be treated anti-bacterial against any abuse thrown it by my customers/load luggers alike...maybe some of them even carry too much bacteria over the top...but anyways, my creators and engineers had the toughest task ever in their careers=to design a chassis that can wthstand rigorous abuse and anything that Indian roads throw over it and make the chassis of the so called cars....hmm..low on self esteem..

It had to be a ladder frame.
Now you ask me why?
When in today's world, monocoque is the norm in the interests of lightweight and fuel economy and lower emissions and at the same time, they are almost car like to drive. Call them CUVs..

Well, CUVs are for amateurs.
I am a proper SUV with a capital S written on it. Enough to make the so called CUVs wimp.
ANd secondly, I belong to mahindra.
Mahindra means being tougher than the toughest. And my C-in-C section bolted onto a ladder frame has various advantages.

• Like mazbooti.
• Like off road prowess.
• Like not bottoming out even on the fullest of full loads.
• Like withstanding any damn abuse that people throw at me.
• Like simple in maintenance without too much complexities that many babes suffer from..
• Like easy repair costs.
• Like enduring durability.
• Like load lugging abilities..and many more..

Well, for the first time ever, mahindra designed an all new chassis on its own. And my underpinnings consisted of a ladder frame integrated to the chassis, popularly called a C-in-C section (cowl in chassis) for better balance, agility, ride, handling and durability.

An independent McPherson strut with coil spring and telescopic shock absorbers was designed specifically for our roads and again in the interests of ruggedness and proven reliability on our roads, 5 link rigid leaf springs with telescopic shockers and all round stabilizer bar was chosen to cushion occupants at the rear.
As with the policy, Samlip of Korea played a major role in suspension tuning.
Now how well they play the harmonica and tune me is a different ballgame altogether...I know how much criticism I have to face...but..Ok, its all that counts.
But hey, how can you tune me unless and until you drive me?
And to drive me, it requires a big and heavy heart which is still being pumped in the chamber.

Yeh dil, na hota bechara,
Kadam, na hote awara,
Jo khoobsoorat koi apna,
Hamsafar hota...

My heart is pounding to tell you about the secret of my beats.

But before knowing about it, its time to take a nice break and stretch out....maybe lean down and look at my underpinnings perhaps?

Time to go, and I'll be back soon with my "heart pounding" story, coming up next....
because..nothing else will do...

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by sidindica

But maybe..I am, not that perfect. Compact size and squeezing three rows on seats has clearly pressurized my pancreas..
Legroom is in short supply and my seating position is cramped. I start to frown and get scared at what people would feel....gurther pressurizing my intestines...beta, jab pressure aata hai na pressure, to karna padta hai..

Having used my Scorpio Mhawk refresh for 10K miles, the cramped interiors are the biggest dislike. If all three rows of seats are used you have zero luggage space. Unless you use the carrier the Scorpio is effectively a 5 Seater

The front facing third row cannot even be folded down without folding the second row first. There is not enought space for the third row seat to fold down

I hope the next-gen SUV from Mahindra has much more interior space.

[Abbas]

Superb Writeup man . I have had my share of expi with the scorpio recently driving approx. 5k kms in 6 days. I know what this car is capable of.