Hello everyone,
Today we will talk about
newly launching Mahindra Marrazo mpv. The MPV,
developed under the project name U321, gets its naming from Basque, a
sub-language of Spanish, where the word Marazzo means shark and is linked to
the vehicle's shark-inspired design. The Mahindra Marazzo is based on an
all-new platform and does not replace anything that is on sale from the
Mahindra portfolio, said Dr. Pawan Goenka, managing director, Mahindra and
Mahindra. We believe this is to confirm that the Mahindra Marazzo is not a Xylo
replacement, something that has been speculated for long now. The company
mentions that the Mahindra Design Studio and Italian design house Pininfarina
have collaborated closely during the design development process of the Mahindra
Marazzo. The result of which can be seen in the MPV's global design. Mahindra
has already confirmed that the Marazzo will be launched in India before the
festive season. While there is still some time before we get to see the vehicle
in flesh, here are some of the design and cabin features that the Marazzo MPV
will come equipped with.
1.
Shark teeth inspired grille
What the Cheetah is to the Mahindra XUV500, the shark is to the Mahindra Marazzo. The front of the
Mahindra Marazzo will come with a shark teeth inspired grille. As seen on the
spied images of camouflaged test vehicles, the Mahindra Marazzo's front does
look look imposing with the sharp headlights and the aggressively styled
grille. We believe the grille will sport a combination of chrome and matte
plastic. It will also give the Mahindra u321 a wider profile that what it
actually is.
2. DRLs embedded in the fog lamps
As seen from this image, the fog lamps positioned on
the bumper come with LED DRLs. We believe this will be offered only in the
top-spec along with some of the mid-spec variants. The spied images of the
Mahindra Marazzo MPV have also revealed that the headlight assembly too comes
with integrated LED DRLs. We assume the base variants might be offered only
with the LED DRLs integrated with the bumper to comply with the rules and the
regulations of all new cars.
3. Shark-tail inspired tail lights
Shark
tail was an inspiration behind the to
The
shark inspiration can be seen at different places on the Mahindra Marazzo and
not just the front and the grille. The tail lights too take inspiration from
the aquatic being, especially the tail part that lends its inspiration to the
rear lights. While it does look premium and the chrome strip on the side tends
to add on to the appeal, the overall design reminds us of the lights offered in
the Renault Lodgy. We will reserve our comments on the overall design
until we see the production model.
4. Shark fin antenna
There is nothing unique about a shark fin antenna
because it is a design that is seen in most of the offerings on sale in the
Indian market.
5. New instrument cluster
The
instrument cluster layout in the Mahindra Marazzo will have a lucid and
informative display
The interiors are expected to be feature loaded in a
similar fashion to the XUV. It will be available in a 7-seater and 8-seater
layout. Its dual-tone interior is expected to be equipped with a touchscreen
infotainment system, automatic climate control, piano black paneling and a new
steering wheel. What you see here is a much cleaner instrument cluster than
what is offered on Mahindra vehicles. Also, did you notice the 4x4 / AWD
drivetrain logo on the left of the instrument cluster.
6. Leather wrapped seats
Leather
wrapped seats to be offered in base and top-spec variants
The
mid and top spec variants of the Mahindra Marazzo MPV will come equipped with
premium leather drapes seats. Considering that Mahindra is aiming to take on
the Toyota Innova Crysta MPV with the Marazzo, the latter will have one
of the most comfortable seating in the segment. Also, the Mahindra Marazzo has
the largest footprint (area) compared to any other Mahindra vehicle on sale.
7. Roof mounted air-conditioner
Roof
mounted AC unit will be offered as standard across all variants.
The Mahindra Marazzo will come with
roof mounted air-conditioning. As seen from the images, the design of this unit
will offer uniform cooling across the cabin and to the individual occupants.
The image that was shared with us seems to be of the captain seat variant. The
base variant might be offered with bench seats.
Besides
all these features there are few more things you
need to know about the Mahindra Marazzo-
1.
Marazzo will get cruise control
The Marazzo will have cruise control. This is going to a
killer option for the car to have. The Maruti Ertiga and the Renault Lodgy both
don’t get this option.
2.
Mahindra Marazzo will get AWD (all wheel drive)
From the teaser pictures shared by Mahindra we have made out that the
instrument cluster has an AWD engaged icon. This will be a 1st in
class feature. It will make ride and handling very good. This feature will
allow drivers to access full potential of their cars. If not in India, but in
international markets for sure.
3.
Mahindra Marazzo to get Hill Descent
The Hill Descent feature is something we see on big off-roaders. The
Marazzo will have this feature. The car will be able to tackle steep descents
on bad roads really well. It will use the brakes to individually monitor wheels
that have no traction and stop the vehicle from slipping.
4.
Mahindra Marazzo will get Petrol and Diesel engines
The Marazzo will get two engine options. At the time of launch there
will be the 1.5 diesel engine which is going to make 122bhp and 300Nm of
torque. The car is pegged to have great performance. The petrol engine is
expected to come in later with the diesel automatic.
5.
Mahindra Marazzo will get AdBlue
This is a great step forward in getting
the car BS-6 ready. The Marazzo will have AdBlue which is an innovative
technology that helps absorbing pollutants from the car into a tank. It has to
be refilled periodically. Both the engines will be BS-6 ready and the diesel
will need AdBlue for sure.
6.
Mahindra Marazzo will get ESP
ESP is a feature that should be there on all big MUVs, MPVs and SUVs.
The feature helps in keeping the car stable and in check, avoiding rollovers
and accidents while cornering.
7.
Mahindra Marazzo will get TC (Traction Control)
The traction control feature is a good feature to keep the cars tyres
from slipping. The system enables the engine to send power to the wheel with
the most traction and sorts the car out. I turned off, you could have some fun
as you get to explore the cars caged performance or land our self in trouble.
8.
Mahindra Marazzo will get Dual Airbags as Standard
This will be another feather in the hat of the Mahindra Marazzo. This
will add impressively to the multiple other safety features that are already in
the car. Standard airbags are a great thing.
9.
Mahindra Marazzo will get Mahindra’s Patented
Architecture Ride + Agile Handling
Mahindra has this new platform that they have patented and applied in
the Marazzo. This will mean that the car is going to have very good handling
and a comfortable ride.
10.
Mahindra Marazzo will have largest footprint within all
Mahindra cars
The Marazzo is going to have the largest footprint in all Mahindra cars.
The car is going to be big on space. This also says a lot about the cars size
compared to the Maruti Ertiga and the Renault Lodgy.
11.
Mahindra Marazzo Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
This Marazzo like its SUV siblings has tyre pressure monitoring. The
system allows the driver to check the air pressure of the tyres via the infotainment
system.
12.
Mahindra Marazzo will get Eco Mode
While we don’t know if the Marazzo is going to get any other or
different modes, we do know by looking into the instrument cluster that the car
does get an ECO mode setting. With the engine power in mind, we think it might
be sensible.
13.
Mahindra Marazzo will get BS-6 compliant engines
The engines that are going to come with the Marazzo are going to be all
compliant with the new BS-6 norms. This is a very good move by the automaker.
The Marazzo is going to turn out to be a very feature loaded car.
EXTERIOR
These images show the U321 to have larger, vertically stacked
tail lamps. The car also gets a slight rake on the rear windscreen similar to
what has been seen on the XUV500 and slim rear bumpers with integrated rear fog
lamps. A notable feature of the tailgate is the relatively deep recess for the
number plate housing. Other details seen in these images are substantially
sized outside rear view mirrors with integrated turn indicators and what looks
like 16 or 17-inch wheels.
The
exterior of the car has been developed at Mahindra's North American Technical
Centre in the US. The Mahindra U321's front features a black mesh grille with
the chrome claw motifs that are becoming a Mahindra design staple. The
projector headlamps are enclosed in a blacked-out housing with the LED DRLs
being integrated into the fog lamps in the front bumper.
The
overall design language of the car is quite similar to that of the XUV500 and
KUV100 and is a mix of soft curves with a sharp character line running along
the door handles on the side. The car is expected to be powered by Mahindra's
new 1.6-litre diesel engine which should produce around 128PS and 305 Nm. A
petrol engine might also be made available later in the car's production run.
The MPV will share its monocoque construction with the XUV500 and KUV100.
INTERIOR
The interiors are expected to be feature loaded in a similar
fashion to the XUV. It will be available in a 7-seater and 8-seater layout. Its
dual-tone interior is expected to be equipped with a touchscreen infotainment
system, automatic climate control, piano black paneling and a new steering
wheel. The U231-codenamed MPV will be positioned as a value alternative
to the Toyota Innova Crysta and be priced above the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.
MANUFACTURING
Mahindra and Mahindra has confirmed
today that the upcoming U321 MPV will be manufactured at the company's Nashik
plant. The Indian automobile manufacturer will be making an investment of Rs
1,500 crore in the Nashik and the Igatpuri plants.
The Nashik plant of Mahindra
presently manufactures the Thar, Scorpio, Verito, Bolero, Xylo and the
NuvoSport. If the U321 MPV is indeed a replacement of the Xylo, the company
will use the same production line as that of the Xylo. The fresh investment
that Mahindra has made will be used in further developing the manufacturing
facility in Nashik while the Igatpuri plant will be used for manufacturing and
supply of engines. Both these projects have been tagged as an ultra-mega
project by the Maharashtra Government.
The upcoming Mahindra U321 MPV has been developed by the
Mahindra's North American Technical Centre (MNATC) in Troy, Michigan, and will
be the first vehicle to be designed here. The same centre will be responsible
for the development of future Mahindra vehicles for both Indian and
international markets. The Mahindra U321 has already
been spotted testing in India and
it looks near production ready. Considering that the U321 will be a premium
offering, we expect feature like touchscreen infotainment and climate control
to make it into the MPV as well. Additionally, it will help the Mahindra U321
take on the newly launched Tata Hexa.
Powering
the Mahindra U321 MPV will be the 1.5 -litre diesel engine. This motor will make power of 120 PS/320 Nm can be optioned with either a 6-speed manual or
automatic gearbox. We expect the transmission options to be retained in the new
MPV as well.
The
Mahindra U321 MPV is expected to be launched by the festive season of this year. We expect
Mahindra to price this vehicle between Rs 8-12 lakh.
Bhushan,
ReplyDeleteA well written article.
Keep it up.
Appreciate the photographs.
Dr Khopkar.