M&M unveils sub-compact SUV `KUV100'; bookings open tomorrow

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), India's top utility vehicle manufacturer, on Thursday unveiled its sub-compact SUV, the KUV100, which will take on the likes of Renault Kwid, Maruti Wagon R, at an expected price of Rs4 lakh to Rs6 lakh.

Dr. Pawan Goenka (right), executive director, M&M Ltd and Pravin Shah, president  and chief executive (automotive), Mahindra & Mahindra, reveal the image of its much awaited compact SUV, KUV100

Marking its foray into the petrol segment, the company also unveiled an all new class engine family named mFALCON, an all-new family of aluminium-block engines that will have both diesel and petrol powertrains.

''We are all set to create a new segment with the launch of the KUV100, which also marks our foray into ground up petrol engines," said Pawan Goenka, executive director at M&M Ltd. "An ambitious project from the start, the KUV100, is all set to carve its niche amongst first time car buyers with its unique propositions.''

''I am confident that the KUV100, like its predecessors, will become an extremely popular brand and will be cited for taking Mahindra to a whole new orbit,'' he added.

The `mFalcon' engines currently include 1.2-litre three cylinder petrol (mFalcon G80) and 1.2-liter three-cylinder diesel (mFalcon D75) engines. Both the engines have been developed in-house, and are claimed to be the most powerful ones in the segment.

The petrol version of the Mahindra KUV100 will feature a 1.2-litre mFalcon G80 unit that gives out 82 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 114 Nm torque at 3,500 rpm.

The diesel model, which is powered by mFalcon D 75, a 1.2-litre capacity engine, produces 77 bhp at 3,750 rpm and 190 Nm torque between 1,750-2,250 rpm.

The mFalcon 1.2 petrol engine that powers the new KUV100 is based on SsangYong Tivoli's 1.6 litre engine.

M&M, which found itself stuck with only-diesel vehicles after the ban on diesel vehicles in Delhi, said its new engine line-up will be powering the KUV100 and its future models.

An indigenously developed monocoque SUV, the KUV100 will have many firsts to its credit including the first ground up petrol engine offering from Mahindra.

''Coming from our manufacturing plant at Chakan, the KUV100 is a no-compromise, next-generation compact SUV that will set the stage for the emergence of an all new category. While being a  market leader in the SUV segment, I am sure that with the addition of the KUV100 in our portfolio, we will effectively address the entire gamut of customer segments from entry level to high end SUV with our product portfolio,'' said Pravin Shah, president and chief executive, (automotive) at M&M.

The vehicle has been designed at the Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai and the Indian utility vehicle maker has filed for 18 patents during the development process.

Mahindra has spent Rs500 crore for the design development and manufacturer of KUV100. LG Engineering has worked for the interiors of the micro SUV.

Bookings for KUV100 (the S101 as it was codenamed) will open at all dealerships across India from 19 December, while it will be officially launched on 15 January 2016. Currently Mahindra has manufactured over a 1000 units of the all new KUV100.

KUV, or `Kool Utility Vehicle', will be available in four variants - Base (K2 & K2+), Mid (K4 and K4+) , High (K6 and K6+), and top end (K8). ABS will be standard fitment for all variants, while K2+, K4+, K6+, and K8 variants will have airbags.

The KUV100 which will take on the likes of hot selling Renault Kwid, Maruti Wagon R is expected to be priced between Rs4 lakh to Rs6 lakh.

Mahindra had planned to launch 10 products in the 2015-16 fiscal and seven of these have already been launched in the Indian car market.