Mahindra to add yet another compact utility vehicle to its model line-up with the extremely successful Bolero badge
The Mahindra Bolero has been India’s bestselling MUV for over a decade. Its rugged nature combined with its reliability and affordability made it an instant hit across the nation. Over the years there have been minor tweaks to keep it up to date but it’s essentially the same vehicle that Mahindra built its reputation for a modern utility vehicle on. Overtime though, increasing taxes on utility vehicles has been taking the price of the Bolero higher. The Mahindra Bolero currently retails between Rs. 6.47 lakh ex-showroom (for BS III DI models) and goes up to Rs. 8.14 lakh ex-showroom for the top-end BS IV model.
Mahindra believes this is something that needs to be attended to despite sustained high sales figures for the MUV. As a result the company will be launching a compact version of the Bolero with a smaller 1.5 litre turbo diesel engine (like in the TUV300) instead of the current 2.5 litre unit. The vehicle will also be shorter in length than 4 meters to capitalize on lower excise duties for compact vehicles.
This means that Mahindra will have four compact utility vehicles for the passenger car market in India alongside the new KUV100, the TUV300 and the upcoming NuvoSport. Mahindra plans to launch the new compact Bolero in the second half of the 2016 calendar year.
That said, the compact Mahindra Bolero codenamed U108 is an interim plan for Mahindra as the homegrown automobile maker is planning an all-new full-sized Bolero schedule for a launch anytime between 2018 and 2019 that meets future safety and crash norms.
Also read: Mahindra KUV100 Review
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