Mahindra unveils Scorpio Classic; Here's All You Need to Know

The Scorpio Classic gets subtle styling changes and major mechanical updates.

When the Mahindra Scorpio-N was unveiled, pretty much the only backlash it faced was over its design. Not because the Scorpio-N looks ugly, but primarily because of how iconic its predecessor looks. And now, for fans of the outgoing Scorpio, Mahindra has introduced the Scorpio Classic. It keeps the design of the previous gen Scorpio, but brings with it a new engine and major suspension updates.

Let’s talk about the mechanical changes first. Under the hood of the Scorpio Classic is the second-gen mHawk engine, which makes 130bhp and 300Nm. The engine is much lighter than the one in the old Scorpio, and it should also be more fuel efficient and refined. The low-end grunt of its predecessor hasn’t been forgotten, with 77% of peak torque available from just 1,000rpm on the Scorpio Classic. The engine is mated to a new six-speed manual transmission with Cable Shift for a better shift action – there’s no automatic on the Classic.

The other big update, perhaps even more important than the powertrain, is the fact that the Scorpio Classic now gets multi-link suspension with coil springs at the rear! At the front are double wishbones and on both ends, the shock absorbers get Multi Tuning Valve - Concentric Land (MTV-CL). 

The updates to the suspension should make the Scorpio Classic a lot more comfortable on the road, with reduced body roll and the ability to deal with imperfections with greater composure. We’ll only know for sure once we drive it though.

While there’s no 4WD on the Scorpio Classic, it should be fairly handy off-road thanks to its RWD setup and body-on-frame construction. Mahindra claims a 27-degree approach angle, 23.9-degree break over angle and  25.4-degree departure angle. The Scorpio Classic also has a respectable 500mm water wading capability.

In terms of cosmetics, the Scorpio Classic gets slightly refreshed headlights, LED DRLs on the lower half of the bumper and a new grille with the Mahindra Twin Peaks logo. At the rear the iconic tower taillamps, first seen on the 2006 Scorpio, make a comeback.

Inside, the Scorpio Classic gets a new Android-based 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It doesn’t have CarPlay or Android Auto, but does get BlueTooth connectivity and the ability to mirror your smartphone’s screen as well. The Scorpio Classic also gets automatic climate control, cruise control and more.

Mahindra has simplified the Scorpio Classic lineup, with only two variants being offered now. The base S variant gets all the mechanical changes, but misses out on most of the frills. You do get two airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors and an LED tail lamp though. The other variant is the top-spec S11, which gets all the goodies mentioned above. 

The Scorpio Classic will be available in a variety of seating configurations. There’s a 9 seater variant with a bench middle row and seating for four via jump seats in the third row (2+3+4), there’s also a 7 seater variant with a similar middle bench setup, but with smaller jump seats to accommodate two in the last row (2+3+2). Finally, the S11 gets the option of captain seats in the middle row and a bench at the rear for a (2+2+3) 7-seat setup.  

We don’t know the prices yet, but you can expect the Scorpio Classic to be in the range of Rs 10.5-17 lakh, which should make it one of the more capable offerings at that price point.

Also read:

Mahindra Scorpio-N bookings to commence tomorrow - All details here

2022 Mahindra Scorpio N Review: First Drive