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Mahindra, the Indian utility vehicle manufacturer, has acquired the Ssangyong brand recently and today, we witness the fruits of that acquisition. No launches were made, but they did show four models of great significance to our market.
First up is the Rexton, the first Ssangyong model to be launched in our market. The Rexton will come here with a 2.7-litre CRDe engine that makes 182 bhp of peak power. It’s aimed square at the premium SUV market, with an estimated price range of Rs. 16 - 20 Lakh. The price range and the fact that it is a seven-seater means it’s direct competition for the Chevrolet Captiva. The Rexton has some off-road credentials to boot! It should be an interesting alternative to the CR-Vs and Vitaras when it comes here.
Also of importance is the global unveiling of the Actyon Sport pick-up truck. It is a stylish sports utility truck that is ideal for loading purposes and for leisure activities like camping, cycling, rafting, etc. It comes with a 2.0-litre diesel and is loaded on the inside with everything from a sunroof, bluetooth stereo system, rear-view cameras and even a hinge-sprung tailgate at the rear. The car is Euro 5 ready and is being launched in South Korea next week.
Apart from those, they’ve also showcased an electric vehicle, the Korado E, which will come with a 120 kW motor, have a range of 180 km. For an electric vehicle it doesn’t seem to be lacking in power at all, the car has a top speed of 150 kph. That’ll be one to look out for. Then there is the XIV-1 which is a crossover that seats four. One of its most unique features is that it can rotate 360 degrees on the spot. Now that will come in handy in the next traffic jam!
The Mahindra stall, including Ssangyong, Navistar and Reva will display no less than 27 vehicles at the Auto Expo. Check back here for the latest updates and pictures.
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