MINI XYLO

When?: September 2012

How much?: Rs 4.9 to 6.5 lakh

Variants: 1.5-litre diesel

The Mini Xylo (just a nickname for now) is nothing but a 4-metre version of the Xylo to help it meet the lower excise duties and take on the hatchback segment.

What's new with the compact Xylo you ask? Well, quite a bit. For starters it will be a 5+2 seater, the plus two being side facing jump seats at the rear. This gives the compact Xylo a competitive edge. Other changes include a lowering of the standard features on offer as well as some changes to the trim quality to ensure that it can slip in under the Rs 5 lakh tag for the base variant, going all the way up to Rs 6.5 lakh for the fully loaded versions.

To meet the lower excise duty bracket, Mahindra have also developed a three-cylinder engine, based on the current 2.2 mHawk motor that powers the Scorpio, Xylo and XUV5OO. This 1.5-litre diesel powertrain is mated to a five-speed gearbox. Little is know about the power it develops, but sources suggest it could vary from 70 bhp to 90 bhp.

Expect it to hit Mahindra showrooms just before Diwali, sometime in late September. It has the makings of a runaway success and could potentially turn the whole MPV market on its head.

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