The Mahindra Scorpio is the most well-known face in the Indian SUV market for a long time. By a long time, we mean almost 20 years. It was a very popular hardcore ladder-on-frame SUV with a ton of utilitarian capabilities. It was also so popular because of its practicality and design. It may have been a proper utility vehicle but its looks gave an urban persona as well. That is the reason that the Scorpio has stayed relevant even after 20 years of its launch. Especially over the last few years, the compact SUV segment has seen an astonishing boom, with almost all the modern compact SUVs geared towards the urban buyers alone. The healthy sales figures of the Scorpio show that it is still loved by the customers.
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The news also states that the new-gen Mahindra Scorpio is about to launch very soon. We have already done a post of the spied testing of the new-gen Mahindra Scorpio, due for launch by mid-2021. We talk about all that we can expect from the new Scorpio in terms of features, conveniences and engine options. But in this post, we want to report that the existing Scorpio has received an update, well, of sorts. There has been an addition of a new S3+ base variant. What are the prices of this variant and which features does it offer, let us find out.
Mahindra Scorpio – S3+ Base Variant – Features
The Scorpio comes in four trims, S5, S7, S9 and S11 and the S3+ variant will be the new base offering from Mahindra. This is prices at over Rs 50,000 less than the previous base model, S5. The features included in this base variants are Power Windows, Power Steering, Front-Charging Ports, Tilt Steering, Manual ORVMs, Steel Rims instead of the alloys, LED tail lamps, etc. On the safety front, the S3+ will get Dual Airbags, Rear Parking Sensors and ABS with EBD. Needless to say that the list of what this variant misses will be a much longer one. But considering the cost, it may well prove to be value for money for some potential buyers. The S3+ variant will be offered in 7,8 and 9-seater configurations.
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Mahindra Scorpio – S3+ Base Variant – Engine
The engine for this base variant has been detuned a little bit from the one that the higher trims get. It still gets the 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine making 120hp and 280Nm and comes mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The same engine on the higher trims makes 140hp and 320Nm. The detuned version will prove to be a bit better for the fuel economy and therefore, can be used as a commercial vehicle. However you may want to use your Scorpio, the price tag of Rs 11.67 lakh, ex-showroom for this variant will surely prove to be value for money. The top-end trim of the Mahindra Scorpio costs Rs 16.90 lakh, ex-showroom. Being a mid-size ladder-on-frame body SUV, there are currently no direct rivals of the Scorpio. However, its own sibling, the Thar may be a competitor for the off-roading enthusiasts.