These are the first undisguised pictures of Mahindra's sub-four-metre iteration of the Verito saloon, the Verito Vibe.
Instead of going for the 'chopped saloon' look like the Indigo eCS and Swift Dzire, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has given the Vibe a two-box appearance. The rear windscreen is straddled by large tail-lights that sit on the C-pillar. However, the sharp rake of the C-pillar is at odds with the Vibe’s otherwise upright stance and is far from cohesive with the rest of the car. Ahead of the C-pillar, the Vibe is, as expected, identical to the Verito saloon sharing the same doors and body panels.
The Verito Vibe will be powered by the same Renault K9K 1.5 litre diesel engine, which puts out a modest 68bhp. The weight difference between the Vibe and regular Verito is expected to be marginal and hence the car's performance is likely to be similar to the Verito's. There is no petrol engine option planned for the Vibe as Mahindra doesn't currently have a petrol engine that would qualify for the sub-four-metre excise benefits.
M&M is expected to launch the Vibe some time in May for an estimated price of around Rs 5.30 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base model. M&M currently sells an average of 1,200 Veritos a month but mainly to the taxi market. With the Vibe, M&M hopes to at least double the combined sales of the Verito saloon and Vibe but more importantly, attract more private buyers.
M&M is expected to launch the Vibe some time in May for an estimated price of around Rs 5.30 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base model. M&M currently sells an average of 1,200 Veritos a month but mainly to the taxi market. With the Vibe, M&M hopes to at least double the combined sales of the Verito saloon and Vibe but more importantly, attract more private buyers.