Mahindra is gearing up to launch the BS6-compliant Marazzo MPV. In BS6 form, the Mahindra Marazzo will be sold with an upgraded version of the current 1.5-litre diesel engine that features a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system with a rear-mounted urea tank to help reduce NOx emissions – all to meet the new emission regulations. The engine will also come with a DPF (diesel particulate filter). The power output for the BS6-compliant 1,497cc four-cylinder diesel engine is expected to be the same as the BS4 version; this means the engine will churn out around 100hp in Eco mode and 123hp in power mode. The MPV will continue to be sold with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Earlier, the company also confirmed the inclusion of an automatic gearbox-equipped variant for its upgraded MPV and we expect the Marazzo automatic to arrive sometime later this year.  For more on Mahindra's BS6 diesel strategy and plans, click here.

Apart from the engine tweaks for BS6 compliance, the Marazzo will a variant re-jig. According to sources, the top-spec M8 variant will be given a miss. The BS6 Mahindra Marazzo range will start with the entry-level M2 trim and will see new variants like the M4+ and M6+ – the latter being the new top-spec trim. Details on equipment changes are still unknown; however, we expect some features of the M8 to carry over to the new M6+ trim upon launch. All variants of the BS6-ready Marazzo will be available in both seven- and eight-seater configurations.

In the Indian market, the Marazzo currently sees stiff competition from the likes of the popular Maruti Suzuki Ertiga at the lower-end and the Toyota Innova Crysta on the higher side. The MPV will soon see a price hike too, due to this BS6 upgrade. However, post April 1, 2020, the Ertiga will be a petrol-only model and the BS6-compliant Innova Crysta will be more expensive (especially in diesel form), thus creating a sweet spot for the updated Marazzo.

By ditching the current top-spec M8 trim, the company aims to create a smaller price bracket than the current Rs 9.99-14.77 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India) for its MPV, with the new top-spec M6+ variant being seen as more value than the M8. This would further help Mahindra generate more sales.

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