While we have known about the new SsangYong Rexton's impending debut at the Auto Expo 2018, sources have now confirmed that the SUV will be badged a Mahindra for the Indian market, but could retain the 'Rexton' name.
Despite having been around for a few years, the SsangYong brand has little recall value, and building a brand would require a significant investment in terms of time and expenditure. Mahindra could also do with a vehicle that is truly upmarket, and the Rexton will be just that, sitting at the top of M&M's passenger vehicle line-up, right above its existing flagship, the XUV500.
The Mahindra Rexton is expected to stay largely identical to the car sold globally but could feature cosmetic changes to bring it more in line with Mahindra's design language. Among the tweaks could be a new grille, different alloy wheel designs and some interior trim changes.
What also remains to be seen is what Mahindra chooses to equip its version of the Rexton with, and what it chooses to leave out. The car on sale globally packs projector headlamps, a 9.2-inch HD touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 360-degree camera, a 7.0-inch LCD instrument cluster, cooled seats, Nappa leather upholstery and a smart tailgate. While these would be nice to have, Mahindra will need to pick and choose wisely to keep the car's final price competitive. The manufacturer is aiming to undercut the Toyota Fortuner by Rs 4 lakh, which would see the Rexton range start at about Rs 24 lakh (ex-showroom). It is expected to launch later this year, closer to Diwali.
In traditional SUV spirit, the G4 Rexton is built on a ladder-frame chassis and with a four-wheel-drive system. Power comes from a 2.2-litre diesel engine with rated outputs of 187hp and 420Nm, mated to a seven-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox sourced from Mercedes-Benz. The G4 Rexton measures 4,850mm in length, 1,960mm in width, 1,825mm in height, has a wheelbase of 2,865mm and weighs in at 2,095kg.
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Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
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