Mahindra S101 Compact SUV to Feature New Petrol Engine

After the spy images and reports of Mahindra's upcoming compact SUV codenamed S101, this latest bit of information about the SUV comes direct from horse's mouth confirming the engine specifications of the vehicle in India.

Mahindra & Mahindra is in advanced stages of developing new engines, which includes 1.2 litre diesel and petrol motors, 1.6 litre diesel and petrol units, and a 1.5-litre diesel and there is also 1.5 litre petrol and a 1.0-litre petrol engine which is under progress. Speaking to Autocar India, Pawan Goenka, president of M&M's auto business said that the new engines will power Mahindra's and the company's Korean subsidiary Ssangyong's future vehicles.

"Let me first say that I am very happy by the way our engines are going. We have developed a new family of engines, which will have a 1.2-litre and a 1.6-litre diesel and petrol, and a 1.5-litre diesel. We also have the option of doing a 1.5-litre petrol and a 1.0-litre petrol," Autocar quoted Goenka.

Mahindra S101 compact SUV, which is currently in the testing phase in the country will get the engine from the company's new engine line-up. The vehicle is likely to see the 1.2 litre petrol engine under the bonnet which is essentially the downsized version of the 1.6-litre unit. The new petrol engine is expected to churn out 80bhp.

Mahindra S101 is expected to reach the market in 2015. The SUV which will ride on a new monocoque platform is likely to get features like auto climate-control, steering-mounted buttons for infotainment system and slopping roof.

On the safety front, the vehicle is expected to pack anti-lock braking system, electronic brake-force distribution, four airbags and electronic stability programme. In India, the new SUV will take on the likes of Ford EcoSport and upcoming Volkswagen Taigun and going by the earlier rumours, the Mahindra SUV is likely to get a price tag range of ₹5-7 lakh.