Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M), India’s leading Utility Vehicle (UV) maker, seems set to introduce its compact Sports UV Quanto in the Indian auto industry. As per the official confirmations, the car will hit the Indian shores on September 20, 2012 and will be the first compact SUV in India to come with company fitted 5 seats.
Stating his views on Quanto, Dr Pawan Goenka, President of Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors, M&M, said, “Customer centric Innovation has always been at the heart of any product development at the Mahindra Group. With the Quanto, Mahindra is aiming to fill a need gap in the Indian automotive market for a versatile and compact SUV. We are confident that with its unique value proposition, the Quanto will carve out a segment for itself in the market. The Quanto will cater to the needs of young urban India which enjoys an active lifestyle. We expect the Quanto to offer an exciting upgrade at a premium to customers who are otherwise looking for premium diesel hatchbacks or entry level diesel sedans.”
2012 Quanto will be based on the body-on-ladder design within sub-4 metre length, which will make it smallest SUV in the company’s product portfolio. Since the model will measure less than 4 metres, it will be qualified for the small car tax benefits offered by the Indian government. Owing this, the model will efficiently square off against the likes of Renault Duster, Maruti Ertiga and the upcoming Ford EcoSport. As of now, Renault Duster has been dominating the compact SUV segment of the Indian auto industry and Mahindra can emerge as a potential winner in this segment if the pricing of its new model is just right, accompanied with generous level of standard accessories.
Reportedly, the car will be assimilated with the company’s first three-cylinder twin turbo diesel engine, which will have the potential to belt out maximum power of 100 bhp with a peak torque of 240 Nm. The engine which will be incorporated within the upcoming Quanto is a toned down version of 2.2 litre mHawk turbo diesel powertrain and thus it can be equipped within a range of Mahindra vehicles in the coming years. Therefore, it can be said that the upcoming compact SUV will be very important for the auto maker as it will be a test bed for upcoming launches, in terms of technical specifications.
With an ARAI tested mileage of 17.3 kmpl, Quanto is believed to set new heights in the compact SUV segment, if economically priced. Industry experts believe that Quanto will lure those buyers who are either attracted by premium hatchbacks or by entry-level sedans, since it contains the credentials of both the segments.
