Car enthusiasts who are fond of hatchbacks would definitely be looking forward to the launch of the new Verito Vibe from Mahindra & Mahindra next week. The car was christened as Vibe, since Mahindra wanted to target this vibrant product towards young Indian customers. Being the first hatchback to be made by the utility vehicle manufacturer, it will be positioned against rivals such as Hyundai i20, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Ford Figo and Tata Indica Vista, amongst others.
Originally Mahindra & Mahindra had thought about launching a compact sedan, but the plan was changed to a premium hatchback. In order to gain headway in terms of competition, it was revealed that a few units of the Vibe have already reached some dealerships, even before its official launch on June 5, 2013. It appears that the Indian manufacturer wishes to leave no stone unturned in the promotion of this vehicle.
Production cost of this car has been minimised due to design similarity with the Verito. In addition, the Vibe will also use the same powertrain, which is the 1.5 litre K9K diesel unit. At the rear, the boot of the Verito has been chopped off and tail lights have been installed next to the windscreen, to create the Vibe hatchback. Interiors of the Vibe are similar to the Verito. In other words, the same level of space can be expected, which many buyers in this segment look for. Insides would be luxurious and adequate amount of legroom would be available for tall passengers.
In a scenario where most companies are looking to expand themselves in well established territories, it is a bold new move by Mahindra to test its capability in the premium hatchback segment. It would be a complete win-win situation for the company, since it is already getting high profits from the utility vehicle segment. Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) such as XUV500, Scorpio and Bolero are best sellers in their own right.
