Mahindra, the SUV maker has recently trademarked multiple XUV badges for the Indian market, and XUV900 was one of them. Now, reports are suggesting that it will be Mahindra's first SUV-coupe model, and it is likely to be based on the XUV Aero concept, which the brand had showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo. While the Mahindra Aero concept was inspired by the XUV500, the first Mahindra SUV-coupe is expected to share its underpinnings with the upcoming XUV700. The brand has codenamed this project as W620, and it is likely to be launched by 2024.
Now you must be wondering what is SUV-coupe? Well, it's a cross-breeding of an SUV and a coupe that offer a sloping or a truncated rear roofline with the ruggedness of an SUV. The BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe are good examples of the SUV-Coupe body style.
Also Read: Mahindra SUVs Got Expensive By Up To Rs 49,000
Talking about the Mahindra XUV Aero, it was conceptualized by Mahindra's design studio in Mumbai. While it shared its front design with the XUV500, it had a swooping roofline & suicide door, giving it a proper coupe-like appearance. The rear featured a flat & uplifted trunk. However, the suicide doors are likely to be ditched in the production-spec XUV900, and the designing cues are likely to be borrowed from the XUV700. In terms of seating, it will be a 5-seater model compared to the upcoming 6/7-seater XUV700.
Mechanically, the Aero concept previewed at the Auto Expo was having an upgraded version of Mahindra’s 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine claimed to generate a 212PS of whooping power. It was featuring a two-stage turbocharger unit. But the production-spec XUV900 is expected to share its powertrain with the XUV700. That said, it is likely to get 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol and 2.2-liter turbo-diesel engines.
Though it is not official, Mahindra could also offer the XUV900 with an all-electric powertrain. This could be the production version of Mahindra Funster, which was acknowledged as the preview of the second-gen XUV500 (XUV700). In fact, the Funster was also a coupe-SUV concept, albeit in a 2-door avatar.