Disclaimer: This review does not describe performance of Scorpio on road or test drive details. I happened to ’’ask and know’’ about it and liked it, so I put it here cause MS is my online home first, besides being a consumer site. If you still want to proceed, you are welcome.
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I tread this road everyday, from Charni Road Station to Sukh Sagar (Chowpatty) passing the ’’eye-popping’’ crowd outside Barista, Copa Cabana, New Yorker, Bachelors and one fine day I see some construction work. Within a very short span of time, the dirt settled and the curtains rolled up to unveil a new visually appealing M&M (Mahindra & Mahindra) showroom. For days together, it had the Mahindra jeep and the more handsome Bolero, shining under the spotlights.
Surely Bolero was quite a comeback for M&M with the UV segment dominated by TELCO’s SUMO and another unsung TRAX. The police mainly used the ’’Jeep’’. Bolero came with a wham and addressed the ’’rich & famous’’ and surely was a hit. But then there was quite a renewed competition by Tata Safari and of course Toyota Qualis.
To keep up in automobile segment, you need to roll out new models, so it was time, HIGH TIME!
So there I walk the same old path and as a routine, peek into those glass walls, expecting Mr. Bolero to smile back at me. And whoosh! I was taken aback, by that venomous smile. The same set of teeth that Mr. Bolero had, but more brighter, gleaming and a broader smile. I looked carefully, ’’Mr. Bolero, you look different, you have more muscles.’’ ’’I am not Bolero, you moron, I am Scorpio’’, it hissed back at me. ’’Oh! What an attitude!’’
Goodness me, I do remember removing my specs and cleaning it with the still cleaner part of my handkerchief, and putting them back on and yes the boards gleamed with a 3D gleaming text ’’SCORPIO, Nothing Else Will Do...’’ A Cancerian (me) staring wide-eyed at Scorpio. The sales-girl (whom I would stare at everyday) nearly got jealous on Scorpio. Ho! hum! Was she also a scorpio?
Though it was there, I wouldn’t muster the strength to step in and check it out, ’’would cost me 10 years of my income’’, I thought. But the otherwise empty showroom, now has quite a crowd. I would catch the people move around, in-out, up-down Scorpio, have its hood opened and peek at the engine. ’’Sure is impressive’’, I would say ogling from outside the glass barriers.
One fine day, I caught a friend, the same guy whom I went to Pune with (in Honda City), and barged into the showroom. ’’Sir, may I help you’’, said the sweet voice from behind. ’’Oh! It was her’’. Now I was confused, Scorpio or the salesgirl. ’’Both’’, my mind screamed.
So we began with the petrol version -Rev 116. Impressive with its Renault 2000 cc engine with multi-point fuel injection system. ’’Sir, it has 4 stroke Renault engine that delivers 116 bhp power and has a high pickup of 0-60 Kmph in 8 sec (blah blah)’’ We didn’t want her to waste so much efforts on us after we saw the price tag.
The most impressive was the broad silver smiling (rather grinning) Mr. Scorpio (the same one who hissed at me)- the TURBO 2.6 Dx (deluxe) diesel avatar at Rs. 6.5 lac. The front and the side looks quite sporty. The black model looked more menacing. The lights, fog lights, brake lights are arranged well. It has side step or shroud. The rear portion has a little hump at the top, which does not go well with the otherwise beautiful styling, and the back looks swelled slightly. It’s probably intentional to fit the rear passengers, but a tad ugly. Overall, it’s a beauty, better than Qualis (which looks like a tin box with a tiny dog like snout and large bump), and more sportive than Safari.
’’Sir, this one is SZ 2600 DI diesel engine in colloboration with AVL, Austria’’, she said mechanically (I liked the smile from those Lakme lips, though) while pointing her finger to the engine. Sure enough, with the hood open, we had a peek. The engine, radiator and whatever there exists was quite neatly arranged. ’’What about the power and pickup?’’, I asked with the authority of a rally driver. ’’Well Sir, the 4 cylinder 2609 cc engine delivers 109 bhp, which is 0 to 60 in under 9 sec’’.
My friend opened the door and took the driver seat while I took the rear. Whoa! It looked like a circus tent, small from outside and huge from within. (Spookay..learning some analogies from you...did I strike a home-run?). Real spacious. Though it says 8 seater, it can definitely sit 10 (thoda khisak yaar!). The dashboard and most parts are kind of plastic, the upholstery is impressive too and she said it’s fire resistant. The steering is not thin but quite macho with a good grip. ’’Sir, it has power steering, power windows and a central locking system. This deluxe version has front and rear wash and wipe feature, which is not in the 2.6 model. This zone where you are sitting, sir, is protected zone. Here there are side impact beams, it has front and rear seat belts. The braking system has vacuum drum brakes at the rear and ventilated disc brakes at the front. I am sure Sir, you would agree that this is a safe vehicle to travel’’. We nodded. ’’And Sir you won’t feel much shocks in this cabin as we have independent suspension - torsion bar at the front and leaf spring at the rear.’’ (Whatever she meant by that - all bouncers??)
’’What about fuel efficiency?’’, I nailed her with my super question as she muttered under her breath, ’’10-11 Km/litre’’ in city traffic and around 15 Km/litre on highways, but Sir’’, she continued with a sudden gush of confidence, ’’It is eco-friendly and BS-II compliant’’. Heard of Euro-II, but what was BS-II? She saw the big question mark on my face and told us that Bharat Stage -II were Indian made norms that are more stringent than Euro-II. (like ISO and then ISI...we Indians are good at Indianising foreign stuff...hee hee...including our Constitution...hee hee).
At the end, we did thank her for enlightening us and I praised her enthusiasm (I couldn’t tell her that her wet pout looked good). We did oblige her by giving her visiting cards and filling up a few feedback forms. We didn’t book the UV though, they talked at length describing some financing schemes.
But yes, the UV has really left an impression (oh I am serious now...I mean SCORPIO only) and if I am through with my house loans, this is next on the cards, till Toyota (read LandCruiser) or TELCO rolls out some competition.
But first I’ll have to appply for a 4WD license, then actually seek an opportunity to drive it to mention the post driving experience.