Homegrown utility vehicles behemoth Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) on Friday launched its much awaited sub-compact SUV, KUV100 (‘100’ pronounced as one-double-O), at a starting price of Rs 4.42 lakh, with the top-end variant costing Rs 6.76 lakh (ex-showroom prices, Pune).
Speaking at the launch, M&M Executive Director Pawan Goenka said that the launch of the KUV100 marks an inflection point in the journey of Mahindra.
“KUV100 is our first foray into ground-up petrol engines, and with it, we are defining a new SUV sub-segment and targeting a new customer group. Yet another ‘Make in India product — KUV100 aptly represents our ‘Rise’ philosophy in action,” he said.
Third sub-4 metre vehicle
The sub-compact SUV, which is Mahindra’s third sub-4 metre vehicle, is available in four variants — K2, K4, K6 and top-of-the-line K8, and available in seven colours. Its design is inspired by its elder sibling, Mahindra XUV500.
The vehicle has ample space to comfortably seat six passengers, besides safety features such as ABS and dual airbags optional from the base variant.
Goenka said the company invested Rs 1,200 crore, and over 350 people worked for the last four years to develop the KUV100.
“The XUV500 and KUV100 will be assembled on the same line. The current capacity of both the vehicles combined together is 9,000 units per month. We will be ramping this up to 12,000 per month in less than six months,” said Goenka.
The KUV100 is powered by an all-new range of petrol and diesel engines, the mFalcon series. The petrol engine mFalcon G80 — Mahindra’s first ground-up engine — is a 1.2-litre unit that churns out 82 bhp and develops 114 Nm of peak torque.
M&M President and Chief Executive Officer (Automotive) Pravin Shah said that the launch of KUV100 will further strengthen its commanding position in the SUV segment.
“With the launch of KUV100, Mahindra hopes to help today’s youth to stand out in the crowd, which reflects their personality and enhance their lifestyle. I do believe that with its aggressive styling, trendy interiors and attractive price points, KUV100 can compete with the Maruti Swift and Hyundai i10,” said Shah.
